Lando Norris has admitted he would be “delighted” to race more with Lewis Hamilton in the 2026 season, as F1’s new world champion helped the sport’s most successful driver recover from a difficult year at Ferrari.
Norris finished third in last Sunday’s final race of the season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, becoming the first British driver to win motorsport’s top prize since seven-time champion Hamilton.
Hamilton finished eighth in this race, ending a disappointing season with Ferrari. The 40-year-old missed out on the podium for the first time in his 19-season career, finishing sixth in the drivers’ championship, 86 points behind teammate Charles Leclerc, who finished fifth.
Ferrari finished fourth in the constructors’ standings, becoming the only team among F1’s four main teams not to win a grand prix.
But with F1’s major rules reset next year and the possibility of new cars appearing on the grid for both drivers and teams, Norris hopes Hamilton will be back at the top.
Asked in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News about the possibility of a different fight in 2026, such as with compatriot Hamilton or George Russell, world champion Norris said: “We’ve had quite a few fights already. I’d love to race a bit more with Lewis.”
“Obviously, I think Ferrari has struggled more this year than anyone expected.
“Lewis has proven that he is probably the best of all time. We all know that if anyone can bounce back from a difficult year, it’s Mr. Hamilton. I would love to race more with him.”
“It’s always an honor to race with the best players in the world. There are a lot of them. There’s Fernando (Alonso), Lewis, Max (Verstappen).
“There are a lot of players who want to follow in the footsteps of other players, George and Oscar (Piastri) are two of them, there are a lot of players on the grid.”
Due to major changes to F1 winter regulations, the chassis, aerodynamics, and engine will all be reviewed.
“Everyone has a chance next year,” Norris added. “Everyone is looking forward to it.
“People are trying to take my crown, but I want to keep it and I’m looking forward to that fight.”
Norris talks about plans for F1’s short off-season
Norris was withdrawn from 2025 on-track duty during postseason testing in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
F1 drivers will be back on track in just under seven weeks for pre-season testing with the all-new 2026 Challengers, making this winter the shortest on record.
When asked about his plans, Norris said, “I’m going to spend time with my family and friends.”
“Everyone on the team got a good rest.
“Next year work will start even earlier than usual, almost three weeks early, and vacations will be much shorter.
“Go out somewhere and enjoy some time away from your friends and family.
“And by the time you think, ‘This is good,’ we’ll have to go back to training and prepare for next season, but I’m looking forward to a few days of good rest that everyone deserves.”
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