McLaren says Lando Norris has improved since his title-winning season
Multiple outlets report that McLaren believes Lando Norris has continued to develop after becoming Formula 1 world champion. The coverage also notes a sharp change in McLaren’s 2026 outlook compared with the position it faced before the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Crash.net reports that Lando Norris is now more assured on and off the track, describing that confidence as a key strength. The same report frames his openness and vulnerability as something he has turned into an advantage.
Motorsport.com and Autosport both say McLaren believes Norris is performing at an even higher level than in his title-winning campaign. Those reports also recall that, a little over a month before the Hungarian Grand Prix, McLaren’s chances of defending the 2026 drivers’ crown looked slim.
At that point, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli led the standings on 204 points. Norris had 103 points and Oscar Piastri had 92, leaving McLaren’s two drivers short of Antonelli’s total combined.
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Sources (3)
Summaries are synthesized by F1 Hub from the linked sources. Follow the links above to read the full reporting at each outlet.