Lando Norris Unfazed by Pressure Despite Last Win in May

Lando Norris, the pole-sitter for the Hungarian Grand Prix, remains unfazed by the pressure of winning, despite his last victory in Miami in May. Norris, who secured pole alongside McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and ahead of championship leader Max Verstappen, views the race as a key opportunity to earn substantial points for the team. However, he downplays the need to prove himself, stating that every race and qualifying session is important, and they have consistently performed well.

Norris, who took pole with only one set of new tires compared to his rivals’ two, was 0.328 seconds faster than Verstappen. Despite this, Piastri and Verstappen closed the gap in their final attempts. This pole position marks McLaren’s first one-two on the grid since the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix. Looking ahead, Lando Norris anticipates a competitive race, acknowledging the challenges posed by Red Bull and McLaren’s own strategy to maximize their position. He noted that Red Bull is expected to be a strong contender given their recent performance improvements.

In contrast, Max Verstappen expressed concerns about Red Bull’s recent performance despite their latest upgrade package. Verstappen emphasized the need for further improvements to regain their top position, recognizing that the car’s current balance and speed are not meeting expectations.  Meanwhile, Mercedes faces challenges following recent successes. With Lewis Hamilton in fifth and George Russell struggling in 17th, the team’s bid to win three races in a row looks difficult.

Hamilton noted that while Mercedes performs well in cooler conditions, McLaren and Red Bull are likely to be faster in the race. Ferrari with an updated floor has struggled to maintain earlier season performance levels. Charles Leclerc admitted disappointment over the team’s performance decline despite a more consistent weekend.