“It is not impossible” : Lewis Hamilton on Lando Norris challenging Max Verstappen for the F1 title

Lewis Hamilton has been in the F1 scene for about 17 years, long enough to know and thing or two about it. The seven-time champion in his veteran years has become a prominent figure both inside and outside the circuit, with his thoughts and opinions given priority over others.

Lewis Hamilton’s experience is multifaceted, with his influence increased tenfold over the years. Off-track, he is an advocate for diversity and has multiple ventures which focus on sustainability and wellness. The Briton is also an inspiration and a role model for young drivers due to his success coming from a modest background and also uses his platform to encourage young drivers to stay on the right path.

But perhaps the biggest influence Hamilton has had over the course of his career is his constant mentorship and support towards young F1 drivers, most notably fellow teammate George Russell, son of former rival Michael Schumacher, Mick Schumacher, and most recently his praises for McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Lewis Hamilton has faith in Lando Norris despite being 78 points behind Red Bull

In a recent interview with PlanetF1, the Briton was asked about his former team McLaren’s chances against the heavyweights Red Bull. Although the seven-time champion was not exactly optimistic, he related to it as he was in the same position before, and did not rule out the chances of the underdogs.

“I think there was a time I was here where I was 40 or something points behind – 70 is a big number when you’re against a car that has probably very, very close to a 100 percent record. It may have dropped down slightly in one of the races when Max’s engine stopped in Australia. But, otherwise, they’re a very, very highly-performing team. So I mean, it is not impossible, but it is a huge, challenging task, but absolutely not impossible,” said the 39-year-old.

“They’ve got two very strong drivers that are able to compete against, ultimately currently in the championship, one car that’s really up there doing a lot of the points scoring on the other side. So they’ve got something they can work with there, for sure,” the veteran added.

Lewis Hamilton has not made any surprising statement, as beating the duo of Max Verstappen and RBR will be no ordinary feat. The Dutch has been the ultimate frontrunner since 2021, and there seems to be no answers for his dominance, although Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Norris himself, are coming closer.

Lando Norris’s career trajectory is certainly on an upwards path, as the F1’s biggest talent has brought back a resurgence at McLaren. Sir Lewis Hamilton’s words will definitely be on the 24-year-old’s mind, and encourage him and McLaren to keep pushing for the top spot.