Lando Norris, the current world champion, still has a realistic chance of staging a dramatic comeback to clinch the Formula 1 drivers' championship, according to Sky Sports F1 analyst David Croft. Norris earned his and McLaren's maiden victory of the year at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, cutting the gap to points leader Kimi Antonelli to 91 with the sport now on its summer hiatus after 11 of the 23 scheduled races have been run.
The decisive nature of the win, which came 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 he could re‑enter the title fight if the momentum continues. During the most recent edition of Sky Sports' "The F1 Show" podcast, Croft highlighted a key question: can McLaren sustain the performance edge they displayed in Hungary and keep outpacing Antonelli’s Mercedes outfit? He asked, "One of the big things coming out of the summer break is whether McLaren can carry this on.
Are they going to put their eggs in a Lando Norris basket, and will that strategy pay off again?" Croft believes the Constructors' Championship remains wide open, and that Norris is not so far behind in the Drivers' standings that a comeback would be impossible. "The Constructors' title is still very much up for grabs," he said. "And the Drivers' title – I don’t think Lando is so far behind that he can’t make up the deficit." He added a personal note, noting that he has not even taken a holiday yet and is eager for the action to resume at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. "I don’t want a three‑week break; I want the racing thick and fast!" he enthused.
One of McLaren’s Achilles heels this season has been extracting maximum performance from the Mercedes‑supplied power unit, a weakness that the works team has exploited more effectively. Hungary is a relatively low‑downforce circuit that does not heavily tax the engine, which raises doubts about whether McLaren can replicate the same level of performance on more power‑hungry tracks. Nevertheless, Croft pointed out that the Hungaroring shares certain characteristics with Monaco, another circuit where Mercedes managed to claim victory in early June.
"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," he observed. He noted that McLaren’s strong showing in Budapest was not entirely unexpected given their one‑two finishes there in the previous two seasons, but it was a pleasant surprise considering Mercedes’ dominance at the nearby Monaco event. "It might be driver‑specific – Kimi was exceptional that weekend – but I don’t think Mercedes are necessarily weak at a track like Budapest," Croft added.
What excites Croft most is the prospect of a tighter championship battle. "What delighted me is stronger competition to the championship leaders, and we want to see this championship go right to the wire because that’s way more fun," he said.
He praised the effectiveness of McLaren’s upgrade, noting that the team has taken its time this year to catch up, and now appears to be on par with Mercedes. There is still uncertainty surrounding the remaining 12 races on the calendar due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, but Sky Sports F1’s Bernie Collins remains confident that Norris will have ample opportunity to turn the tide.
"I think this year is going to be about upgrades," Collins said on the podcast. "It’s about who can get on top of these cars, who can extract the best out of the engines." With 11 rounds completed and 12 still to run, a large pool of points remains available.
Collins cited last season’s drama as a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change: Max Verstappen trailed championship leader Oscar Piastri by 104 points with nine races left, yet fought back to finish just two points shy of Norris in the final standings. Collins added, "We saw McLaren this weekend have a little bit of the upper hand, and perhaps Mercedes have been a bit distracted by internal issues earlier in the year.
So, I think it’s still all to play for. You’ve got three cars, maybe Verstappen as well, in the mix. Who will be at the front week in, week out will be fascinating to watch." The Formula 1 calendar picks 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 contract required and the ability to cancel at any time.