Lando Norris reveals surprise 'limit' to defeat Oscar Piastri

Lando Norris has detailed how he was forced to drive under the maximum limit to defeat title rival and team-mate Oscar Piastri in the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Whereas Piastri was on the more favoured two-stop strategy, a bad start and first lap for Norris meant McLaren switched him to a one-stopper, coming in for hard tyres on Lap 31 of 70. 

It meant he was forced to nurse his tyres 39 laps to the end, whilst Piastri had 15 lap fresher tyres for his late charge, and carved great chunks of time out of Norris, entering DRS range in the final five laps.

The Australian did try a lunge up the inside of Turn 1 but did not make the pass as Norris trimmed Piastri's points lead to nine entering the summer break. 

Reflecting on his drive, Norris explained how "driving at 100% was too much," and forcing potential mistakes to be made.

"It was tough, the last few laps were some of the toughest laps because Oscar was pushing flat out on a much nicer tyre than my one," Norris told Sky Sports F1. 

"I was trying not to make a mistake, and when the tyre is like that at the end of a stint, it is so easy to lock up in Turn 1 or Turn 2, so easy to lock up in the chicane, and it felt so easy to make a mistake.

"Driving at 100% was too much, and I'm under-rotating and making a mistake. If I drive at 98%, I'm under the limit and not getting anything out of the car, so there was like a 99% limit.

"It was so difficult to be on, but I had to be on it for as long as possible, and I felt like I was on it for a good amount of that second stint, but I didn't expect it to work.

"I was a long way behind by the time we committed to the one-stop. I pushed like hell trying to get past George and couldn't, so it wasn't like I was prepped for the one-stop, but the end of the first stint was great.

"The pace was very strong and I just managed the tyre perfectly in the second stint, my strength of tyre management helped me out a good chunk."