Lando Norris, the current world champion, still has a realistic chance of staging a dramatic comeback to keep his Formula 1 drivers' title, according to Sky Sports F1 analyst David Croft. Norris secured both his and McLaren's inaugural victory of the year at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, cutting the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli to 91 points as the sport heads into its summer hiatus with eleven of the twenty‑three scheduled races already completed.
The dominance of Norris' win, achieved after McLaren introduced a substantial aerodynamic upgrade package at the Hungaroring, has sparked optimism that the Woking‑based team may have finally cemented its place among the front‑runners. The Briton’s triumph suggests that McLaren could be poised to re‑enter the title fight, provided they can sustain the momentum. During the latest episode of Sky Sports' "The F1 Show" podcast, Croft highlighted that the decisive factor will be McLaren's ability to keep outpacing Antonelli's Mercedes squad.
He asked, "One of the big questions coming out of the summer break is whether McLaren can carry this form forward. Will they keep putting their eggs in the Lando Norris basket, and will that strategy pay off again?" Croft went on to say that the Constructors' Championship remains very much up for grabs, and that the Drivers' Championship is still within reach for Norris despite the current points deficit. He added with a grin, "I haven't even taken a holiday yet.
I’m eager to get back to racing at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. I don’t want a long three‑week break – I want the action to be 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 harnessing the engine's potential. Hungary, being a relatively low‑downforce circuit, does not heavily test the power unit, which raises questions about whether McLaren can replicate the Hungarian success on more power‑demanding tracks.
Croft noted, however, that the Hungaroring shares certain characteristics with Monaco, a circuit where Mercedes managed a win earlier in June. He explained, "We’re eleven races in, and I think McLaren now understands the power unit far better than they did at the start of the year. It isn’t a surprise they performed so well in Hungary – they have been a one‑two team in Budapest for the last two seasons. It may seem surprising given Mercedes' strength in Monaco, but that weekend Kimi was simply exceptional.
It doesn’t mean Mercedes are weak at a track like Budapest." What excites Croft most is the prospect of a tighter championship battle. "Seeing stronger competition for the leaders makes the title fight more thrilling. McLaren's upgrade clearly worked – they took their time this season to catch up, and now they are finally on par with Mercedes. The signs were there from the start of the weekend, as Lando built pace, confirming the upgrade’s effectiveness." There is still uncertainty about whether all twelve of the remaining scheduled rounds will proceed as planned due to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Nevertheless, Sky Sports F1 commentator Bernie Collins believes Norris has ample opportunity to turn the tide. Collins remarked on the podcast, "This year is all about upgrades – who can extract the most from their car and engine. We have completed eleven rounds, with twelve still to go, meaning a huge number of points remain on the table." Collins drew a parallel with last season, when Max Verstappen trailed championship leader Oscar Piastri by 104 points with nine races left, only to fight back and finish just two points behind Norris in the final standings. He added, "McLaren showed a bit of the upper hand this weekend, and perhaps Mercedes have been distracted by internal issues earlier in the season.
So, everything is still up for grabs. We now have three, maybe four, cars – including Verstappen – that could contend week in, week out. That makes the rest of the season incredibly compelling to watch." The Formula 1 calendar will resume after the summer break with a sprint weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix, scheduled for August 21‑23. All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, and fans can stream the coverage via NOW without a contract, with the option to cancel at any time.
The upcoming races will test whether McLaren can maintain the performance gains demonstrated in Hungary, whether Antonelli can fend off the renewed challenge, and whether other contenders like Verstappen can re‑enter the fray. The championship narrative remains wide open, and as Croft succinctly put it, "It’s all to play for."