Lewis Hamilton’s resurgence at Ferrari has earned significant praise from Lando Norris, who believes the seven-time Formula 1 world champion’s renewed competitiveness against Charles Leclerc has been welcomed throughout the paddock. George Russell has also delivered an encouraging assessment of his former Mercedes team-mate, suggesting that the 2026 campaign represents his strongest season since 2021.
The comments follow a remarkable milestone for the British driver, who made his 400th Formula 1 start at the São Paulo Grand Prix. Only Fernando Alonso had previously reached that figure, placing Hamilton among the sport’s most enduring competitors at a time when his performances have also shown a substantial improvement.
After a difficult conclusion to the ground-effect regulations, the Ferrari driver has rediscovered much of his competitiveness under Formula 1’s new technical rules. His progress has been especially evident in his battle with Charles Leclerc, transforming a previously one-sided team-mate rivalry into one of the closest contests on the grid.
Lando Norris praises Lewis Hamilton’s improved Ferrari performances against Charles Leclerc
Speaking in the Interlagos paddock, Lando Norris expressed admiration for the longevity of Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 career and the way the Ferrari driver has responded to the challenges of recent seasons.
The McLaren driver suggested that the entire paddock had welcomed the closer competition between Hamilton and Leclerc, particularly given the Monegasque’s reputation as one of the fastest drivers in Formula 1.
When the two became Ferrari team-mates, their partnership was regarded as one of the most eagerly anticipated driver pairings in the championship’s history. However, the opening season proved particularly challenging for Hamilton, who managed to finish ahead of Leclerc on just three occasions.
The situation has changed dramatically in 2026. The two Ferrari drivers are now almost evenly matched in both qualifying and race head-to-head comparisons, while Hamilton has reversed an 86-point championship deficit into a 14-point advantage.
That turnaround has fundamentally altered the competitive balance within the team, with the Charles Leclerc versus Lewis Hamilton head-to-head statistics illustrating how closely contested their internal battle has become.
For Norris, the significance extends beyond the championship numbers. Speaking through Formula 1’s official website, he described Hamilton’s ability to remain competitive after so many years at the highest level as an extraordinary achievement.
The McLaren driver emphasised that Charles Leclerc is exceptionally quick and belongs among the best drivers on the grid. That assessment makes Hamilton’s ability to challenge his Ferrari team-mate particularly impressive, especially considering the difficulties he experienced during their first season together.
Norris also suggested that Formula 1 had benefited from seeing Hamilton deliver stronger performances against Leclerc. In his view, the improvement was not simply about becoming more competitive with his team-mate, but also about extracting more performance from the Ferrari and achieving increasingly convincing results.
Why Lando Norris believes the 2026 F1 regulations have helped Lewis Hamilton
Another important aspect of Norris’s assessment concerned the influence of Formula 1’s technical regulations on Hamilton’s driving.
The McLaren driver suggested that the seven-time world champion had appeared less comfortable with the previous generation of cars, particularly during the final seasons of the ground-effect era.
With the introduction of the 2026 regulations, however, Norris believes Hamilton looks considerably more like the driver who previously established himself among Formula 1’s leading competitors.
He pointed to the British driver’s renewed ability to fight towards the front of the field and demonstrate the qualities that have defined his career. For Norris, maintaining that standard over such an extended period is an exceptional accomplishment in itself.
The improved competitiveness has also brought renewed attention to the increasingly intense rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, with both drivers seeking to establish an advantage within the Maranello team.
Although Hamilton’s first season in red was overshadowed by his team-mate’s stronger results, his second campaign has produced a markedly different picture. Rather than struggling to match Leclerc, the seven-time champion is now competing with him across both Saturdays and Sundays.
George Russell considers 2026 Lewis Hamilton’s strongest season since 2021
George Russell offered a similarly positive assessment of his former Mercedes team-mate, drawing on the three seasons they spent racing together between 2022 and 2024.
Although Russell gained considerable experience alongside Hamilton during that period, he did not necessarily compete against the British driver’s strongest version. The former Mercedes pairing coincided with some of the most challenging years of Hamilton’s career, particularly in terms of adapting to the ground-effect cars.
Russell now believes the Ferrari driver’s 2026 performances may represent his best overall Formula 1 campaign since 2021, highlighting the significance of his improvement under the current regulations.
Beyond the competitive results, Russell also praised Hamilton’s achievements both inside and outside Formula 1. He considers the seven-time world champion an inspiration to many people and believes his ability to continue competing without taking a season away from the championship reflects an exceptional level of commitment.
The Mercedes driver suggested that Hamilton possesses qualities that distinguish him from many other athletes, helping explain why he has remained at the highest level for so long.
Lewis Hamilton reaches 400 F1 starts with remarkable record of consistency
Hamilton’s 400th Grand Prix start provides further evidence of the longevity highlighted by both Norris and Russell.
Although Fernando Alonso remains Formula 1’s record holder for race starts, the two drivers have followed notably different career paths.
Alonso has spent three seasons away from Formula 1 since making his debut in 2001. His career included a two-year absence from the championship in 2019 and 2020, during which he competed in the World Endurance Championship and the Indianapolis 500.
Hamilton, by contrast, has maintained an almost uninterrupted presence in Formula 1. The only exception came when he was forced to miss the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix after testing positive for Covid-19.
Before that absence, he had completed 265 consecutive Grand Prix appearances, the longest uninterrupted sequence in Formula 1 history. His subsequent run of 134 races also ranks among the twenty longest streaks recorded in the championship.
Approaching his 400th start, Hamilton’s extraordinary longevity had already attracted attention, with the milestone placing him in an exclusive category of Formula 1 drivers.
Russell believes the British driver’s continued commitment reflects his passion for Formula 1 itself. He explained that Hamilton has relatively little interest in competing in other racing categories, preferring to concentrate on what he considers the pinnacle of motorsport.
The Mercedes driver contrasted that approach with Max Verstappen, who has demonstrated a stronger interest in racing opportunities outside Formula 1.
However, Russell stressed that neither approach should be considered inherently better. He respects both drivers’ preferences, while admiring Hamilton’s determination to remain fully committed to Formula 1 after such an extensive career.
For Russell, the combination of that dedication and the seven-time world champion’s improved performances makes his current season especially noteworthy.
And for Ferrari, the improvement carries considerable significance. After a difficult first season alongside Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton has re-established himself as a formidable competitor within the team, with his 400th Formula 1 start arriving alongside renewed recognition from two of Britain’s leading drivers.
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