'All to Play For!' – Why Norris Still Has a Shot at the F1 Crown

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 maiden win of the 2024 season at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, narrowing the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli to 91 points as the calendar reaches its midway point, with eleven of the twenty‑three scheduled races already completed. The victory was particularly striking because McLaren introduced a substantial aerodynamic and mechanical upgrade package for the Hungaroring.

The performance boost not only gave the team a morale lift but also sparked speculation that the Woking outfit may have permanently re‑entered the fight for podiums and race wins. For Norris, the win reignited hopes that he can re‑establish himself as a genuine title contender.

During the latest episode of Sky Sports' "The F1 Show" podcast, Croft highlighted that the decisive factor will be McLaren's ability to sustain the momentum they displayed in Hungary and to consistently out‑perform 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 on? Are they going to put their eggs in a Lando Norris basket? And is it going to come up trumps once again?" Croft believes the Constructors' Championship remains wide open and that Norris is not so far behind in the Drivers' standings that a comeback is impossible.

"The Constructors' Championship, I think, is still very much up for grabs. The Drivers' Championship, I don't think Lando is that far behind that he can't make up a deficit," he said. The British driver, who has yet to take his summer holiday, expressed his eagerness to return to racing at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, adding, "I don't want a three‑week break; I want the racing thick and fast!" McLaren's primary challenge this season has been extracting maximum performance from the Mercedes power unit they use.

While Mercedes has historically been more adept at exploiting the engine's potential, the Hungaroring is a relatively low‑power‑demand circuit, which raised questions about whether McLaren could replicate their Hungarian form on more power‑hungry tracks. Croft noted, however, that the Hungaroring shares certain characteristics with Monaco—a circuit where Mercedes still managed to claim victory earlier in June. He explained, "We're 11 races into the season now, and I think McLaren are understanding the power unit way better than they were at the start of the year.

Is it a surprise they did so well in Hungary? Well, on past form, no, they were one‑two for the last two years in Budapest.

But it is a little surprise given how strong Mercedes were in Monaco. It might be driver‑specific; Kimi was exceptional that weekend.

I don’t think Mercedes are necessarily weak at a track like Budapest." What excites Croft most is the prospect of a tighter championship battle. "What delighted me in terms of stronger competition to the championship leaders, and we want to see this championship go right to the wire because that's way more fun, was that McLaren's upgrade worked. They've taken their time this year to play catch‑up, but they are now catching up, I think.

And I think the signs were there right from the start as Lando built up the pace into the weekend that this was a good upgrade, they had the pace, and they were ready to challenge Mercedes," he said. There is still uncertainty about whether all twelve of the remaining scheduled rounds will proceed as planned, given the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Nevertheless, Sky Sports F1 commentator Bernie Collins remains optimistic that Norris has sufficient opportunities to turn the tide. "I think this year is going to be about upgrades," Collins remarked on the podcast. "It's going to be about who can get on top of these cars, who can get the best out of the cars, the best out of the engines.

At the moment, as the calendar sets, we've done 11 rounds; we've got 12 still to go. So there's still lots and lots of points on the board." Collins referenced last season’s dramatic turnaround, 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. He added, "We've seen McLaren this weekend at least have a little bit of the upper hand. And maybe Mercedes have been a bit distracted with each other in some of the earlier races as well.

So, I think that it's still all to play for. I think you've pretty much got three cars, maybe Verstappen as well in that fight, that I think who knows as we go through later races who will be at the front week in, week out. And that's really interesting to watch." The season 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 can also follow the ongoing discussion on the "F1 Show" podcast and Sky Sports' WhatsApp channel. The combination of McLaren's promising upgrades, Norris's determination, and the unpredictable nature of the remaining races ensures that the championship remains wide open and promises plenty of excitement for the rest of the year.