Norris Admits He’s Not Making Life Easy in Title Fight With Piastri After Hungarian GP Win

Lando Norris admitted he is “not making life very easy” for himself in the battle for the Formula 1 world championship with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, despite securing his third win in four races at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Briton’s latest victory at the Hungaroring closes the gap to Piastri to just nine points heading into the summer break, setting up an intense second half of the season.

However, Norris’ race was far from straightforward. After qualifying third behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and pole-sitter Piastri, he dropped to fifth on the opening lap following a tight move into Turn 1 as he attempted to overtake his teammate.

“It’s already tough, and it’s going to continue to be tough,” Norris said post-race. “It’s pretty small margins between us. I’m sure there are things I can improve on, and I’m sure he’ll say something similar.”

“I’m not giving myself the best opportunities. Even though the results have looked great, I’m not making my life very easy at the minute. So if I can work on those things, I’ll be in a better place.”

Alternate Strategy Pays Off

Despite the early setback, Norris and McLaren opted for a bold one-stop tyre strategy, diverging from the two-stop norm. The gamble paid off as he managed tyre wear expertly and clawed back ground.

“It’s probably the first one I’ve won in this manner,” he said. “I’ve not won many races, so most circumstances are still new, but doing a completely alternate strategy to most gave me the opportunity—and it worked.”

“I didn’t really think it was going to work for the majority of that second stint, but with every lap, I gained more confidence.”

Norris now has five wins this season, just one behind Piastri’s six victories. The pair are expected to remain locked in a close contest when the championship resumes at the Dutch Grand Prix from August 29–31.

Respectful but Fierce Intra-Team Battle

Oscar Piastri acknowledged the challenge ahead, calling the battle “tough already” and praising the tight margins that have defined the season so far.

“It’s going to be a tough second half of the year,” said Piastri. “The margins are very fine, and I think it’s going to be great watching.”

McLaren Committed to Fair Racing

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella reiterated that the team will allow both drivers to race fairly while maintaining the values of respect, sportsmanship, and team-first mentality.

“We want to give our two drivers the possibility to express their talent and pursue personal success, within the boundaries of fairness and the team’s interest,” Stella said.

“We bring the value of racing into Formula 1. Hopefully, the championship is decided between our two drivers, though Ferrari showed today they’re still in the fight.”

With both McLaren drivers delivering consistent performances and pushing each other to new heights, Formula 1 fans are set for an exciting run-in when the championship resumes later this month.