Lando Norris revealed that he initially doubted his McLaren team’s bold strategy that ultimately rewarded him with victory in Formula 1‘s Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Briton was switched to a one-stop strategy during the race at the Hungaroring, having dropped to fifth place from third on the grid at the start.
But some smart tyre conservation and resistance to a late challenge from team-mate Oscar Piastri, Norris came home to take his ninth career win, and McLaren’s 200th in F1.
In doing so, Norris reduced the deficit to Piastri at the top of the Drivers’ Championship to just nine points going into the summer break.
After the race, Norris said that the victory was perhaps one of his more unique, given the way in which his strategy contrasted with those of his rivals.
“I think it’s one of the first ones I’ve won in probably this manner,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“I’ve not won many races, so I think most circumstances are still new.
“I think it’s the first one where I’m doing a completely alternate strategy to most, giving myself that opportunity. It worked out.
“I think there’s been some others where going long in the first stint, Miami, then getting a Safety Car, things like that, it’s helped me from a luck side.
“Today, there was not really any of that. I think the most rewarding was to try to do something different and it working out, which was a good one.”
Norris initially hoped for Safety Car in Hungary
Norris admitted he did not initially believe the gamble would pay off, but as the race progressed, he sensed that the opportunity to seize the victory was genuine.
“It’s a tough strategy to do, but it worked out. That’s the most important thing,” he added.
“Honestly, 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 that it was going to be closer and closer.”
Norris explained that the strategy came down to ensuring that the Hards could “last the pace that we were at,” adding he could “quite easily” make it to the end.
“I didn’t have a lot of hope that I’d still be in a fight with Oscar until the very end,” he continued, “but it turned out to be, so that was even better.”
Norris articulated his scepticism at the time when the strategy was proposed to him, and believed that a late Safety Car would hand him his best chance of winning.
“When Will [Joseph] asked me, ‘What do you think of the one-stop?’ I think at that point, I was already, like, seven seconds behind Oscar and eight or nine behind Charles [Leclerc],” he recalled.
“So, not that I thought my race was over, but it was pretty slim that I was going to be able to at least fight from there, even on a perfect two-stop strategy.
“So, my expectations were not high, but I was more banking on a Safety Car or a VSC or something to bring me back into the race.
“But I didn’t have any of that. In the end, I guess it didn’t matter.
“I can’t remember if it was just before George [Russell] boxed or just after that. Will said, ‘What do we think of a one-stop?’ and I said, ‘Let’s do it.’
“My confidence wasn’t the highest, but it was my best chance of trying to do something.
“And it turned out to be a little bit trickier because it actually allowed me to fight until the very end for the win.
“Not sure it still felt like the best strategy, but I think with how difficult overtaking was, it turned out to be pretty good.”
READ MORE – Why Oscar Piastri didn’t take one-stop strategy in F1 Hungarian GP
wnme0a