F1: Lando Norris says 'I would beat Hamilton with same car'

The McLaren driver has constantly outperformed his highly-rated teammate Daniel Ricciardo in the past two seasons.

McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris has made a bold claim, saying that he firmly believes he can beat seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton if, and that's a big if, they were driving the same car.

Of course, confidence is a necessary quality for any top level athlete. It is also pointless to simply accept that someone else is better than you. This is perhaps the attitude that has helped Norris out-perform his veteran teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

The Australian joined McLaren as a multiple-race winner from his time at Red Bull and then Renault, and Norris was the fresh-faced newbie. However, the young Briton quickly proved that experience does not always translate to results. He has schooled Ricciardo in the past two seasons, earning himself a long-term contract with the team.

Needless to say, he is not intimidated by a more experienced and decorated teammate even if it may one day be Hamilton. However, we may never find out if he is right, with fellow young gun George Russell having just joined Mercedes to pair up with Hamilton.

Russell has also been performing well, currently sitting 27 points ahead of Hamilton in the Drivers' Championship standings. In other words, it is not impossible to "beat" Hamilton in the same car. The season is not yet over and Hamilton may still overtake him, but Russell can comfortably say that he was able to give the veteran ace a run for his money.

Norris believes that given the same opportunity, he can also take the fight to Hamilton and even beat him. He told Planet F1: "I have to say yes. It's something that wouldn't be easy at all, Lewis is one of the best drivers of all time," he said.

In a separate interview with British GQ, he said: "If you want to do well, you have to believe that you are better than the rest."

While Norris has has a stellar season so far, he has yet to win a race. He came close a few times, but he is hoping that he will reach the top step soon. A win in his home race in Silverstone will be extra special.