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Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri Praise Lewis Hamilton With Powerful Tribute

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Samriddhi Jaiswal | Last updated Aug 23, 2025 11:26 AM ET

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, McLaren’s rising stars, have offered glowing praise for Lewis Hamilton, calling the seven-time World Champion a key inspiration behind their own careers. Both drivers admitted that Hamilton set the standard not just on track but also with his impact away from F1.

“When I started watching F1, I was supporting Lewis Hamilton,” Norris said. “Lewis was the guy at McLaren, and he was kind of a reason why I got into F1 in the first place.”

Hamilton, who made his F1 debut with McLaren in 2007, became the first Black driver in the sport and captured his first World championship with the team in 2008. For Norris, who grew up watching Hamilton dominate in McLaren colors, the connection is personal and formative.

Oscar Piastri, who joined Norris at McLaren in 2023, quickly agreed with his teammate's assessment. “Lewis is up there yeah,” he said, acknowledging Hamilton’s unrivalled record.

Norris followed up with a frank reflection on Hamilton’s extraordinary career: “He’s pretty good. Seven world champions, over 100 wins — if I get anywhere close to that in my racing career, then I’ll be pretty happy!”

But Norris made it clear that Hamilton’s influence goes far beyond the statistics. “It’s not only that, but also what he’s done away from the track,” he continued. “It’s not easy to accomplish so much away from the track and remain focused on racing. I think he’s set a pretty good standard for what an F1 driver can do.”

Oscar Piastri says he wants to be like Lewis Hamilton by leaving the world a better place

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— Stefanie (@fastpitstop) April 6, 2024

Hamilton has become a global icon, using his platform to advocate for diversity, environmental causes, and equality, while still maintaining his dominance on the track. For young drivers like Norris and Piastri, who are carving their own paths in F1, the example set by Hamilton serves as both a motivator and a benchmark

Their words underline the generational respect Hamilton commands within the sport. While rivals on the grid, Norris and Piastri’s tribute highlights how deeply Hamiton’s legacy has shaped Formula 1’s new wave of talent — a reminder that even as the sport moves forward, the shadow of his achievements looms large.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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