Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc snubbed as Red Bull’s Lando Norris admiration backed up

Lando Norris had a standout 2023 season in Formula 1, earning recognition as the most impressive driver outside of Max Verstappen, as indicated by Express Sport readers. Throughout the season, Norris consistently graced the podium, securing seven top-three finishes, with six of them in the second position.

Despite starting the season with the slowest car, McLaren, thanks to Norris’s reliability, managed to surpass Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship, securing fourth place. In the Drivers’ Championship, Norris finished in sixth place, just a single point behind both Leclerc and Alonso.

Norris’s exceptional performances did not go unnoticed. In a comparison with other top drivers like Hamilton, Alonso, Leclerc, Perez, and Sainz, the 24-year-old emerged as the standout performer in the eyes of respondents. According to a survey of 7,471 Express Sport readers, 46 percent believed Norris had the strongest season, with Alonso coming in second at 24 percent.

Interestingly, Hamilton and Perez shared third place in the poll, each with nine percent of respondents considering their seasons the strongest. Despite claiming five pole positions, Leclerc garnered only eight percent support, while Sainz received a mere four percent, despite being the sole non-Red Bull driver to win a Grand Prix.

These survey results align with the interest from Red Bull and Ferrari in Norris. Red Bull sees him as an ideal long-term successor to Perez, although contractual details may pose challenges in future negotiations. While Ferrari’s interest in Norris as a potential replacement for Sainz in 2025 has not been publicly confirmed, recent reports suggest that the Italian team is keeping a close eye on the British driver.