Lando Norris became world champion last year but might face a battle to reclaim his crown

George Russell has been identified as the unexpected contender for this year’s Formula 1 championship by former drivers Damon Hill and Johnny Herbert.

Speaking on the Stay on Track podcast, the two British racing veterans bypassed the obvious favourites when making their predictions for the upcoming campaign.

Defending champion Lando Norris, who claimed his maiden title in December, was not their pick despite his narrow two-point victory over Max Verstappen last season.

The four-time world champion Verstappen was similarly overlooked, as was Oscar Piastri, who occupied the top spot in the standings for 15 race weekends during 2025 before finishing third.

George Russell has been tipped for stardom this year ahead of Lando Norris

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Russell’s credentials for the dark horse tag stem from his performances throughout the 2025 campaign.

The Mercedes driver was the sole competitor outside the championship’s top three to secure a grand prix victory last year.

His consistency throughout the season came despite piloting machinery that was not regularly capable of challenging for wins.

Norris secured his world title with a podium result at the Abu Dhabi finale, ending Verstappen’s late charge for a fifth consecutive championship.

Piastri’s third-place finish belied a strong first half of the season, during which the Australian led the drivers’ standings for six months before falling away.

Lando Norris became world champion for the first time last year

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The new engine and aerodynamic regulations coming into force this season have created uncertainty about which team will emerge strongest when racing begins in Melbourne in March.

Paddock speculation has pointed towards Mercedes potentially holding an advantage, given their historical success in adapting quickly to power unit rule changes.

Herbert expressed confidence in the Silver Arrows’ prospects on the podcast.

“I’m probably going to go Mercedes, because I think, as a partnership at the moment, I think it’s working very well,” he said.

“George has done a brilliant job for them. I’m sure they are going to be at the sharp end fighting for race wins and potentially the championship.”

Hill echoed his colleague’s assessment, acknowledging that Herbert had beaten him to the punch.

George Russell has been tipped tp do well this year

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“I think you nicked my answer! Because we’ve been spending so long talking about the usual suspects,” the 1996 world champion said.

“I would say the dark horse here is George Russell, who performed brilliantly, consistently all year in a car that was not a regular winner. Yeah, I think they’re in a good place.”

Hill also noted question marks surrounding Red Bull’s prospects for the coming season.

Herbert suggested Mercedes could secure both championships, praising teammate Kimi Antonelli’s development and predicting the Italian would improve his consistency this year.