By the end of the British Grand Prix, Lando Norris’ hopes of a successful championship defense were in tatters. Although a fourth-place finish at Silverstone was admirable enough, it was the fourth race out of his last five starts that the Brit had failed to finish on the podium.
With McLaren trailing in the wake of Mercedes and Ferrari, Norris’ title dreams were seemingly
over.
But the fastest lap posted in Belgium was an indicator of better things to come, and that came to pass in his very next GP as Norris got his nose in front in qualifying at the Hungaroring before making good on his pole position start on race day. Are we about to see the 26-year-old burst back into championship contention?
Comeback King?
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That aforementioned bookmaker carries F1 championship odds, and after his success in Hungary, it was notable that Norris’ title price was trimmed to +2500. Others, such as Lewis Hamilton (+1600) and George Russell (+2200), are more fancied, but the McLaren driver has recent experience of lifting the trophy – that should not be underestimated.
LANDO NORRIS CLAIMS POLE IN HUNGARY 🏁 #HungarianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/RXZyJvn7oy
— Silverstone (@SilverstoneUK) July 25, 2026
In his column for Sky Sports, former F1 driver turned commentator Martin Brundle was quick to praise Norris for his win in Hungary – and suggested it could be the springboard for a more concerted title defense.
“If McLaren have made a decent upgrade step which translates well to other circuits, and with the top four ever closer, this championship is far from over,” Brundle wrote.
He also noted that there are still 291 points up for grabs, with Norris 91 behind the leader in the F1 tandings. This is a sport that has seen its fair share of comeback victories over the years… could another be on the cards in 2026?
A Step Forward
Of course, the Brit’s chances will largely be defined by his team’s ability to upgrade their MCL40 quickly and in a way that is versatile to the varied demands of the F1 circuit rotation.
Norris himself has revealed that he’s remaining patient ‘before I get too excited’ about the McLaren’s recent upgrades, which have seemingly closed the gap on the previously dominant Mercedes W17 and Ferrari SF-26.
Although McLaren insiders have been hush hush on the exact modifications that their car has been given, the feeling is that a more dynamic floor – allied to a change in aerodynamic engineering – has enabled the constructor to claw back valuable seconds.
More from Stella on the upgrade and why Oscar Piastri only received them on Saturday:
— McLaren News | 🇬🇧 🇦🇺 (@McLarenF1_News) July 29, 2026
"I think the main aspect of these upgrades is that they introduce some parts that follow a slightly different concept in some areas of the car. We realised after we delivered the MCL40 and… pic.twitter.com/2yVIBAs5Yo
Prior to the Hungarian GP, Norris commented on his hopes for a faster, grippier car as he got to grips with the new model for the first time.
“I’d say this upgrade is probably the biggest of the year by quite a long way, so we’re hoping it’s going to bring us a step [forward],” he said.
The early signs are certainly promising on that front, and with 12 races still to be contested, there’s ample opportunity for Norris to make them count in the ultimate way.
