Lando Norris has expressed satisfaction with his driving performance in the 2026 Formula 1 season, stating he feels he is driving better so far than at the same point last year. This comes despite McLaren’s struggles with the new regulations that had their team still searching for consistent results.
Norris' 2025 campaign was marked by significant challenges, including qualifying errors and a collision with teammate Oscar Piastri. Yet, he managed to overcome these setbacks to secure his maiden F1 World Championship, ultimately outpacing Piastri and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to claim the title.
Heading into 2026, Norris had hoped to build on his success and defend his title under the sport’s new technical regulations. However, McLaren delayed achieving their first victory of the season until the Hungarian Grand Prix just before the summer break, with Norris currently placed fifth in the Drivers' Championship, 91 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli.
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In a mid-season Q&A session hosted by McLaren, Norris reflected on his performance and the team’s progress. He acknowledged feeling personally pleased with his driving improvements, particularly after capitalising on crucial car upgrades to secure pole position and victory in Hungary.
“I feel like I’ve driven better in this half of the season than I probably did to this point last year, to a certain extent, but sadly I’m not leading the championship,” Norris said. He added that while he desires a more competitive car to match his performance, such challenges are part of Formula 1.
On the team’s overall standing, Norris admitted that McLaren was not yet at the level they had hoped for or reached last season. “We’ve had some good results, but we also know we’re not where we should be,” he said. “We’re disappointed with our own performance but are working hard to improve.”
The recent upgrades that led to their win in Hungary offer encouragement. “We’re starting to see the benefits of that hard work, but we need to keep pushing and developing if we want to continue fighting for wins,” Norris noted.
Looking ahead to the remainder of the season, Norris emphasised a cautious approach despite their breakthrough win. With 11 races completed, he stands fifth in the Drivers' Championship on 128 points, while McLaren are third in the Teams’ Championship with 220 points, trailing leaders Mercedes.
“One thing I’ve learned is to have no expectations of the future and just work in the present,” Norris explained. “That focus helped us be back on top in Hungary.”
He acknowledged the competition remains fierce and that there are races where the car’s performance is still lacking, but expressed confidence in the team’s potential to improve. “I had confidence we could win a race, and it came sooner than I expected. I believe we can improve in the areas that are currently not good enough,” he concluded.