Lando Norris has recognised he is “not giving myself the best opportunities” in Formula 1 races in 2025, as he overcame a poor start to win the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Norris repelled a late Oscar Piastri charge to head McLaren’s second consecutive 1-2 at the Hungaroring, reducing his team-mate’s championship lead to nine points.
But while he has gone into the summer break with three victories in four races, Norris has conceded that he is still complicating his bid to take a coveted maiden title.
Norris was convinced he had blown his chances in Budapest when a compromised run into Turn 1 on the opening lap cost him two places, dropping him back to fifth.
A mid-race switch to a one-stop saw him inherit the lead, though, and the two-stopping Piastri was unable to get past Norris, despite catching him with five laps to go.
However, Norris has acknowledged that limiting the setbacks that he has endured at several rounds will be integral in his quest to overturn Piastri’s narrow advantage.
“It’s going to be a long second half of the season, but at the same time, I’m looking forward to a nice break, a bit of time to rest,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“And, yeah, try and come back even better because there are those things I need to improve on and want to improve on. I’m not giving myself the best opportunities.
“Even though the results have looked great, I’m not making my life very easy for myself at the minute. So if I can work on those things, then I’ll be in a better place.”
Norris anticipates Piastri duel going the distance
With the two McLaren drivers having been well-matched throughout the campaign up to this point, Norris is expecting the championship battle to go down to the wire.
“I think it’s already tough, and it’s going to continue to be tough,” he assessed. “It’s pretty small margins between us.
“I’m sure there’s some things I can do better on and improve on, and I’m sure he’ll probably say a similar thing.
“So, it’s going to be a good and tough battle probably till the end. It takes a lot out of you trying to focus so much for every single session, race, everything.”
READ MORE – McLaren credits Lando Norris with making one stop ‘possible’ in F1 Hungarian GP
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