Lando Norris Believes He's Driving Better Than His Championship Year

Lando Norris has been taking stock of his performance during the 2026 Formula 1 season, and it seems he's rather pleased with his progress. Despite a rough start last year, where he overcame several hurdles to clinch his first F1 world title, Norris feels he's actually driving better this season. However, the journey hasn't been without its hiccups. After a string of initial setbacks in 2025, including some costly qualifying errors and an unfortunate collision with teammate Oscar Piastri, Norris managed to outpace both Piastri and Red Bull's Max Verstappen to secure the championship. This year, though, defending his title has been a different ball game. Under the new 2026 regulations, McLaren has found itself trailing behind the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari, with Norris and his team only managing their first victory of the season right before the summer break at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

In a mid-season Q&A session with McLaren, Norris took a moment to reflect on the challenges and triumphs of the current season. While he acknowledges that the team hasn't quite reached the heights of last year, he remains optimistic. "In terms of my driving, I'm very satisfied," Norris remarked, noting his ability to make the most of McLaren's upgrades at the Hungaroring to secure pole position and the win. "I feel like I've driven better this half of the season than I did at this point last year, but unfortunately, I'm not leading the championship." His desire for a more competitive car is palpable, yet he understands that's part and parcel of Formula 1.

Norris admits that, as a team, McLaren isn't quite where they want to be. Despite some good results, the team has been disappointed with their overall performance. However, they're not resting on their laurels. The hard work put into the car's development is beginning to pay off, as evidenced by their recent success in Hungary. But Norris knows there's still a long road ahead. Looking forward to the latter half of the season, he remains cautiously optimistic. While the victory in Budapest was a significant morale boost, Norris isn't getting carried away just yet.

With 11 races completed, Norris currently holds fifth place in the Drivers’ Championship with 128 points, while McLaren is third in the Constructors’ standings. Norris is a realist when it comes to expectations. "One thing I've learned is to have no expectations of the future and just focus on the present," he said. This mindset, he believes, is what helped them climb back to victory in Hungary. Still, he acknowledges that there are areas where the car needs to improve if they are to challenge for more wins.

Despite the mixed results, Norris is confident in McLaren's potential. He's hopeful for more victories, but pragmatic about the competition and the current state of his car. "I had confidence that we could win a race, and it came a bit sooner than I thought," he reflected. "I believe we can improve those areas that aren't up to par." With the season's second half looming, Norris and McLaren are gearing up for the challenges ahead, determined to build on their hard-earned momentum.