Lando Norris, the current Formula 1 world champion, still possesses a realistic chance of staging a dramatic comeback to keep his drivers’ title, according to Sky Sports F1 analyst David Croft. Norris secured his and McLaren’s inaugural victory of the season at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, narrowing the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli to 91 points as the calendar reaches the midpoint of its 23‑race schedule, with eleven events already concluded. The dominance of Norris’s win, achieved after McLaren introduced a substantial aerodynamic and mechanical upgrade package at the Hungaroring, has sparked optimism that the Woking‑based outfit may have permanently re‑entered the fight for race wins.
The Briton’s performance suggests he could once again become a genuine contender for the title. During the most recent episode of Sky Sports’ "The F1 Show" podcast, Croft emphasized that the decisive factor will be whether McLaren can sustain its newfound edge over Antonelli’s Mercedes squad. He asked, “One of the big questions coming out of the summer break is: can McLaren keep this momentum? Are they going to place all their confidence in Lando Norris, and will that strategy pay off again?” Croft added that the Constructors’ Championship remains wide open and that the Drivers’ title is far from out of reach for Norris.
“I don’t think Lando is so far behind that he can’t claw back the deficit,” he said, noting his own eagerness to return to racing. “I haven’t even taken a holiday yet.
I can’t wait to get back to business at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. I don’t want a three‑week lull; I want the racing thick and fast!” One persistent weakness for McLaren this year has been extracting full performance from the Mercedes‑supplied power unit, a shortfall that the factory team has exploited more effectively. Hungary, being a relatively low‑stress circuit for engines, raised questions about whether McLaren’s upgrade would translate to more power‑hungry tracks.
Croft, however, pointed out that the Hungaroring shares several characteristics with Monaco, where Mercedes still managed to win earlier in June. “We’re eleven races into the season, and I think McLaren now understands the power unit far better than they did at the start of the year,” he explained.
“Is it surprising they performed so well in Hungary? Not really – they’ve finished one‑two in Budapest for the past two years. It was 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.” He continued, “What excites me about stronger competition for the championship leaders is that it pushes the title fight to the wire, which is far more entertaining.
McLaren’s upgrade clearly worked. They’ve taken their time this year to catch up, and now they appear to be on par with Mercedes. The signs were there from the start of the weekend – Lando built up pace, the car responded to the new parts, and they were ready to challenge the dominant team.” Looking ahead, there is still uncertainty about whether all twelve remaining races will proceed as scheduled due to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Nevertheless, Sky Sports F1 commentator Bernie Collins believes Norris has ample opportunity to reverse his fortunes.
“This season will be defined by upgrades,” Collins said on the podcast. “It will come down to who can extract the maximum from their chassis and engines. We’ve completed eleven rounds, with twelve still to go, so there are plenty of points still up for grabs.” Collins recalled a similar scenario from the previous year when Max Verstappen trailed championship leader Oscar Piastri by 104 points with nine races left, yet fought back to finish just two points behind Norris in the final standings.
“We saw McLaren have a slight edge this weekend, and perhaps Mercedes were a bit distracted earlier in the season,” he added. “So, everything is still up for grabs. You have three, maybe four, cars – including Verstappen – that could be at the front week after week. That’s what makes the rest of the season fascinating to watch.” The Formula 1 calendar will resume after the summer hiatus with a sprint weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix 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 and the option to cancel at any time. The upcoming races will determine whether Norris and McLaren can maintain their momentum and keep the championship battle alive right to the final checkered flag.