Which driver will be Britain's next F1 champion? Our experts judge contenders

Britain has produced more Formula 1 champions than any other nation.

Ten drivers from Britain have won a combined 20 drivers' championships.

Mike Hawthorn was the first in 1958 followed by Graham Hill, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button.

At the F1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, attention turns to who might next restore Britain to the summit of the sport.

Hamilton is seeking an all-time record eighth title and his first in a Ferrari.

Lando Norris was the runner-up last season and currently trails McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.

George Russell is an established race winner while rookie Oliver Bearman is one to watch.

Our experts predicted the next British driver to win an F1 title...

Lewis Larkam: George Russell is having an excellent 2025 season in a car not capable of fighting for the world championship, and he demonstrated his abilities against seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton during their three-year spell as Mercedes teammates.

The 27-year-old Briton is an exceptional qualifier and proven time and time again that he has the capability to exploit the maximum out of his car, racking up four victories in inconsistent Mercedes challengers. Russell has also been able to stand up to Max Verstappen, showing he can hold his own against the very best on the grid, and come out on top.

It is true that Russell has not yet experienced a full-blown title fight, or the pressures that come with it, but all the signs suggest that he is more than capable of being able to compete at the highest level, and emerge victorious.

Lando Norris may be F1’s current leading Brit, but the McLaren driver has struggled to shake off costly errors that are threatening to derail his own title aspirations. If the pair went head-to-head over the course of a season-long battle, my money would be on Russell. 

Lewis Duncan: Whoever it is, it won’t be Lando Norris.

I’m fully aware that this is a take that is going to upset a lot of people, but Norris has at no point in his F1 career shown he is a complete enough driver to win a world championship.

His speed isn’t in question, but being fast is only half the battle. As Max Verstappen proved in his pre-title years, he was ungodly quick but lacked discipline and an understanding for seeing the bigger picture.

Even in 2021 some of his means of racing Lewis Hamilton spoke to the immaturity he still possessed. But once that monkey was off his back, he maintained the speed but developed that discipline. That was evident last year when the Red Bull slumped in form, but he was still able to bank points and ultimately win a fourth title with rounds to spare.

In that title battle, we saw a Norris who was clearly second-best when squeezed into uncomfortable racing situations by Verstappen. That exists still, as his clumsy collision with McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri showed in Canada.

Piastri’s rapid rise as a title contender has seen him occupy the position at McLaren Norris was reared for by the squad. So far this year, he’s being beaten 5-3 in terms of race wins, and trails a more inexperienced team-mate by 15 points. That’s not a lot, but consistency hasn’t been on Norris’ side - six races split wins one and two this year.

I just haven’t seen enough from Norris yet to confidently say when the pressure of a world championship is at its highest, he is capable of coping with it. Looking at this year specifically, Piastri isn’t really the one with the expectation on his shoulders. That’s a double problem for Norris, because if Piastri loses then that’s fine because he was expected to in the first place. But if he wins, Norris’ stock takes a major dent and serious questions will have to be asked about the Brit’s potential.

Rachit Thukral: Of the four Britons on the current F1 grid, George Russell looks the most likely to become the country's next world champion.

Now in his fourth year at Mercedes, Russell dragged the W16 to victory in Canada and four other podium finishes in the opening 11 races. If the trend continues, he could well overhaul Max Verstappen and secure the best-of-the-rest spot in the drivers’ championship behind McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

This run of form, following his step up as team leader after Lewis Hamilton’s departure, puts him in a prime position for 2026, when F1 introduces sweeping changes to chassis and engine regulations.

While it’s anyone’s guess which manufacturer will have the edge next year, if Mercedes starts the next rules cycle on the front foot, Russell has to be the favourite for the 2026 title.

Laura Leslie: Russell is entering a new phase of his career as Mercedes’ lead driver and seems to be thriving in his current environment.

Mercedes are rumoured to be in the driving seat for next year’s new engine regulations, so he could easily be champion as early as 2026 - if he stays with Mercedes!

Lando Norris would be most people’s favourite, but Oscar Piastri seems on a faster upward trajectory to the title.

Lewis Hamilton won’t win a championship with Ferrari because they need years he doesn’t have and Ollie Bearman will be a champion of the future, just not before Russell.