Lando Norris credits McLaren upgrades for Hungarian GP win: Details
What's the story
Lando Norris has credited McLaren's recent upgrades for his stunning win at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The British driver said he had "some of the best pace I've ever had" during the race, where he beat Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli. Despite starting from pole position, it wasn't an easy ride to victory as his teammate Oscar Piastri took an early lead on lap one.
Race dynamics
Norris was frustrated being stuck behind teammate Piastri
Norris fell behind Piastri on the opening lap. He was frustrated by being stuck behind his teammate until McLaren called Piastri into the pits for a second stop.
This allowed Norris to race in clean air, where he quickly clocked faster laps and gained an edge over Piastri after his pit stop, leading to a controlled drive toward victory.
Words
Norris reflects on the opening lap
Reflecting on the opening lap, Norris said "I don't know what happened, to be honest. I just kept losing the rear. I had like three or four big snaps. It felt horrible and of course Oscar did a good job to get the cutback and get back past, so I think I was just a bit wide in the dirt - game over for the first lap."
Post-race analysis
It was beautiful to drive, says Norris
Norris reflected on his initial struggles, saying he lost control several times. However, he said he was pushing hard to try to force Piastri into a mistake.
He praised his car's performance, saying it was "beautiful to drive" and gave him confidence throughout the race.
The McLaren driver also noted that fresh tires played a key role in winning the race as he could extend stints due to good pace.
Information
'My pace today was probably some of the best pace'
Norris said the Hungarian GP was some of the best pace he had. "But man, I was pushing like hell to try and force him into a mistake or something. My pace today was probably some of the best pace I've ever had. The car was beautiful to drive and I felt very confident, so a great race," said Norris.
Future prospects
Norris promises to keep pushing for more victories
Norris expressed hope that the momentum from this race would carry into future events, especially the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix.
He acknowledged there would be ups and downs but was confident of winning more races in the future.
The British driver also thanked his team for their hard work in creating a car capable of winning again, promising to keep pushing and working hard for more victories.