ANALYSIS: Why Norris and McLaren have committed to each other for the long term

Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Xavi and Andres Iniesta, Lando Norris and McLaren – there are just some sporting partnerships that are meant to be.

On Saturday, it was announced that the latter will be staying together for the foreseeable future with Norris signing a fresh deal that'll keep him at McLaren until at least the end of 2030.

When Zak Brown got to know a young aspiring racer called Lando Norris, very quickly he formed the opinion that the Briton was World Championship material.

Brown was proved right last year as the 26-year-old fended off team mate Oscar Piastri and a charging Max Verstappen to clinch the Drivers' World Championship crown.

That title success came in year nine of their time together, which began with Norris walking through the doors of the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking in 2017 as a 17-year-old to sign a contract to become test and development driver.

Norris was an instant hit with McLaren and McLaren was an instant hit with Norris. They've grown up together, gone through tough times together and enjoyed success together. They've got each other's respective backs.

That's the kind of environment that Norris thrives in. As he told me in his first interview since the news broke, he's with the people that he wants to be with and "for me, that's calming".

Norris' previous contract ran until at least the end of 2027, so there was no rush to get a new deal done, not least because both Brown and Norris knew they were happy and wanted to continue. So why do another deal already?

Well, following his World Championship victory last year – McLaren's first Drivers' World Championship trophy since Lewis Hamilton triumphed in 2008 – it was always the plan to sit down and discuss extending and improving their arrangement.

So, in the last few months, they zeroed in on the new terms with both sides sure that, not only did they want to continue beyond 2027, but they wanted to commit for the long-term, which in this case is at least the next four years.

The deal is understood to be a proper commitment from both sides and a clear intention to see it through, rather than a deal that has clauses that could allow one or the other to escape each year.

For Norris, he was keen to do a long-term deal to give him and those around him stability and prevent the persistent rumours about his future floating around and acting as a distraction.

Knowing he'll be at McLaren untll at least the end of 2030, when he'll be 31, also means he can knuckle down and focus on working with his team to add to his win and World Championship tally.

He also believes McLaren have what it takes to win. He believes Brown and Team Principal Andrea Stella are "incredible" leaders and feels the team of people who work with him are the best in the business and are all working in the right direction to bring success. So there really was no reason to change.

For McLaren, they have seen Norris grow from a rising star to a World Champion and were there every step of the way, from signing his first contract and taking his first pole, to sealing his first Grand Prix win and taking the title.

They know what they've got – and they know what he's worth – so understandably, they don't want to let him go.

Signing such an impressive deal that locks him down for at least another four years gives certainty to their shareholders and partners and wards off any admirers – of which there are many – elsewhere in the pit lane.

The driver market could get very spicy in 2028, so locking Norris down early doors sets out their stall and sends a warning signal to rivals.

Trust and belief in each other. Those factors formed the foundations of Norris and McLaren's relationship back in 2017 and, a decade on, they remain the cornerstones.

With team mate Piastri signed up until the end of 2028 – and both sides believed to be very happy with their relationship – McLaren are well set for the future as they battle to create a papaya-coloured dynasty in the years ahead.