1996 Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill believes McLaren’s Lando Norris has “got the qualities” to take the F1 Drivers’ title this season.
Norris is chasing his first F1 Drivers’ title in 2024 with McLaren on the ascendency.
After taking his third victory of the year at the Singapore Grand Prix, Norris trails his Red Bull rival Max Verstappen by 52 points with six rounds remaining.
The McLaren driver has often been dissatisfied with missing out on potential victories throughout 2024, which Hill cites as an important characteristic in any would-be champion.
“I think he’s got the ingredients,” Hill said on the F1 Explains podcast.
“I think he’s got the qualities. I think he’s got that dissatisfaction with second place.
“I saw some comments he made over the summer break, where he said he wasn’t good enough in the early part of this season.
“That’s the sign of someone who’s really going to put himself to the test.
“He’s not going to be comfortable just being good enough. He wants to be the best.”
Lando Norris among several title-worthy F1 drivers
Hill went on to name Norris’ McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ George Russell as potential F1 champions in the future.
Piastri, who has claimed his first two GP wins in 2024 (just one shy of Norris), is fourth in the Drivers’ standings with 237 points, 42 behind his team-mate.
“Give Oscar [Piastri] a few more seasons, as many seasons as Lando has had, and he’ll have learned so much more,” said Hill.
“He’ll look back at his performances now and realise he didn’t have the ingredients he needs yet.
“He’s still learning. He’s got the talent, definitely, and he’s got the determination. I’m very impressed with Oscar.”
Leclerc has picked up victories at Monaco and Monza this year and is third in the Drivers’ standings with 245 points, 34 behind Norris.
Meanwhile, Russell is seventh in the standings with 155 points and despite Mercedes’ up-and-down form, picked up a GP win at Austria in July.
“I would not discount George Russel,” said Hill.
“I think George is definitely a contender. And Charles Leclerc is a typical Ferrari driver in many ways.
“It’s win or bust with Charles, it seems to me, but you can win a championship like that.”
