Lando Norris admits he would “love” to race more against Lewis Hamilton in the 2026 season, as F1’s new world champion backed the sport’s most successful driver to bounce back from his difficult year at Ferrari.
Norris became the first British driver since Hamilton, the seven-time champion, to clinch motorsport’s biggest prize when he finished third in last Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Hamilton was eighth in that race to end a season of disappointment at Ferrari. The 40-year-old failed to finish on the podium for the first time in his 19-season career and was sixth in the Drivers’ Championship, 86 points behind team-mate Charles Leclerc in fifth.
Ferrari finished fourth in the constructors’ standings and were the only one of F1’s leading four teams to not win a Grand Prix.
But ahead of F1’s big rules reset next year, and the possibility of new-look cars shaking up the grid for both drivers and teams, Norris is hopeful of seeing Hamilton back at the front.
Asked in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News about the possibility of different battles in 2026, such as with compatriots Hamilton and George Russell, world champion Norris said: “We’ve had a good amount of battles already. I would love to race a bit more with Lewis.
“Obviously, Ferrari struggled a lot more this year than I think everyone was expecting.
“Lewis has proved himself to be probably the best of all time. Everyone knows if anyone can bounce back from difficult years, it’s Mr Hamilton, and I would love to race against him more.
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Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen, George Russell and Carlos Sainz react to Norris clinching the 2025 title
“It’s always a privilege that I get to race against someone that is the best in the world. You have got a good amount of those guys. You have Fernando [Alonso], Lewis, Max [Verstappen].
“There’s a lot of us that want to climb in the footsteps of these other guys. George and Oscar [Piastri] are two of those and there’s so many guys on the grid.”
The major changes to F1’s regulations over the winter mean chassis, aerodynamics and engines are all being overhauled.
“Next year, everyone’s got an opportunity,” Norris added. “Everyone’s looking forward to it.
“People want to come to take my crown, and I want to try to retain it. And I look forward to that battle.”
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Norris reveals whether he’ll be taking car No 1 for the 2026 season as world champion
Norris on his plans for F1’s short off-season
Norris signed off from on-track duties for 2025 on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi at the post-season test.
F1’s drivers will be back on track for pre-season testing with the all-new 2026 challengers in just under seven weeks’ time, making this winter one of the shortest on record.
“I will spend some time with my family, with my friends,” said Norris when asked of his plans.
“Everyone in the team have earned themselves a good break.
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Experience Norris claiming his World Championship title and celebrate with doughnuts from the view of his cockpit at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
“Work starts even earlier next year than it normally does, by almost three weeks, so a much shorter holiday.
“Just get out somewhere, enjoy some time away with my friends and family.
“And before I know it by the time I go ‘this is nice’, we’re going to have to get back to training and get ready for next season, but I’m looking forward to some good days off that everyone deserves.”
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