ANOTHER BRIT ON THE GRID IN 2025: WHO IS READY TO TAKE HAMILTON'S CROWN?

Oliver Bearman will be a Haas driver during the 2025 Formula 1 season, taking the total number of British drivers on the grid to four. Lewis Hamilton has been the flag-bearer of British Formula 1 for the best part of two decades and isn't going away just yet, but there are now three Brits trying to take the next step and lead the next generation forward in Britain.

The 2025 F1 grid will be 20% British. Bearman will join Hamilton, George Russell, and Lando Norris. Alex Albon was also born in Britain but races under the Thai flag. It's the first time since 2013 when Hamilton was joined by Jenson Button, Paul di Resta, and Max Chilton, that there will be that many Brits on the grid. 

Who is ready to take the next step?

Unlike in 2013, three of the four Brits will be competing in front-running cars. Hamilton will move to Ferrari, leaving Russell behind at Mercedes. Norris is currently competing at the front with McLaren. Bearman will find himself making his season-long debut further down the grid at Haas, but he himself has very close ties with Ferrari. Bearman even drove for Ferrari in the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as a replacement for the injured Carlos Sainz.

The immediate answer lies with Norris. Max Verstappen dominated Formula 1 in 2023. But that era has now come to a close, though the Dutchman continues to win races. It is no longer comfortable. Red Bull have to maximise absolutely everything, and Verstappen has to work very hard. The days of power slides in the final corner and relaxed radio messages are out of the window for now. 

The British fans do not like it when there is dominance. Although not universal, even Hamilton’s era of dominance grew tiresome to a lot of the fans in the United Kingdom. British fans love an underdog story. Norris isn’t necessarily the definition of an underdog currently, but if you zoom out and look at the broader timeline, you can certainly argue there’s an element of underdog vibes. 

But is he ready to take the next step and consistently challenge? Just the Austrian Grand Prix weekend alone would prove that not to be the case. After making a move on his rival in the sprint race, Norris left space open for Verstappen on the inside into Turn 4, and even lost another position to his teammate, Oscar Piastri. He himself described this as an amateur move. That wasn't all. Norris has made some tactical mistakes at other races this season, and he needs to improve his starts.

In Formula 1, you need three very important qualities to become a champion: a fast car, talent, and consistency. But when you are coming up against a 'mentality monster' like Verstappen, you need that extra bit more. There's no doubt that Norris is getting his first taste of fighting at the front of Formula 1, and there's still time for him to develop. But it's not quite there yet.

What about Russell?

Russell held on to take the win in Austria last weekend, but he has also made key mistakes in pressure moments. The Mercedes driver probably should've won in Canada or at least gotten closer to victory. There have also been moments when he has had a lapse of concentration. Singapore 2023 comes to mind when he hits the barriers. He has not yet had a car capable of racing Verstappen, but something has to be said for the fact that he is beating Lewis Hamilton comfortably in 2024. Mercedes have won two races since he joined the team in 2022, and both of those have gone to Russell. Bearman can't yet be judged.

The fact of the matter is: Russell and Norris are still unproven when it comes to the absolute pinnacle of Formula 1. Hamilton will join Ferrari at the end of the current season and will remain on the grid for 2025 and 2026, at least as he races into his 40s. Bearman will be working his way up. But they all need one thing to topple Max Verstappen: consistency.

2024-07-04T09:00:34Z dg43tfdfdgfd