Three-time Formula 1 World Champion Jackie Stewart admits he would prefer to see Lando Norris or George Russell take the title in 2023 over Lewis Hamilton.
Although Hamilton will again be gunning for a record-breaking eighth Drivers’ title, the former British motorsport great has advocated his support for one of the nation’s younger stars to prevail and clinch the coveted prize this season.
2022 was a strong campaign for both drivers, with Russell outscoring Hamilton in his debut campaign at Mercedes, while Norris consistently out-performed Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren.
Both drivers have been touted as champions in waiting and Stewart believes a changing of the guard would be a fitting outcome to emerge from the upcoming season.
While the former three-time F1 champion is yearning for any of the three British representatives to end the recent dominance of Max Verstappen, Stewart has proclaimed his slight wish for the title to evade Hamilton’s grasp and end up in new hands, instead.
Speaking to the Express, Stewart said: “There’s a wonderful collection of people right now. We’ve got now in Britain three of the best racing drivers in the world.
“You’ve got Lewis [Hamilton] who’s been winning time after time with the unfortunately German car company. But that German car company gets all their F1 cars built in [Brackley] because Britain is the capital of technology for motorsport.
“Our young British racing drivers today, I’d love one to win the championship this season. That would be fantastic.”
Mercedes endured a difficult campaign last year as it slumped to third in the Constructors’ Championship in what was its most uncompetitive season in the turbo-hybrid era to date.
McLaren, meanwhile, is still rebuilding towards success having fallen down the pecking order across the last decade.
