Lando Norris has made it clear that he is not closing the door on a possible fight for the World Championship, insisting that the weight of expectation now rests on the shoulders of current leader Kimi Antonelli. Norris celebrated McLaren’s first Grand Prix victory of the season at the Hungarian Grand Prix, a performance that highlighted his confidence and put him fifth in the Drivers’ standings, trailing Antonelli by 91 points with eleven races left on the calendar. The situation bears a striking resemblance to last year’s championship battle.
In 2025, Max Verstappen found himself 104 points behind the leader with ten races remaining and ultimately fell short by just two points, while Norris clinched the title. That historical precedent fuels Norris’s belief that a comeback is still within reach, provided the team can maintain momentum and keep the car competitive.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Norris said, “The pressure is on him – Antonelli – for sure. There’s no pressure on me. I’ve been feeling very confident.” He went on to stress that McLaren’s rivals, particularly Mercedes, have been making more mistakes as a team, whereas McLaren has been more consistent. “They have made more mistakes as a team and we have made less, and we have come strong.
I expect them to still win races, but I also expect us to win more races. From here on we need to be perfect for the whole year,” he added.
Norris acknowledged that the Hungarian win was aided by a substantial upgrade package that McLaren introduced for that event, which included a new floor design that delivered a noticeable boost in straight‑line speed and overall grip. “We were certainly the quickest in Hungary from qualifying to the race. Not every race is going to be this simple, and we need to work hard to get the car this good everywhere,” he explained.
The driver emphasized that the team must continue to develop the car, stating, “If we can keep this level of performance, maybe that’s a genuine question for the championship.” Team principal Andrea Stella echoed the sentiment, reminding everyone that the 2026 season is essentially a race of upgrades. “The good news is that McLaren is now back in this race of upgrades while fighting for the lead,” Stella said. He warned that the car that ends the season as the fastest will likely have added tenths of a second of performance at each of the remaining eleven races, possibly amounting to half a second overall. “There is definitely a lot of work ahead for everyone, not only McLaren,” he added.
During the Hungarian Grand Prix, Norris found himself stuck behind his teammate Oscar Piastri after a poor start, despite having demonstrably more pace. He eventually turned the situation to his advantage by staying out longer on the second pit‑stop window, executing an overcut that allowed him to emerge ahead of Piastri. Prior to that, Norris had told his engineers over the radio that he felt “miles faster” and wanted to pit first.
In the post‑race press conference, he explained his strategy: “I just want to win the race. There are certain rules we have as a team, and we can’t harm each other’s race by being overly aggressive.” Norris also highlighted the broader context of the race, noting that while Max Verstappen was still within a few seconds behind, the main threat to Norris’s progress was his own teammate.
“When I was stuck behind Oscar, Max was three or four seconds behind, and at that point he’s still a threat. Ahead, there’s no threat, and we have a lot more of a guarantee that we’ll win as a team anyway,” he said. He justified his decision to undercut, stating that his pace was strong enough to pull a whole pit‑stop window ahead of Piastri, but also acknowledging the fine line between pitting too early and compromising both drivers’ chances.
The rivalry between Norris and Piastri has been a recurring storyline this season, with Norris generally holding the upper hand in recent events. Many observers note that Norris’s form this year mirrors his championship‑winning campaign from last year, suggesting that his confidence is well‑earned. When asked why his advantage in Hungary was so pronounced, Norris attributed it to the similarity of the cars and his own recent development work. “The cars are identical, and I’ve just been feeling very strong lately.
I’ve worked on many areas from last year,” he explained. He praised the hard work of his engineers and his own dedication to extracting performance from a car he describes as “not an easy car to understand and figure out how to drive on the limit consistently.” “Why? Hard work.
Hard work from my engineers and from myself to improve me as a driver and improve my driving. That is the answer,” Norris concluded. Looking ahead, the Formula 1 calendar resumes after the summer break with a Sprint weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix from 21 to 23 August. All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, and fans can stream the coverage via NOW with a no‑contract, cancel‑anytime option.
Norris’s optimism, combined with McLaren’s technical upgrades and a clear strategy for the remaining races, suggests that the championship battle is far from settled and that Antonelli may indeed feel the pressure intensify as the season reaches its climax.