Reigning Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris has issued a bold statement to his rivals, declaring that McLaren still has significant untapped potential in their 2026 car, despite a challenging start to the season. Norris secured his first win of the current campaign at the Hungarian Grand Prix last month, a victory he believes is just the beginning for the Woking-based outfit.

The Hungarian GP triumph marked McLaren’s fifth podium finish of the season, a welcome boost for a team that has grappled with the new regulations introduced for 2026. Norris, who started from pole position, expertly managed the race to take the chequered flag more than 15 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen and current drivers’ championship leader Kimi Antonelli, banking a crucial 25 points. The win was bittersweet for McLaren, however, as Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri was forced to retire from the lead due to a gearbox failure.

A challenging start to 2026

The 2026 season has proven tougher for McLaren compared to their championship-winning 2025 campaign. The team currently sits third in the constructors’ standings, trailing Mercedes and Ferrari, and is 159 points behind constructors’ leader Mercedes, according to crash.net. Their first podium of the year came in Japan, with Norris himself having to wait until Miami for his first top-three finish as a world champion.

Despite these hurdles, Norris remains optimistic about McLaren’s trajectory. “We still see good potential in the car, and we still believe we can turn things around from where we are now,” Norris stated in a post-race debrief issued by McLaren. He acknowledged the team’s current position, adding, “As a team, and with the car, we’re certainly not quite at the level we want to be at, or we were at last season. We’re not happy with that; we’ve been disappointed with our own performance, but we’re working hard to improve.”

Read also: Argentina backs embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino amid investigation

The 12-time Grand Prix winner emphasized that McLaren is still learning to fully exploit their new machinery. “We don’t feel like we have fully clicked with our understanding of this car just yet, but even before our latest upgrade package helped us to secure the win in Hungary, we had already secured some good results,” he explained. “We don’t feel like we have gotten close to that potential yet, so we are excited to really try and understand it completely, which is when we’ll be able to maximise things.”

Championship battle heats up

While Norris’s win provides a much-needed morale boost, the drivers’ championship picture remains challenging. Norris is currently fifth in the standings, 91 points adrift of Kimi Antonelli. The young Italian has enjoyed a dominant season, particularly in the earlier stages:

• Wins: 6
• Second-place finishes: 1
• Third-place finishes: 2

Antonelli’s substantial lead was trimmed in Barcelona and at Silverstone, but he still holds a 50-point advantage heading into the brief summer break. Piastri, meanwhile, is yet to secure a Grand Prix win or break the 100-point barrier this season.

The F1 season is set to resume on August 23 at Circuit Zandvoort in the Netherlands. It’s a venue with fond memories for Norris, as he bagged his second-ever GP win there in 2024. McLaren will be hoping that a deeper understanding of their car, combined with Norris’s renewed confidence, can help them close the gap and unlock the potential their world champion believes is still waiting to be unleashed.

Read also: Man City lose Rodri: Maresca already has his dream replacement lined up

Read also: Arsenal face attacking transfer dilemma after Vinicius Junior miss