Two young Britons are waiting in the wings to conquer Formula 1. Photo: Getty Images/Mark Thompson
Official Formula 1 Social Video networks are not always the most interesting. Rarely venturing into awkward territory, they present a sanitized view of the paddock, where drivers are always on point and on their best behavior. However, every now and then they throw out a little gem.
That was the case in Barcelona earlier this year when, ahead of the release of EA Sports' F1 23, they challenged various drivers to guess their own ratings and the ratings of each other's driver cards. Whoever came up with the idea of pairing Lando Norris with George Russell knew exactly what he was doing.
The two young Brits get on well, having raced each other in the karting and junior categories from the start (Russell is 25 and Norris 23, so they weren't direct contemporaries, but had enough overlap to form a good relationship). But there is always a slight edge between them, given that they are both keen to inherit Lewis Hamilton's mantle as the best Briton.
So when the final results for F1 23 were announced, Norris received an overall rating of 89. Compared to Russell's 88 (down two from last year), the Mercedes spokesman was less than impressed. – Wait, what? Russell demanded before throwing the card to the floor in mock anger. “You ruined my mood before the weekend!” Norris, who liked it, said: “Don't be a loser, George.”
Rusil continues to put pressure on Hamilton at Mercedes. Photo: Getty Images/GIUSEPPE CACACE
It was something and nothing. However, with both Britons crossing the 100-race mark in Austin this weekend, it seems appropriate to ask: who is better suited to inherit Hamilton's crown? After five seasons and 99 races in Formula 1, can we say with confidence that Russell or Norris is the faster driver? Is this the most likely world champion?
Probably not. Of course, in terms of pure numbers, it is rather pointless to try to draw meaningful conclusions. Russell's three years at Williams, who rarely scored points, skew the head-to-head data too much.
As it is, Norris currently has one more podium than Russell with 11. But Russell's only win is in Brazil last year (both could indicate bad luck in this regard – Norris could have won in Sochi a couple of years ago, as did Russell at Sakhir in 2020, when he was parachuted into a Mercedes at short notice and suffered a puncture when he was well set up).
In terms of style, Norris has demonstrated an ability to maximize his points. – effective potential. He failed to finish the race just 10 times in 99 Grands Prix, scoring an impressive 74 times. Russell, meanwhile, has demonstrated an increased appetite for risk in an attempt to maximize his race performance, often being the first driver to take risks on slicks on a drying track or pushing his team to try something different.
In this respect, they are perhaps the polar opposite of their aloof personalities: Norris is a more lively and brash individual. The younger driver loves to tease Russell about how he has “lost his fun side” since he joined Mercedes, calling him “teacher's pet” in the same F1 23 video.
Lando Norris has not yet reached the podium. Photo: Getty Images/Dan Mullan
Perhaps it will be in comparison with their current teammates that we will get some definitive answers.
< p>Norris, who quickly grew up at McLaren, became team leader at a very young age and saw off the much more experienced Daniel Ricciardo, is now busy with Oscar Piastri.
The Australian rookie is still well behind his teammate in terms of numbers points in the championship, but he is becoming more confident, as evidenced by his second place in Qatar after Norris's third. Former world champion Nico Rosberg even told Sky Sports' Formula One podcast this week that he had noticed signs that Norris was struggling a bit under pressure.
“I think Lando did very well when he wasn't challenged as much, I think he was always at his best,” Rosberg said. “And then if you look at Qatar, suddenly Lando is a little bit behind, he didn't do a single lap in qualifying and therefore has the worst place on the grid and doesn't make the most of the weekend because Oscar beat him.” both Saturday and Sunday. Plus, what was a little concerning, since Lando himself always says he has mental health issues sometimes, I saw some signs of that playing out again this weekend.”
It was a little out of place. to yourself. make such sweeping statements about Norris's mental health, but McLaren's internal team battle has certainly been something to watch. Will Norris take his teammate's challenge to new heights? Or could Piastri damage the Briton's growing reputation as a future Formula 1 champion?
As for Russell, he has already shown what he is capable of against Hamilton, beating the seven-time world champion in their first season together and also taking Mercedes' only win of the 2022 campaign. This season has been more difficult, with Hamilton improving his game and Russell making more mistakes. Again, it will be interesting to watch them battle over the next couple of seasons.
Which Norris or Russell is faster? Until they meet each other in the same car, it will be difficult to say for sure. Who is better placed to inherit Hamilton's mantle? Again, it's hard to say. Mercedes looked best placed to challenge Red Bull, but McLaren's progress in the second half of this season has been stunning. Suddenly they look like a real threat.
As Norris and Russell head to their 100th Grand Prix in Austin this weekend, British fans should just be grateful that there are two brilliant prospects ready to battle it out if they will do it. get your hands on the winning car.
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