Newly crowned Formula One world champion Lando Norris has backed Lewis Hamilton to bounce back in 2026 after an underwhelming first season with Ferrari. 

Hamilton swapped Mercedes for the Scuderia in a blockbuster move ahead of the 2025 season, but he failed to deliver. 

Indeed, the Briton endured his first season in the competition without managing a single podium, with his best finish being fourth, which came in four separate races. 

He finished sixth in the Drivers' Championship with 156 points, his lowest overall tally since the point scoring system offered 25 for a race victory back in 2010. 

But Norris, who became the first British driver to win F1's biggest prize since Hamilton in 2020, believes the eight-time champion will come good again ahead of the competition's changing of the rules and regulations ahead of 2026. 

"We've had a good number of battles already. I would love to race a bit more with Lewis," Norris told Sky Sports. 

"Obviously, Ferrari struggled a lot more this year than I think everyone was expecting. 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 number of those guys.

"You have Fernando [Alonso], Lewis, Max [Verstappen]. There's a lot of us who want to climb in the footsteps of these other guys."

Big congrats @LandoNorris
your Drivers’ Championship win! pic.twitter.com/DyrWV8iZSO

— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) December 7, 2025

Norris was also the first McLaren driver since Hamilton in 2008 to win the world title for the British team, ending a year of dominance by him and team-mate Oscar Piastri. 

Only Red Bull (860) in 2023, when Max Verstappen won 19 of the 21 races, have accumulated more points in the Constructors' Championship than McLaren in 2025 (833) in F1 history.

Ferrari finished fourth in the team standings behind Mercedes, with Charles Leclerc registering 242 points to the Scuderia's 398-point total, while also claiming all seven of their podium finishes throughout the campaign. 

However, the major changes to the regulations mean chassis, aerodynamics and engines are all being overhauled, something Norris said will result in an even playing field.

"Next year, everyone's got an opportunity," Norris added. "Everyone's looking forward to it.

"People want to come to take my crown, and I want to try to retain it. And I look forward to that battle."