Norris hits back at Hamilton's 'man's sport' comments

Lando Norris believes Lewis Hamilton's comments lamenting a perceived easier path to Formula 1 in the modern era was targeted at him, with the McLaren rookie firing back at the world champion by claiming that modern F1 cars are more difficult to handle than when Hamilton debuted.

Both Hamilton and Norris faced the media in a Thursday press conference ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, where the topic of improving the spectacle of F1 was raised.

While making a string of suggestions, Hamilton said: "You should be physically exhausted after a race. To the point it should be so exhausting like a marathon. Sometimes you do these races and you can get up - I could do two or three races in a row and Formula 1 shouldn't be like that.

"It's a man's sport and a lot of youngsters come in and it's quite easy for them to get straight into it."

Earlier in the press conference, Hamilton asked Norris his age, replying with a wide-eyed "shoot" when the 19-year-old informed him.

Norris stood his ground when later discussing the comments, suggesting that Hamilton may have been keen to keep the trio of British-born rookies on the grid in check.

"I don't know why he would say it now, and not when he first started," he said

"It must be targeted at me, George [Russell] and Alex [Albon], because we're the youngest in F1 and I'm not suffering perhaps as much as he thinks I should.

"I don't think it's intimidation, I just don't know why he wouldn't say it any other year. It's much harder now than when he started in F1.

"He says he likes heavier steering. Well, he can ask his team to turn down the power steering if he wants. Like him, I think it would be cool to have manual gearboxes, too. So, I'm not sure what his reasoning is behind it."

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