Lando Norris, the current Formula 1 world champion, still possesses the tools to engineer a dramatic comeback and hold onto his drivers' title, according to Sky Sports F1 analyst David Croft. Norris secured both his and McLaren's first win of the campaign at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, trimming the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli to 91 points as the sport pauses for its summer break with just 11 of the 23 scheduled races completed. The dominant nature of the Hungarian triumph, achieved after McLaren introduced a substantial aerodynamic upgrade package at the Hungaroring, has sparked optimism that the Woking outfit may have permanently re‑entered the win‑contending mix.
The victory suggests that the British driver could once again become a serious threat in the title race. During the latest episode of Sky Sports' "The F1 Show" podcast, Croft emphasized that the decisive factor will be McLaren's ability to continue out‑performing Antonelli's Mercedes squad.
He asked, "One of the big questions coming out of the summer break is whether McLaren can sustain this momentum. Are they going to put all their eggs in the Lando Norris basket, and will that strategy pay off again?" Croft added that the Constructors' Championship remains wide open and that Norris is not so far behind in the Drivers' standings that a comeback would be impossible. "I haven't even taken a holiday yet," he joked, "I can’t wait to get back to racing at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort.
I don’t want a three‑week lull – I want the action thick and fast!" One of McLaren's persistent challenges this season has been extracting maximum performance from the Mercedes‑supplied power unit. The Silver Arrows have historically been more adept at exploiting that engine.
Because Hungary is a relatively low‑downforce circuit that does not heavily tax the power unit, some observers wonder if McLaren can replicate the same level of performance on more power‑hungry tracks. Croft, however, pointed out that the Hungaroring shares certain characteristics with Monaco, another circuit where Mercedes managed to claim victory earlier in June.
He noted, "We’re eleven races in, and I think McLaren now has a much better understanding of the power unit than they did at the start of the year." He continued, "Is it surprising they did so well in Hungary? Not really – they’ve been a one‑two finish in Budapest for the past two seasons.
It is a little unexpected given how strong Mercedes were in Monaco, but that may have been down to driver performance that weekend rather than a fundamental weakness in the Mercedes package." Croft praised the impact of McLaren's upgrade, saying it injected fresh competition into the championship battle. "What excites me is seeing stronger rivals to the leaders, because a title fight that goes down to the wire is far more entertaining. The upgrade clearly worked – they took their time this year to catch up, and now they appear ready to challenge Mercedes head‑on." There is still uncertainty over whether the remaining twelve races will all proceed as planned, given the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Nevertheless, Sky Sports F1 commentator Bernie Collins believes Norris has ample opportunity to reverse the situation.
"This season will be defined by upgrades," Collins said on the podcast. "It will come down to who can extract the most from their car and engine.
With eleven rounds completed and twelve still to run, there are plenty of points up for grabs." Collins recalled last year’s dramatic swing when Max Verstappen, trailing championship leader Oscar Piastri by 104 points with nine races left, fought back to finish just two points behind Norris in the final tally. He added, "We saw McLaren take a slight edge this weekend, and Mercedes may have been a bit distracted earlier in the season. So, the fight is still very much alive – you have at least three cars, possibly Verstappen as well, battling for the top step week after week. That’s fascinating to watch." The Formula 1 calendar will resume after the summer hiatus with a sprint weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort from August 21‑23, with every session broadcast live on Sky Sports F1.
Fans can stream the coverage via NOW, with no long‑term contract required. The upcoming races will be crucial for Norris and McLaren as they aim to maintain their momentum, extract every ounce of performance from their upgraded package, and keep the championship battle wide open until the final checkered flag.