Lando Norris snubs Lewis Hamilton with huge praise for rival F1 driver

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Lewis Hamilton is statistically the most successful Formula 1 driver of all time, but the Briton has been overlooked by compatriot Lando Norris for praise in one huge aspect.

Records have tumbled throughout the last 17 years since Hamilton made his debut in F1 for McLaren at the 2007 Australian Grand Prix. It was also for McLaren that Norris got his debut on the grid at an Australian GP in 2019 and could now become their next drivers’ champion.

Not since Hamilton won the 2008 drivers’ title on the final lap of the season at the Brazilian Grand Prix have McLaren won any championship. The Woking natives lead the constructors’ standings in 2024 but have not brought the teams’ title home since McLaren won it in 1998.

Lando Norris thinks Max Verstappen and Red Bull are F1’s ‘most dominant’ pairing ever

Hamilton left McLaren after the 2012 Formula 1 season to join Mercedes and has gone on to enjoy huge success. Thanks to the Silver Arrows acing the introduction of F1’s 1.6L V6 turbo-hybrid power unit in 2014 the 39-year-old won his joint-record seventh drivers’ title in 2020.

Only Michael Schumacher had ever won seven titles before, but the German trails Hamilton in many other Formula 1 categories. The Briton leads the way for Grand Prix wins (105), plus pole positions (104), podium finishes (201) and Grand Prix laps spent in the lead (5,485) yet.

READ MORE: The best moments of Lewis Hamilton’s career in Formula 1

But despite Hamilton and Mercedes being F1’s most successful pairing in history – achieving six drivers’ titles, eight constructors’ titles, 84 wins, 78 poles and 152 podiums yet – Norris snubbed his compatriot to label Max Verstappen and Red Bull as the most dominant pairing.

Thus, given where he places the Dutchman and team from Milton Keynes as a combination, Norris believes his title fight with Verstappen is essentially one of the toughest in Formula 1 history. With six rounds to go this year, the McLaren ace trails his Red Bull rival by 52 points.

“I still have a lot of points to catch up on,” Norris noted, via quotes by Formule1.NL. “It’s not going to be easy, we’re talking about Red Bull and Max – the most dominant combination Formula 1 has ever seen.

“It’s still the same team and it’s still the same driver. So, in principle, this title fight is one of the toughest in the history of the sport. We’re doing better at the moment because we’re a bit faster. But that’s mainly due to the great work the team are doing.”

Max Verstappen’s dominance of Formula 1 could be about to end in 2024

Red Bull hit it out of the park when Formula 1 re-introduced ground effect cars in 2022 and have seen Verstappen dominate the series since. Over the past three seasons, the 26-year-old has won 41 of the last 62 Grand Prix. But he is without a win across the last eight races.

Verstappen even produced the most dominant season in Formula 1 history by winning 19 of the 22 Grand Prix in 2023. The Dutchman’s year saw him win 86.36% of the races to register the highest win percentage in F1’s history, surpassing Alberto Ascari’s record of 75% in 1952.

Last year also saw Verstappen set new single-season records with the most Grand Prix wins (19), consecutive victories (10), wins from pole position (12) and F1 Sprint wins (4). But the 2024 season could see his stranglehold of the title as a three-time defending champion fall.

Across the last eight Grand Prix since Verstappen last won at the Spanish Grand Prix in June, he has only finished on the podium three times with P2 results at the British Grand Prix, the Dutch Grand Prix and the Singapore Grand Prix. He also got a P4, three P5 and one P6 finish.