Lando Norris makes bold claim and explains why it 'hurts'

Lando Norris has conceded it "hurts" to say he believes he is driving better in 2026 than he did during his title-winning campaign last season, because the results have seldom shown it.

The reigning F1 drivers' champion claimed his first victory of the year at the Hungarian Grand Prix, leading from pole to flag and finishing over 15 seconds clear of Max Verstappen.

It was a commanding performance, yet it came only in round 11 of a season in which Norris sits fifth in the standings on 128 points, 91 behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

For Norris, that contrast is the painful part. He feels his own level has improved, but without a consistently front-running car, that progress has not translated into the wins and points expected of a defending champion.

"Honestly, although it kind of hurts me saying it because it doesn't mean that you just win, I feel like I'm doing a better job this year than I was last year, and I have done for a little while," Norris told media, including RacingNews365, after clinching victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix. "I've said that for a while. It just doesn't mean you win the races."

At this stage last year, Norris had amassed 201 points across the opening 11 rounds, already firmly in the title fight he would eventually win by just two points from Verstappen. This year, the picture is very different.

The MCL40 has been largely the third-fastest car on the grid, some three to four tenths per lap adrift of the dominant Mercedes W17 in race trim. That has left Norris in the unusual position of feeling sharper than ever while watching the championship move away from him.

Two DNFs, in Canada and Monaco, plus a DNS in China have further dented his tally. And yet, when the machinery has allowed it, Norris has extracted results that arguably surpass anything he managed in the equivalent phase in 2025.

Three podiums from his eight classified finishes, including a sprint win, tell only part of the story. The manner of his Budapest victory was the strongest evidence yet.

"Right now, today, I would probably say it was up there with one of my best performances, in terms of extracting performance out of the car and being so close to the limit every single lap," Norris said. "So close that the team had to ask me to peg it back a little bit."

Gap between performance and reward

It is a peculiar position for a defending champion to occupy. In 2025, McLaren provided Norris with a car capable of fighting for victories at almost every round.

This year, the competitive picture has shifted dramatically, with Mercedes and Ferrari establishing themselves ahead in the pecking order.

He also acknowledged that Budapest did not arrive by accident, referencing a broader programme of self-improvement that has been ongoing throughout the season.

"When we had the car, I think the words I said, 'I think my performance is some of my best,' proved exactly that: that I could go out and win very convincingly and be on pole in a good car," Norris explained.

"So, yeah, I'm doing a better job, and that's because of working in many different areas, some away from the track with my team and some here at the track as well; just working in as many areas as possible.

"A lot of small differences add up, and you see the result."