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Former World Champion Claims Lando Norris and Max Verstappen Are Equally Good F1 Drivers

Somin Bhattacharjee
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Former World Champion Claims Lando Norris and Max Verstappen Equally Good F1 Drivers

It is hard to believe that 2023 is the ninth season in F1 for Max Verstappen. At the young age of 25, he has broken multiple records in the sport and has surpassed the careers of legends like Niki Lauda and Fernando Alonso. Many people feel that he can become the undisputed greatest of all time if he remains at this level for another decade.

Verstappen may be a step ahead of all F1 drivers at the moment, but that doesn’t mean that the grid is short of talent. Red Bull’s immensely superior car has also played a major role in the Dutch driver’s recent success. Drivers like Charles Leclerc, Pierre Gasly, and Lando Norris are also some of the biggest talents in the sport and are considered to be champions in the making.

Two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen, however, claims that Norris is already on the same level as Verstappen. The two drivers had very different career paths until they joined F1, but even in the pinnacle of motorsports, they have driven for teams that compete at different ends of the grid.

Also read: Ferrari to Bring Back Key Michael Schumacher-Era Engineer to Defeat Red Bull

Lando Norris is on the same level as Max Verstappen and co.

Norris made his F1 debut in 2019 with McLaren, where he impressed the whole world with his talent. In his four seasons with the Woking-based squad to date, he has had six podium finishes but is yet to win a race.

Hakkinen, however, feels that Norris is on the same level as some of the best in F1 today including Verstappen. He also put the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in the same conversation as the Dutch driver.

In an interview with Unibet, he insisted that Norris has already achieved a lot in the sport, especially with the car he had at his disposal.

Also read: Alfa Romeo Confirm Valtteri Bottas owner of This $205,000 worth Dazzling Red Supercar

Another dominant season for Verstappen?

Verstappen won his first world championship in 2021 after an epic season-long duel with 7-time winner Lewis Hamilton. He followed that up with a dominant campaign in 2022, where he sealed the title with four races to go. His performance last season also enabled his team Red Bull, to win their first constructors’ world title since 2013.

Heading into the 2023 season, fans were expecting the field to be closer, and for a team & driver to rise up to Verstappen’s challenge. However, Verstappen coasted home to victory in the opening round in Bahrain followed by his teammate Sergio Perez in second place.

This has made fans pessimistic about a competitive 2023 season, as many feel that the 25-year-old will dominate the year once again, winning his third successive drivers’ title.

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

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