Lando Norris has not completely given up on the 2026 Formula 1 world championship despite sitting 83 points behind the leader. Two consecutive victories either side of the summer break have revived McLaren’s confidence, and the reigning world champion believes the title fight could change rapidly if Mercedes repeats some of the costly mistakes McLaren made during its own 2025 championship campaign.
McLaren’s resurgence has also transformed Lando Norris’s mood. The 26-year-old is becoming increasingly aware of the exceptionally high level at which he is driving and has not been afraid to say so publicly, particularly after his impressive victory at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix.
Lando Norris and McLaren revive their 2026 F1 title hopes
At Zandvoort, Lando Norris produced a spectacular move on Kimi Antonelli, passing the Mercedes driver around the outside of Turn 1 while taking advantage of the presence of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari. After the race, the reigning world champion declared that he was “doing a better job than everyone else” among the drivers.
With McLaren performing at this level and Lando Norris in such strong form, attention has inevitably turned towards the championship and whether he can recover his 83-point deficit. McLaren is also continuing its development push, with the team already targeting Mercedes with further MCL40 upgrades as it attempts to maintain its recent momentum.
For now, Lando Norris is playing down the championship discussion, repeating the familiar message that he is approaching the season one race at a time rather than focusing on the title battle. Yet there is one recent example showing why even a substantial championship advantage can disappear remarkably quickly.
Max Verstappen’s 2025 comeback gives Lando Norris reason to believe
At Zandvoort in 2025, Max Verstappen’s deficit to then-championship leader Oscar Piastri was even greater than the gap Lando Norris currently faces. Nevertheless, Max Verstappen recovered sufficiently to take the championship battle all the way to the final race, eventually finishing second in the standings just two points behind Lando Norris.
That comparison prompted the McLaren driver to acknowledge that a handful of mistakes from the championship leader can suddenly reopen the contest. For now, Norris remains well behind in the 2026 Formula 1 drivers’ standings, but his recent victories have at least given him reason to keep believing.
Lando Norris hopes Mercedes avoids none of McLaren’s 2025 mistakes
“Obviously,” the reigning world champion explained, as quoted by RacingNews365, “last year we were on the less fortunate side of things, but there’s no point thinking about it now. Honestly, I don’t care what I’m going to do next weekend or the weekend after, but it’s nice to know there’s a possibility, and obviously I hope both Mercedes get a double disqualification in Las Vegas like we did, or decide not to pit in Qatar for a free pit stop when there’s an opportunity.”
Lando Norris was referring to the Safety Car period at Lusail on lap seven, when all of McLaren’s rivals, led by Max Verstappen, made a pit stop. It came in a race in which three stops were mandatory, making McLaren’s decision not to stop an obvious and heavily criticised strategic error. The mistake cost the team a one-two finish, with Oscar Piastri eventually dropping to second place and Lando Norris to fourth.
McLaren’s painful experience in 2025 is therefore a reminder of how quickly a championship situation can change, particularly when pressure begins to build on the team protecting a significant points advantage.
“So,” Lando Norris continued, “as long as the others make the same mistakes that we made, then it will probably be easier. But every season is different. As far as we’re concerned, we’re still trying to catch up in some areas, but for now I’m giving it my all and that’s the only thing I can be satisfied with.”
“I’m happy, there’s still a long way to go and I’m optimistic. I still believe it’s possible, and that’s all I need for now,” Lando Norris concluded.
Leave a Reply