Newly-crowned Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris has backed Lewis Hamilton to return to form in 2026 after the seven-time world champion experienced a difficult first year as a Ferrari driver.
Hamilton moved from Mercedes to Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season but struggled for performance at his new team and, for the first time in his F1 career, failed to score a podium all year.
Norris, who won the title for McLaren by two points, said he looks forward to racing at the front of the grid against Hamilton in the coming years.
"Obviously, Ferrari struggled a lot more this year than I think everyone was expecting," Norris told Sky Sports. "Lewis has proved himself to be probably the best of all time. Everyone knows if anyone can bounce back from difficult years, it's Mr Hamilton, and I would love to race against him more.
"It's always a privilege that I get to race against someone that is the best in the world. You have got a good amount of those guys. You have Fernando [Alonso], Lewis, Max [Verstappen].
"There's a lot of us that want to climb in the footsteps of these other guys. George [Russell] and Oscar [Piastri] are two of those and there's so many guys on the grid."
Speaking after winning the title in Abu Dhabi on Sunday evening, Norris underlined his respect for his main rivals, including Hamilton and Verstappen.
Appearing to reference a comment in the cooldown room following the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix where Norris reacted to a complement from Hamilton by saying, "You had a fast car seven years ago. You had a quick car and now it's us," Norris said things he said in the heat of the moment do not reflect his true feelings towards his rivals.
"I know at times I say some stupid things, and I say some things about Max, or I might have said some things at times in the past that everyone talks about, about Lewis," he said. "Some things I regret and I wish I could take back and never have come out my mouth.
"But I honestly believe I give more respect than everyone else. I give more respect to Oscar. I give more respect to Max. I try and give as much respect as I can to Lewis -- he's seven-time world champion.
"He's the best driver. You compare him to Schumacher, the best driver that's ever been in Formula 1. I'm not even close to that. I might never be. I dream of those kind of things. I dreamed of today, and I've managed to achieve one of seven, comparing to him.
"And do I regret some of the comments I might have said in cooldown rooms or whatever it is? Yes. But a lot of those are in the heat of the moment. And by the time I've said it, I've gone, "Why the hell did I just say that?" So, I try and be as genuine as I can. I try and always speak the truth."