Lando Norris Sees Mercedes Fight Aiding McLaren 2026 Title Bid

Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Lando Norris of McLaren believes the internal title fight at Mercedes-AMG Petronas could create a strategic opportunity for his team in the 2026 Formula 1 championship.

Mercedes has started the season with a dominant run, taking all three victories so far, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli leading the drivers’ standings ahead of team-mate George Russell. In contrast, McLaren has struggled to replicate its title-winning form under the new regulations, with Norris yet to secure a podium in the opening rounds.

Within that context, Norris pointed to the potential advantage of a close intra-team battle at Mercedes, which could result in points being split and allow rival teams to reduce the gap.

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“Let’s hope so. The more they can battle each other, the better for us,” Norris told media, including RacingNews365.

“It’s been good to see. Kimi is in his second year in Formula 1, doing a very good job. He’s a great guy and performing strongly at the top level.”

Norris also highlighted Antonelli’s progression, noting his ability to extract additional pace and compete directly with Russell at the front of the field.

“It’s impressive to see him find that extra speed and battle George convincingly. That’s been really interesting to watch,” he added.

McLaren, however, remains focused on improving its own performance deficit, drawing on recent experience of turning around its competitiveness mid-season. Across the 2023 and 2024 campaigns, the Woking-based team successfully developed its package to rejoin the front-running group.

Norris expressed hope that a similar trajectory can be achieved this year, particularly if the leading Mercedes drivers continue to take points off one another. He also referenced last season, when Max Verstappen remained a consistent threat while McLaren drivers were engaged in their own internal championship battle alongside Oscar Piastri.

“It’s a good situation for us. We know we’re a bit on the back foot at the start of the season, but we hope we can catch up,” Norris explained.

“The more points they take from each other, the better. It’s similar to last year when Max was in the fight with us. Hopefully, this time it can be the other way around.”

As the season progresses, McLaren’s ability to close the performance gap will be critical. With development expected to play a decisive role, upcoming races will determine whether the team can capitalize on the dynamics at the front and re-enter the title fight in the 2026 Formula 1 campaign.