Winner of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Lando Norris believes that McLaren was “in another dimension” and is convinced that he was untouchable.
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Lando Norris secured his first victory of the season in Hungary, after a race he simply considers exceptional.
For the McLaren driver, the key to this success lies primarily in the performance displayed by his car, far superior to the competition at the Hungaroring.
“What satisfies me the most is simply our speed. The car was really very competitive today.”
Norris admits that the MCL40 was not always pleasant to drive, but that did not stop him from dominating the Grand Prix.
“At times, it was even horrible to drive, but it was fast. And I much prefer a difficult but fast car than the opposite.”
Convinced he was going to win
Starting from pole position, the Briton lost the lead of the race on the first lap to his teammate Oscar Piastri after a mistake in the second corner.
Despite this setback, Norris says he never doubted his chances of winning.
“My corner was obviously not the best, but then, looking at my pace, I felt I was better in every area, both in tire degradation and pure speed.”
He was convinced that different strategies could lead him to victory.
“I was convinced I could win this race, whether by stopping before Oscar or by extending my stint to come back with fresher tires.”
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“We were in another dimension”
The turning point of the race came when Piastri lost time behind backmarkers, allowing Norris to regain the lead after the pit stops.
Once in front, the Briton was never challenged again.
He believes McLaren had a considerable performance advantage throughout the weekend, notably thanks to the significant upgrades made to the car.
“Today, we were simply in another dimension. Everything seemed to work perfectly.”
A strong message before the rest of the season
This victory greatly boosts Norris’s confidence ahead of the second half of the championship.
The McLaren driver feels he has found perfect harmony with his car, a combination he considers particularly difficult to beat.
“When the car is competitive and I’m in a good rhythm, no one can stop me.”
However, Norris does not forget his teammate, who was involved in a collision with Carlos Sainz before retiring due to a gearbox problem.
“It’s a shame for Oscar. I think we had more than enough to secure a one-two today.”
With this show of strength in Hungary, McLaren sends a clear message to its rivals: the upgrades introduced this weekend could well change the hierarchy for the rest of the season.