Lando Norris, the current Formula 1 world champion, still has a realistic chance of mounting a dramatic comeback to keep his drivers' title, according to Sky Sports F1 analyst David Croft. Norris captured his and McLaren's inaugural victory of the campaign at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, cutting the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli to 91 points as the sport pauses for the summer break with eleven of the twenty‑three scheduled races completed.
The dominant nature of the Hungarian win, achieved after McLaren introduced a substantial upgrade package for the Hungaroring, has sparked optimism that the Woking‑based team may have permanently re‑entered the fight for race wins and that the British driver could re‑emerge as a genuine contender for the championship. On the most recent episode of Sky Sports' "The F1 Show" podcast, Croft highlighted that the decisive factor will be whether McLaren can sustain its newfound advantage over Antonelli's Mercedes outfit. He asked, "One of the big questions coming out of the summer break is whether McLaren can keep this momentum alive.
Are they going to put all their eggs in a Lando Norris basket, and will that strategy pay off again?" Croft went on to say that the Constructors' title is still very much up for grabs and that the Drivers' championship is far from decided. "Lando isn’t so far behind that he can’t claw back the deficit," he asserted. He added a personal note, "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 three‑week lull; I want the action thick and fast!" One of the persistent challenges for McLaren this season has been extracting full performance from the Mercedes‑supplied power unit, a resource that the Silver Arrows have traditionally exploited more effectively. The Hungarian circuit is relatively gentle on engines, which raises questions about whether McLaren can replicate its strong showing on more power‑hungry tracks. Nevertheless, Croft pointed out that the Hungaroring shares characteristics with Monaco, a venue where Mercedes still managed to claim victory in early June.
"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," he explained. "Is it surprising they did so well in Hungary? Not really – they’ve been a one‑two force in Budapest for the past two seasons.
It was a little unexpected given how dominant Mercedes were in Monaco, but that may have been down to driver‑specific factors or Kimi’s exceptional performance that weekend. It doesn’t mean Mercedes are weak at a circuit like Budapest." Croft praised the impact of McLaren’s upgrade, noting that stronger competition to the championship leaders makes the title fight more exciting.
"What thrilled me was seeing a genuine challenger to the leaders, because a championship that goes down to the wire is far more entertaining," he said. "McLaren took their time this year to catch up, and now they appear to be doing so.
The signs were there from the start of the weekend – Lando was building pace, the upgrade was effective, and they were ready to challenge Mercedes." There remains some uncertainty about whether the remaining twelve scheduled rounds will proceed as planned due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. However, Sky Sports F1 commentator Bernie Collins believes Norris still has ample opportunity to reverse his fortunes. "This season will be defined by upgrades," Collins remarked on the podcast. "It will come down to who can extract the maximum from their cars and engines." He noted that with eleven rounds completed and twelve still to run, a substantial number of points remain available.
"Last season Max Verstappen trailed championship leader Oscar Piastri by 104 points with nine races left, yet he fought back to finish just two points behind Norris in the final standings. That shows how quickly the tables can turn," Collins added.
Collins also observed that McLaren appeared to have a slight edge over Mercedes this weekend, suggesting that internal distractions within the Mercedes camp may have contributed to their relative dip in performance earlier in the year. "We’ve seen McLaren gain a little advantage, and perhaps Mercedes have been preoccupied with their own issues," he said.
"So, everything is still up for grabs. We essentially have three cars – possibly four if Verstappen remains in the mix – battling for the lead week after week. That’s incredibly compelling to watch." The Formula 1 calendar will resume after the summer hiatus with a sprint weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort from August 21‑23, with every session broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. Fans can stream the coverage via NOW without a contract and cancel at any time.
In summary, while Norris currently trails Antonelli by a sizable margin, the combination of McLaren’s recent upgrade, a renewed understanding of their power unit, and the sheer volume of points still on offer means the championship is far from settled. If the team can maintain its upward trajectory and capitalize on any slip‑ups from Mercedes, Norris could very well mount a late‑season surge and keep his title hopes alive, making the final stretch of the 2024 season a thrilling contest for drivers, teams, and spectators alike.