Comparing EVERY Formula 1 driver to their NBA equivalent

Lewis Hamilton, LeBron James — Photo: © LAT Images

F1 Features

Comparing EVERY Formula 1 driver to their NBA equivalent

Get to know all the personalities on the grid!

Chris Deeley

Friday 12 January 2024 14:57

There's still some time before the F1 season starts up again, but pre-season testing isn't that far away and it's time to come in with a fresh slate!

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

Instead of comparing the teams to NBA franchises, 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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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.

A number of F1 stars have been seen at NBA games

Carlos Sainz – Pascal Siakam

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

Fernando Alonso – Chris Paul

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

Lance Stroll – Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Does any team really look twice if his last name isn't what his last name is?

Lando Norris – Anthony Edwards

A fantastically exciting potential future great, and looks like he's starting to get the right team around him.

Oscar Piastri – Dyson Daniels

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?

Daniel Ricciardo – Joe Ingles

Veteran Australians who are still very good at their jobs, but whose main value to teams at this point comes from just being really nice people.

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.