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With Lando Norris confirmed as McLaren’s 2018 Formula 1 reserve driver and George Russell potentially in line for a similar role with Force India, Britain’s future F1 prospects look good.
Norris’s new role came after he won the European Formula 3 Championship in his rookie year, while Russell took the 2017 GP3 crown.
But will either driver make the step up to compete in F1 in the near future? F1 fans have had their say on the Autosport Forums:
McLaren: I think that they are the first of a wave of young British talent that will at very least partake in grand prix weekends in the next five to six years.
Obviously they have both come off the back of very successful seasons in GP3 and European. It’s difficult to say who is more talented, but Norris has really impressed me considering his age.
kraduk: I think they both stand a chance but as timing is very important, Norris has this on his side more than Russell, as there are a bunch of top drivers that are probably going to retire in the next few years which will create opportunity.
DutchQuicksilver: I can see Russell driving for Force India in 2019 when Perez or Ocon leaves. Norris will probably take over Alonso’s seat in 2020, unless Vandoorne doesn’t improve next season.
Quickshifter: The ease in which Norris set really fast lap times in Hungary F1 test shows the kid has bright future ahead of him.
He will be in the illustrious company of Fernando Alonso as a reserve for Mclaren. McLaren is in really good shape as far as drivers are concerned with Fernando, Stoffel and Lando.
Have your say on Russell and Norris on the Autosport Forums
messy: At the moment I’d say Norris is the one who looks the real deal. He’s cruised up the ladder with a real ease and swagger, like he finds everything easy. It’s like Button or Hamilton. Things go into fast forward because he just gobbles up every challenge presented to him.
Even as far as stepping back into a McLaren F1 car and making that look like a piece of cake too despite looking far too young to take his GCSEs. He’s got a lovely style too.
Russell has done well in the last 12 months but we’ve seen drivers who haven’t quite convinced in F3 look like superheroes in GP3 before. I’m not so convinced yet. I find GP3 hard to judge. My instinct tells me that Euro F3 is the better, stronger series.
RacingGreen: Who can ever really predict being the right place at the right time?
While there are only 20 F1 cars, and drivers are retiring later and later, there will always be talented drivers who don’t ever get their chance.
For any promising driver the timing has to work just right because doing that second season in F2 or going to Super Formula it is very easy to go from being “the next big thing” to just another driver.
Certainly Norris really impressed in his Hungary test and I’d love to see him in the car again. If he has a great season next year, and Stoffel doesn’t or Fernando retires, and the stars align correctly, then 2019 could see him in a resurgent McLaren able to make a big impression.
Jerem: I think there’s a British bias regarding how highly these drivers, especially Norris, are rated.
Norris is a great talent and has a good prospect of becoming a successful F1 driver, but I’ve never heard as many comments about how impressive he is as I did for the likes of Ocon and Leclerc.
Comparing to these slightly older guys, I think Norris has a potential similar to Ocon’s, and probably a bit lower than Leclerc. Russell: well it’s too early to tell.
TheRacingElf: I’m not that sure of Russell. I never really saw him as someone who could make it into F1, he did well but nothing outstanding. He has a great season in GP3 this year but I’m still not convinced he’s in that special category. I see him as someone like Pascal Wehrlein, a fine racing driver who is good enough for F1 but just missing that last special bit.
maverick69: George Russell seems to have flown under the radar somewhat, seems less “box office” than Norris.
However, Sir Patrick Head was/is very impressed by what he saw by him in the Force India at Interlagos.
Mercedes are seemingly pushing him well along too. Perhaps the Brits have two megastars for when Lewis has filled his boots?