Welcome at RacingNews365

Become part of the largest racing community in the United Kingdom. Create your free account now!

  • Share your thoughts and opinions about F1
  • Win fantastic prizes
  • Get access to our premium content
  • Take advantage of more exclusive benefits
Sign in

Is Norris the only driver who can match Hamilton and Verstappen?

Eddie Jordan believes that title cotenders Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are in a league of their own, but that Lando Norris stands out as the driver who comes closest to their level.

Eddie Jordan thinks that very few drivers on the current F1 grid other than Lando Norris match up to Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen's standard. The former team owner has been impressed by a few of the younger generation recently but feels like, in terms of a future World Champion, Norris stands out as the one with high potential. "There's very few that actually can come up to Max and Lewis's standard," Jordan told the F1 Nation podcast. "And I think that Norris is the one that stands out. "I think if we're looking for another World Champion in Britain – there was Jenson, there was you [Damon Hill], and then there was previous people, obviously dozens before that – but [for] the next lot, you'd have to be looking at Lando Norris." Norris might be the standout performer in Jordan's eyes but he has also named Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon as showing signs of promise in 2021. "[Lewis and Max are] relatively, I won't say in a class of their own, but I do like Norris. I think he's very special. Having said that, Pierre Gasly surprises me every time I see him in the car," Jordan explained. "Because he has the ability to do great things, as we saw when he won that race [2020 Italian Grand Prix]. I don't know how good that car [is], but Franz Tost – that runs the team – is a wily old character, so I would assume that's a good car. "It's difficult to see outside those first two. Personally when I was involved with [Vijay] Mallya [former co-owner of the Force India team], I was a big fan of Ocon, and we saw how professionally I think he drove at the last race [in Hungary]. "I thought he did a remarkable [job]. There's a lot of pressure there. Sure, he got help with [Fernando] Alonso and various other things and the circumstances. "However, is he of that style [of Hamilton and Verstappen]? No, I don't think so. Not yet."

x
LATEST Red Bull profits shrink despite record-breaking year