Damon Hill has backed his fellow British driver Lando Norris for the 2025 Formula 1 drivers' championship, arguing his seven-season experience will lend him a hand in fighting for the top honours.
Hill, who won the drivers' championship in 1996, has admitted that Norris has seen a resurgence in performance at the "perfect time" to snatch the championship, already leading by 24 points in the standings, as Oscar Piastri looks "forlorn".
Speaking on Norris, Hill highlighted how he has "learned about fighting for a world championship".
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"He's found something, hasn't he? And it's been perfect timing," Hill said.
"It's come at a time when Oscar suddenly looks a bit forlorn, a bit under pressure.
"They're both learning about fighting for a world championship… It's not the same as just driving.
"It becomes a discipline, really, a mental and psychological discipline which is quite demanding," Hill added.
"That's what the goal is: To find out who's got the right stuff and who hasn't.
"Lando is world champion material; he's already shown that this year.
"Yes, there was a time when he went missing, but he's definitely back with a vengeance now, so it's looking good for him."
Head to head stats
Race Results:
12 – Norris, 10 – Piastri
The slight edge in overall race results that Norris has snatched comes down to a combination of consistency and late-season form. Piastri had a dominant spell in the middle of the season and proved incredibly quick when the car suited him, Norris arguably had fewer days of poor performance. Norris' late-season surge means he has converted his speed to victories when Piastri may have faltered with a smaller points haul or error.
Qualifying:
11 – Norris, 10 – Piastri
The near-identical qualifying tally reflects the one lap speed of both drivers in the McLaren car, with Norris just edging it out by slim margins. Although his performance was inconsistent in the first half of the season, the Brit capitalised on recent races and took a dominant lights-to-flag victory in Brazil.
Piastri often adapted to the car's setup and raced to the top of the timesheets to nail the lap when Norris made a small error, resulting in a qualifying head-to-head statistic that is too close to call until the final three weekends.
Best Result:
1st place x 7 – Both
The equal number of Grand Prix wins highlights both drivers are equally capable of delivering the win. Piastri often excelled in races where the car felt more grounded to the track, suiting his smoother driving style. This was present early in the season, while Norris demonstrated his well-known ability to dominate in a late season run.
Las Vegas will see a showdown between Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri, on a track that primarily suits Norris more with a low-grip temperament.
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