Lando Norris received his first F1 world championship in 2025, however a former racing driver reckons that the McLaren star nonetheless is not on the identical stage as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
Lando Norris, regardless of clinching his first System 1 world title earlier this month, has been instructed he isn’t fairly as much as the usual of Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen.
The McLaren star pipped four-time champion Verstappen – and teammate Oscar Piastri – on the put up to safe his inaugural Drivers’ Championship within the season’s closing race in Abu Dhabi.
Nevertheless, ex-F1 racer Michael Bleekemolen reckons 26-year-old Norris hasn’t but reached Verstappen’s heights. He identified a number of mishaps throughout the 2025 season that value the Brit beneficial factors, together with colliding with Piastri in Canada and one other crash in Austin, Texas.
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When quizzed by RacingNews365 if Norris was a deserving 2025 champion, Bleekemolen responded: “Not if I examine him to Max Verstappen. In Canada, was it Canada? There, he simply drove on the again (of Piastri).
“I undoubtedly assume driving in the back of Piastri, if I examine him to Max, was a dramatic factor. And the crash on the Circuit of the Americas, these are issues that simply occur. You possibly can go into all that in nice element, however it’s what it’s. Then I would say; he is not on the extent of Hamilton and [Michael] Schumacher.”
Whereas Norris has a long way to cowl to match the feats of Verstappen, Hamilton and Schumacher in F1, his 2025 world title win has actually set the stage for him to carve out his personal legacy.
Talking about securing the world title following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Norris revealed: “I really feel like I’ve simply managed to win it the best way I needed to win it, which was not by being somebody I am not.
“Not attempting to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as different champions might need been up to now, I am glad. I simply received it my means – by being a good driver, by attempting to be an trustworthy driver.
“At occasions, may I’ve been extra aggressive and received off the brakes and had a number of individuals over? I actually may have completed. Is that the best way I need to go racing? Is that me? It isn’t.”
Norris additionally revealed messages of encouragement he had obtained from Hamilton and one other ex-world champion Sebastian Vettel throughout the season.
“I’ve had some nice phrases and nice textual content messages and conversations with some unbelievable individuals, those who have received World Championships in numerous sports activities, Lewis and others like Seb,” Norris instructed F1.com. “Lots of people do not know I communicate to Seb about issues. Loads of these individuals, [former MotoGP champion Casey] Stoner, who, after I wanted it most, despatched me that little textual content message and mentioned; ‘Consider this, consider in your self, do that, do this’, and simply assist me alongside.”
Norris believes these feedback, together with the broader backing from his internal circle, as pivotal in his world title overcome Crimson Bull’s Verstappen by a mere two factors.
“Whenever you win the championship by two factors, I will surely say having these moments of religion from others round me received me these two factors,” Norris continued.
“And due to this fact, that is why I’ve received to thank everybody round me as a result of two factors can also be what you want.”
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