Lando Norris has opened up on the extent of talks held wi𓄧th other F1 teams🌳 to quit McLaren.

Norris penned a new contract to stay at๊ McLaren which, although the exact duration has not been made public, could reportedly run until 2028 or 2029.

The highly-t♐outed British driver had been linked to future switches Mercedes and, particuꦺlarly, Red Bull.

He told Sky Sports about the secret talks ♏with unnamed teams: “There’s alway💟s discussions, every now and then.

“ꦚI’m not going to lie and say ‘no!’𝕴 There are always little discussions.

“You talk to people and sa🅺y ‘what could you offer’ kind of thing. But it never went furt💃her than that.

“There have alwaysꦺ been things in the media, and stories written. It’s not the best thing for everyone here a🌼t the factory.

“If you’re working away making a part for my ca🍰r, and you see ‘Norris has links to here or there’ it’s not the best thing to see.

“For the team’s sake we 💞wanted to get it d🌱one now, to put those rumours to rest.

“I am convinced this is where I wanted to stay.

“As much as there was ‘hey, how are you’ at other places, it nev🐻er went further than that.

“As soon aꦛs I came back here, it was a done deal.”

Norris’ great friend Alex Albon jokingly claimed there would always be a place forꦅ him at Red Bull.

The seat next to Max Verstappen is due to become vacant for 2025, with Sergio Perez struggling to cling on and Daniel Ricciardo waiting in the wings, but Norr🏅is will now no longer be a contender to join๊.

Asked about the lure of Red Bull, Norris pointed towards McLaren’s dramatic improveme🌺nt from the middle of last year.

“We are talking about the mo🌄st competitive and successful car in the history of Formula 1 over a season – and I think you have to include the driver in that too,” he said.

“How close we got at certain places🔥 with where we started the season? I think it was pretty impressive.

“To go from out of the po𒉰ints pretty much every single race to being probably the closest team on average🎃 to the most successful car that’s ever been in Formula 1…

“I think that showed me enough, a🙈nd showed everyone here at McLaren enough, that we have what it takes to challenge them.

“Therefore I want to create my own chapter and my own story of being with McLaren and turning the team around and being part of that j𒆙ourney.

“Of cou🏅rse there’s always interest and in the back of my mind.

“‘What w💜ould happen if I went here andꦦ what could I achieve,’ and so forth.

“But I🦄’m happy with where I am, I’m comfortable🅰 and I think in order to achieve a World Championship you need to be happy and comfortable with where you’re at.”