Two grands prix have turned Lando Norris into an unexpected dark horse for the 2026 world title. Team boss Andrea Stella explains how the reigning champion has improved.
Just over a month ago, it seemed clear that McLaren would be unable to successfully defend the drivers' title in 2026. Coming into the Hungarian Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes led the standings with 204 points, while the papaya drivers combined couldn't match that tally – Norris on 103, Oscar Piastri on 92.
However, McLaren introduced a substantial upgrade package at the Hungaroring, focusing on front and rear corner bodywork, plus a new floor and rear wing. The consequence was immediate: Norris won from pole in Hungary, then repeated the feat in Zandvoort with a round-the-outside move on Antonelli at Turn 1. He now sits just 83 points adrift of the championship lead.
The straightforward conclusion would be that the upgrades simply delivered, but Stella is adamant that Norris is consistently extracting the most from the MCL40 – even hinting at the Briton outperforming his machinery. “Lando is driving and operating at a very high level, in absolute sense, in relation to a Formula 1 world champion,” Stella commented after the Dutch GP. “He's driving at the level of a world champion. And like I always say, what I like the most is that he keeps improving.”
“Especially after the start of the 2025 season, something clicked – not just a single click, but a way of working with Lando that we are adopting also on Oscar's side now. This approach has led to continuous improvements. I see Lando stronger and stronger race by race. This weekend was nowhere near a guaranteed victory, especially after the sprint, but we invested in understanding the opportunity from a tyre exploitation point of view.”
Stella also highlighted Norris's qualifying improvement, which had been a concern in early 2025. “If we think of the start of 2025, that had become a bit of a concern that he overcame. And when the car slides in the race with little grip, he is the master in these conditions,” he added.
Qualifying performance indeed has been key. Throughout 2025, the McLaren drivers were evenly matched on one lap, with a perfect 15-15 split in qualifying (including sprint qualifying). As F1 switched to new machinery, Norris seems to have adapted better, and that could prove crucial in the title fight.
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