Lando Norris has claimed Max Verstappen should only have three World Championship titles to his name, hinting that Lewis Hamilton was wrongly denied an eighth title in 2021. Controversy surrounded the final race of the 2021 season, with former race director Michael Masi making a decision that allowed Verstappen to restart directly behind Hamilton after a crash on the final lap.

On fresher, quicker tyres, Verstappen edged out in front of Hamilton, taking the race and with it, the World Championship crown. It was roundly criticised at the time, with Mercedes head honcho, Toto Wolff, labelling the decision as “not right”.

It remains one of Formula One’s – as well as wider sport’s – most controversial moments, with fans still split over the decision to this day. It would appear drivers still are as well, given Norris chimed in on the debate during an interview ahead of the 2026 season.

When quizzed on whether Hamilton will be able to bounce back during his second season with Ferrari, Norris said: “He’s not won seven world championships,” before quickly correcting himself to say “it should’ve been eight”.

It took some time for Hamilton to come to terms with the decision, but he eventually said in 2024: “I think what was really beautiful in that moment, which I take away from it, was my dad was with me. And we’d gone through this huge roller coaster of life together, ups and downs.

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“And the day that it hurt the most, he was there, and the way he raised me was to always stand up, keep your head high. And I obviously went to congratulate Max, and not realising the impact that that would have, but also I was really conscious of, like, there’s a mini-me watching. This is the defining moment of my life. And I think it really was. I felt it. I didn’t know how it was going to be perceived.

“I hadn’t, like, visualised it. But I was definitely conscious of: these next 50 metres that I walk is where I fall to the ground and die – or I rise up… If I see a clip of it, I still feel it, but I’m at peace with it.”