Ahead of this weekend`s British Grand Prix, we pose the question: who is currently the leading British driver in Formula 1? While Lewis Hamilton`s dominance for over a decade made this an easy answer, the rise of George Russell and Lando Norris, now entering their prime years as the seven-time world champion nears the end of his career, has sparked a significant debate.
Russell has demonstrated his capability as Hamilton`s teammate from 2022 to 2024 and continues to improve as Mercedes` primary driver.
Norris represents Britain`s strongest chance for a Drivers` Championship this season and showcased his determination recently by securing a vital victory at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Despite a challenging initial period at Ferrari, the British Grand Prix, where he holds a record nine victories, offers the 40-year-old Hamilton a perfect opportunity to remind everyone of his enduring brilliance.
Journalists have presented arguments supporting each driver`s claim to being the current top Brit. Consider their points before deciding for yourself.The Case for George Russell
Forget simply being the best Brit in F1; George Russell is arguably the driver currently closest to matching the exceptional standard set by Max Verstappen.
He exceeded expectations by out-scoring Lewis Hamilton in two out of their three seasons as teammates and notably outperformed the all-time great in qualifying during their final season together.
Russell seems to have embraced his role as the de facto team leader at Mercedes. He has consistently extracted the maximum potential from a sometimes inconsistent car, achieving one victory and four additional podium finishes in the first 11 races of the season.
He continues to live up to his `Mr Saturday` reputation gained at Williams, reliably capitalizing on opportunities for pole positions or high grid slots.
However, his race performance on Sunday appears to have significantly developed, with the occasional errors or concentration lapses seen in the past seemingly eradicated, at least for now.
A victory at Silverstone could be precisely the catalyst Russell needs to achieve the national recognition he appears destined for.The Case for Lando Norris
If the question is strictly about “right now,” it`s hard to look past F1`s most recent race winner, Lando Norris.
Norris received the joint-second highest rating from Sky Sports for the 2024 F1 season, placing him alongside Charles Leclerc and behind world champion Max Verstappen.
Despite what some consider a difficult season marked by a few mistakes, particularly in crucial qualifying sessions, the 24-year-old is still only 15 points adrift of his highly-regarded teammate Oscar Piastri.
Norris`s challenge of performing against Piastri is arguably more demanding than Russell`s comparison against Kimi Antonelli, or even Hamilton`s battle against Charles Leclerc at Ferrari (where Hamilton trails his teammate).
There`s a case to be made that Norris is the fastest of the British drivers. He shares the most pole positions in 2024 and generally exhibits stronger race pace than Piastri.
While he has a slightly more reserved racing style than Russell, he possesses the necessary aggression to attempt and execute impressive overtakes, as seen in his move on Piastri at Imola and reclaiming the lead from his teammate shortly after being overtaken in Austria last weekend.
The Case for Lewis Hamilton
As the saying goes, form is temporary, class is permanent. Even at 40 years old and half-way through a challenging first season with Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton should not be easily dismissed in a debate about the “right here and right now,” despite the impressive form shown by his younger compatriots in 2025.
Undoubtedly, there`s no debate about who is the most successful of the three leading British drivers; that title clearly belongs to seven-time champion Hamilton, by a significant margin as his remarkable career statistics show. Many consider him not just F1`s statistical GOAT but potentially the greatest athlete of all time.
His recent performance comparisons against Russell in their final season at Mercedes and so far against Charles Leclerc in his first season at Ferrari do currently favour the younger drivers (although Hamilton did finish ahead of Russell in points overall across their three seasons together). However, Hamilton is surely determined to ensure this recent pattern doesn`t become a permanent trend for the remaining years of his career. And who can definitively say it will?
Do the current cars simply not suit his driving style, regardless of adjustments? Will the 2026 rule changes shift things back in his favour, especially once he`s fully settled at Ferrari? Does he still have hidden reserves of “magic” to unleash if and when major victories and world championship challenges become realistic again?
These are questions without certain answers, but even if he has lost a fraction of his absolute pace or precision compared to his earlier years – which is arguably inevitable for any driver competing into their late 30s or 40s – as a demanding race like Silverstone 2024 might show, underestimating Lewis Hamilton remains extremely risky. He possesses unmatched experience and a proven track record.
