Lando Norris Optimistic about McLaren's Progress

• F1

Lando Norris, the talented British driver from McLaren, heads into the upcoming race in Budapest on a high note, having recently scored his first podium finish of the season at Silverstone. Despite the thrilling success, Norris pragmatically tempers expectations for a repeat performance at the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend.

"I feel good. I always feel good coming off a podium," said Norris, brimming with confidence, yet maintaining his characteristic humility. The jubilation from the Silverstone success carried him through the week, providing a much-needed rejuvenation before the next round of high-octane action. "I had a weekend for it all to sink in, just to make the most of it, you know? A nice weekend off, a week of celebrating, and a week of relaxing, making sure we are ready for this weekend." Norris took the time to strengthen the bond with his Australian teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, a crucial rapport that contributes to the team's success.

He continued, "A little trip in with Daniel today. Good to see him again. I mean, I’ve seen him a lot this year already, but nice to see him back in the car – we’ll see how he does."

Stepping into the Slow Lane: Prospects for the Hungaroring

Despite the high-spirited optimism within the team, Norris did not shy away from addressing the unique challenges the slower Hungaroring circuit may present.

Coming off a podium at the fast-paced Silverstone circuit, he was questioned on how he felt McLaren would fare at a substantially slower track. His reply was tinged with cautious skepticism: "No matter what the outlook of it all is, we are not very good in the low-speed." Norris acknowledged that while they aren't the worst at low-speed racing, as evidenced by their performance in Monaco, their strength definitely lies in high-speed racing.

He added, "I guess when you have to start to make compromises, there are much bigger wins for us in high-speed than focusing so much on low speed." Even though McLaren struggled with the car at the beginning of the season, they performed relatively well in Hungary last year.

This brings a glimmer of hope, but as Norris candidly stated, he doubts it's going to be as good as Silverstone simply due to the lack of high-speed sections.