Lando Norris on compatriot Hamilton: “You’re pretty old, mate!”

(Motorsport-Whole.com) – When Great Britain GP With Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, two Englishmen stood on the rostrum – two racing drivers from totally different generations: When Hamilton was already combating for race victories in Formulation 1 in 2007, Norris was nonetheless a younger fan on the security fence. “I used to be seven years previous and had by no means been to a Formulation 1 race earlier than,” says the present McLaren driver.

Norris could not resist slightly dig at Hamilton, who at 38 is the second oldest Formulation 1 driver within the area: “Sure, you are fairly previous, buddy!” Jokes the 23-year-old at the press conference after the Silverstone GP. Solely Fernando Alonso is older than Hamilton at 41.

“In 2007 I attended my first Formulation 1 race at Silverstone, along with McLaren,” remembers Norris, who began his motorsport profession at the moment and accomplished his first races in karting. “Till then, I had solely ever seen it on TV.”

Norris admires Hamilton

Within the 2007 season, Hamilton and Alonso – at the moment nonetheless teammates at McLaren-Mercedes – fought a bitter duel that reached its climax on the Hungarian GP: In qualifying, Alonso blocked his teammate in the pit lanein order that he might not drive a quick lap.

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Teamzoff: In 2007, Alonso and Hamilton dueled at McLaren

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Nonetheless, Noris in all probability would not have anticipated to drive towards Hamilton and Alonso, whom he admired as a younger spectator again then. “I do not suppose I might have guessed that 15 years later Lewis would nonetheless be right here and nonetheless going robust,” says the McLaren driver. “So it’s important to give him respect.”

Norris: “It is a privilege!”

“It is an honor to have the ability to drive with these guys who’ve made historical past and are among the many finest drivers who’ve ever pushed in Formulation 1,” praises the McLaren driver, who made the leap into the premier class in 2019. He now has eight podium finishes, solely lacking his first race win.

“So it is one thing particular and I believe I need to be somebody who takes half in these duels on the monitor, is part of all of this and writes a few of my very own historical past,” Norris mentioned ambitiously. “It is a privilege, in some ways, and thrilling on the similar time.”