British F1 royalty Nigel Mansell has shared a wholesome message for Lewis Hamilton, claiming that he would like to see the fellow Brit finish his career off with another world championship. Mansell said that other British challengers, including reigning world champion Lando Norris, have many years, so he would like to see Hamilton win his eighth title.
Hamilton is tied with Michael Schumacher on seven drivers’ world championships and an eighth would see him stand alone at the top. But the 41-year-old is no longer at Mercedes, where he claimed six of his titles, since his move to Ferrari in 2025.
After a difficult first year, Ferrari seems to have given Hamilton a much better car to work with in 2026, igniting hopes of another title in the near future among his fanbase. Now, 1992 F1 world champion Nigel Mansell has also backed Hamilton, saying he would like to see the driver finish his career of on a high.
Speaking about which fellow Brit he would like to see win the F1 title, Mansell told Sky Sports:
“I’m going to be romantic, I’d like Lewis to do it. Lando’s got so many years ahead of him, he can do it again. But, yeah, I mean, come on Lewis! It’s special, you’ve done so many things, mate. Let’s just finish it off.”
But as things stand, Ferrari looks to be the second quickest car on average in the new regulations era so far, behind Mercedes and only a little ahead of McLaren. The ADUO window will allow the teams behind the Silver Arrows to catch up, giving Ferrari hope that they could challenge the Mercedes powered cars even more if they are indeed eligible for the development opportunity, which could affect the field as early as the Canadian GP in May.
Nigel Mansell backs Lewis Hamilton to win his 10th British GP in 2026
Nigel Mansell has also backed Lewis Hamilton to win what would be his tenth British Grand Prix, which is scheduled for July 5 this year. He also added that Hamilton looks “reinvigorated,” and that Ferrari has done a good job over the winter.
When asked if Lewis Hamilton could claim the win at Silverstone this year, the 72-year-old said:
“Odds on. Lewis is fired up again, and I make no embarrassment that I’m a huge fan of Lewis. He’s had a brilliant career and it’s fantastic what he’s doing. He’s now reinvigorated. Ferrari has done a fabulous job over the winter, they’re there or thereabouts. Obviously, Mercedes are the forerunners, McLaren’s gonna be there as well.
“But I think when they tweak the regulations, and by the time we get the Silverstone, I think it’ll be very close. And I’m hoping for an epic race, and yeah, I mean, there’s a number of six or seven drivers that can win, which is lovely.”
Mansell also reflected on a potential title fight between George Russell and Kimi Antonelli this year, saying that Russell needs to stamp the authority over his young teammate if he wants to win the championship. For Antonelli, he said that the teenager has done well and that most people are rooting for him, making for an exciting battle between the two.
