Lando Norris told clear reason why he’s not on the level of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen

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Lando Norris joined the elite Formula 1 drivers in history by winning the 2025 championship with McLaren.

After winning the season opener in Australia, it looked as though his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, had the upper hand. He took the lead of the championship after his victory in Jeddah and did not relinquish it for 15 races.

While Piastri began to struggle with his driving style not suiting the MCL39 on low-grip circuits, Norris took advantage. With a brand-new approach, he had the better of his teammate and kept a charging Max Verstappen at bay to win the title by two points.

Where does Norris rank?

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Jacques Villeneuve says Norris became a ‘true winner’ in 2025. He kept his cool and stayed on task to keep his rivals behind, helping him become the 35th F1 champion since 1950.

Norris knew Verstappen could be beaten during his battles in 2024. He carried that momentum into 2025 and he came out on top over the Red Bull star.

Lando Norris told he is not on Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton’s level with his crashes in 2025

However, Michael Bleekemolen believes that Norris is not on the level of Verstappen. He noted several incidents in 2025 that cost him extra points.

Norris collided with Piastri in Canada while racing for third. The pair would crash again during the Sprint race in Austin, although neither driver could be blamed for the freak incident.

Nevertheless, Bleekemolen does not think Norris is on the level of the four-time champion, or, for that matter, seven-time champions Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher.

Asked by RacingNews365 if Norris deserved to be the 2025 champion, he replied: “Not if I compare him to Max Verstappen.

“In Canada, was it Canada? There, he just drove at the back (of Piastri). I definitely think that driving at the back of Piastri, if I compare him to Max, was a dramatic thing.

“And the crash at the Circuit of the Americas, those are things that just happen. You can go into all that in great detail, but it is what it is. “Then I’d say: he’s not on the level of Hamilton and Schumacher.”

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration

Where does Lando Norris rank among F1’s greats after 2025 title win?

Naturally, Norris has got a long way to go before he can be considered among the greats of the sport, such as Verstappen, Hamilton and Schumacher.

But by becoming a champion, he has put his name among the very best. Norris is McLaren’s eighth world champion, putting him next to the likes of Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Niki Lauda to have won with the Woking outfit.

The Brit will be looking to carry the momentum from 2025 into 2026. The new technical regulations present a new challenge for teams and drivers, but if McLaren can build a strong car, Norris could be in a position to win the title again.

Norris can beat Prost’s McLaren podium record in 2026. Doing so, and winning his second title, will certainly give him a stronger case to be considered an F1 great.