Comparing EVERY Formula 1 driver to their NBA equivalent

Lewis Hamilton, LeBron James — Photo: © LAT Images

F1 in the USA

Comparing EVERY Formula 1 driver to their NBA equivalent

With the Miami Grand Prix approaching, what better time to do it?

Chris Deeley

Wednesday 3 May 2023 20:27 Updated: 21:14

It's Miami Grand Prix time this weekend, the first of three (three!!!) American races on the Formula 1 calendar this season.

Some American fans are still getting to grips with the sport after picking it up via Drive to Survive, but hey. You all know hoops, right?

Instead of comparing the teams to NBA franchises (keep an eye out for something NFL related along those lines soon!) we're going to compare drivers to players. It's a personality game!

You ready? Here we go.

Lewis Hamilton – LeBron James

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Has a huge impact on and off the track, hasn't been slowed down by age (much), and there will always be an argument about whether he's the best ever because of a hyper-competitive maniac who was on top in the 'good old days'.

George Russell – Shai Gilgious-Alexander

Showed some flashes of quality at his first team, but it wasn't until he grew into his second that he flourished into...do we say it? Do we admit that Russell might be the better Mercedes driver at the moment?

Max Verstappen – Luka Doncic

Possibly the only man alive who could work himself into the 'GOAT' conversation by the end of his career, but it's not entirely clear if he actually cares enough to do it.

Sergio Perez – Steph Curry

He owns the streets.

Charles Leclerc – Rudy Gobert

French-ish, chronically unreliable, getting paid like a superstar without ever really showing the production when it counts.

Carlos Sainz – Pascal Siakam

By all rights should be a proper guy, but kinda slides into being 'just another guy who's also there and quite good'.

Fernando Alonso – Chris Paul

Older than time, a genuine great of his generation, broadly well-liked in the twilight of his career despite a reputation for being, ahem, difficult earlier on.

Lance Stroll – Bronny James*

Does any team really look twice if his father isn't who his father is?

*Alright Bronny isn't in the league yet, but you know he's getting drafted as LeBron bait.

Lando Norris – Anthony Edwards

A fantastically exciting potential future great, but really needs to get the right team around him.

Oscar Piastri – Josh Giddey

Young. Australian. Dunno.

Nico Hulkenberg – Paul George

Seems like a good bloke, but getting dangerously close to ending his career without ever climbing on the podium despite some close calls, just like PG-13 never making the Finals despite being right on the doorstep – let's call that the Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 against the Heat.

Kevin Magnussen – Alex Caruso

Fantastic defender, sometimes looks as though he should be in another sport.

Valtteri Bottas – Mike Conley

Two men who should probably have received more recognition in their respective careers. You're not winning anything with the current, older versions of them, but they both make everyone around them better.

Zhou Guanyu – Scottie Barnes

2022 Rookie of the Year, but finds himself stuck in a team at a crossroads – which could stymie his development.

Esteban Ocon – Markelle Fultz

Feels like he's been around for so long, you forget he started at 19 and he's still dead young.

Pierre Gasly – Nicolas Batum

Deeply French.

Yuki Tsunoda – Giannis Antetokounmpo

Yeah alright, he's not as good as the Greek Freak, but have you ever heard anyone say a bad word about either of them?

Nyck de Vries – Khris Middleton

I mean, you can spell your name like that. But should you?

Alex Albon – James Wiseman

Lost the confidence of the championship challengers who signed him up as a young driver, but now has the chance to remake himself somewhere with lower expectations.