Lando Norris, the current Formula 1 world champion, still has a realistic chance of mounting a dramatic comeback to defend his drivers' title, according to Sky Sports F1 analyst David Croft. Norris secured his and McLaren's inaugural win of the season at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, cutting the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli to 91 points with just 11 of the 23 scheduled rounds completed before the summer hiatus.
The dominant nature of the Hungarian victory, achieved after McLaren introduced a substantial aerodynamic and mechanical upgrade package at the Hungaroring, has sparked optimism that the Woking-based team may have permanently re‑entered the fight for race wins. The win also suggests that the British driver could re‑ignite his title challenge once the calendar resumes. During the latest episode of Sky Sports' "The F1 Show" podcast, Croft emphasized that the decisive factor will be whether McLaren can sustain a performance edge over Antonelli's Mercedes throughout the remainder of the season.
He asked, "One of the big things coming out of the summer break – can McLaren carry this momentum forward? Are they going to place all their hopes on Lando Norris?
And will that gamble pay off again?" Croft added that the Constructors' Championship remains wide open, and while the Drivers' title looks more favorable to Norris than it did a few weeks ago, the gap is not insurmountable. "I haven't even taken a holiday yet," he joked, "I’m eager to get back to racing at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. I don’t want a long break; I want the action back on the track, fast and furious!" One of McLaren's lingering issues this season has been extracting full performance from the Mercedes‑supplied power unit.
The Silver Arrows have historically been more adept at exploiting the engine's potential, leaving McLaren at a disadvantage on power‑heavy circuits. Hungary, however, is a relatively low‑downforce track that places less strain on the engine, raising questions about whether the team can replicate its success on faster, more demanding venues. Croft noted, though, that the Hungaroring shares several characteristics with Monaco, another circuit where Mercedes managed to claim victory earlier in June. "We’re now 11 races in, and I think McLaren have a much better understanding of the power unit than they did at the start of the year," he said.
"Is it surprising they performed so well in Hungary? Not really – they’ve been one‑two in Budapest for the past two seasons. The only surprise is how strong Mercedes were in Monaco, which might have been down to driver performance that weekend rather than a fundamental weakness in the car." He continued, "What excites me is seeing stronger competition to the championship leaders.
A close‑fought title battle is far more entertaining, and the upgrade McLaren introduced clearly paid off. They took their time this year to catch up, and now the signs are there – they built pace throughout the weekend, indicating the upgrade was effective and that they can challenge Mercedes." There remains uncertainty about whether all 12 remaining races will proceed as planned due to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Nevertheless, Sky Sports F1 commentator Bernie Collins believes Norris still has ample opportunity to swing the championship back in his favour. "This season is all about upgrades," Collins said on the podcast.
"It’s about who can extract the maximum from the chassis and the engine. With 11 rounds already run and 12 still to go, there are still a massive number of points up for grabs." Collins referenced last year’s dramatic turnaround 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 standings.
That precedent underscores how quickly fortunes can change in Formula 1. He added, "We saw McLaren take a slight edge this weekend, and Mercedes may have been a bit distracted by internal issues earlier in the season. So, everything is still up for grabs.
We now have at least three cars – possibly Verstappen as well – that could contend for wins week after week. Watching how the battle evolves will be fascinating." The Formula 1 calendar will pick up after the summer break 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. The next few months promise intense competition, strategic upgrades, and the possibility of a title showdown that could go right to the final race, keeping the championship truly "all to play for."