Nigel Mansell backs "fired up" Lewis Hamilton to win another F1 title

Nigel Mansell has backed a “reinvigorated” Lewis Hamilton to win a record-breaking eighth world title before he retires from Formula 1.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton has been unable to challenge for what would be a historic eighth drivers’ crown since controversially losing out on the 2021 world title to Max Verstappen.

1992 world champion Mansell believes Hamilton still has what it takes to end his career on the ultimate high note.

“I’m going to be romantic, I’d like Lewis to do it,” Mansell told Sky Sports News.

“Lando [Norris has] 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.”

The 41-year-old Briton has enjoyed a strong start to his second season with Ferrari and scored his first grand prix podium for the Scuderia by finishing third at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Hamilton’s early performances this year, including being much closer to team-mate Charles Leclerc in both qualifying and on race day, have been a marked improvement on a miserable debut campaign with Ferrari in 2025.

And Mansell has tipped Hamilton to claim a record 10th British Grand Prix victory at Silverstone in July.

“Odds on. Lewis is fired up again and I’m a huge fan of Lewis. Lewis has had a brilliant career and it's fantastic what he's doing,” Mansell added.

"He's now reinvigorated. Ferrari has done a fabulous job over the winter. They're there or thereabouts. Obviously Mercedes are the forerunners and McLaren is going to be there too.

“I think when then they tweak the regulations and by the time we get to Silverstone, it’ll be very close. I’m hoping for an epic race and there’s six or seven drivers that can win, which is lovely.”

Mansell also weighed in on the start by fellow Briton George Russell, who entered the season as the world championship favourite.

After winning the season opener in Australia, back-to-back wins for Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli in China and Japan have seen the Italian teenager take a surprise lead in the world championship.

Antonelli sits nine points clear of Russell at the top of the drivers’ standings after the opening three rounds of the season.

"George is a great driver and sometimes it's how the chips fall. Sometimes you have a bit of luck, and sometimes you don't. It's a long season but you've got to lead by incredible focus,” Mansell said.

"I'll never forget [my team-mate] Riccardo Patrese in 1992 thought I had a special car. We swapped qualifying cars at Sao Paulo early in the season and I got Sir Frank [Williams] and Patrick ]Head] to agree with that because I was two seconds lap quicker than him. Long story short, the first and second lap, I went out in his car, I was 1.5 seconds quicker, straight away in his car.

"The point is, you have to stamp the authority. Kimi has done a great job. He's young. Everyone's pulling for him, so it's going to be exciting to watch."