Lando Norris asserted McLaren’s strong form by topping the first practice session at the Hungarian Grand Prix, signaling a formidable challenge alongside teammate Oscar Piastri.
Intriguingly, Norris’s former McLaren teammate, Carlos Sainz, recently commented on the Briton’s candidness, suggesting that his openness about personal frailties is sometimes exploited by others.
Sainz, who shared the McLaren garage with Norris from 2019-2020 and maintains a close friendship, revealed on BBC 5 live Sport that Norris’s transparency with the media is unparalleled among current F1 drivers, making him vulnerable to criticism.
As the Formula 1 season approaches its summer break, Norris finds himself trailing Piastri by 16 points. McLaren has been proactive in addressing Norris’s feedback, implementing front suspension changes that have reportedly enhanced his comfort and performance since the Canadian Grand Prix.
Despite these advancements, Norris’s recent race performances have been a mixed bag, marked by qualifying errors in Canada that led to a sixth-place start and an unfortunate collision with Piastri during the race itself.
His resilience, however, shone through with a victory in Austria, followed by an inherited win at the British Grand Prix after Piastri incurred a penalty. The Belgian Grand Prix saw Norris secure pole position, only to be overtaken by Piastri, who ultimately claimed the win.
When queried about Norris’s championship odds against Piastri, Sainz expressed unwavering confidence in Norris’s raw speed and talent. In the initial Hungarian practice, Norris held a narrow 0.019-second advantage, though both McLaren drivers encountered minor disruptions in later sessions, with Norris making a mistake at Turn Two and Piastri facing heavy traffic.
Post-session, Norris expressed satisfaction with the car’s immediate feel, acknowledging some mistakes in the second practice as part of the process of finding limits. Piastri echoed the sentiment of strong performance, noting aspects to refine but maintaining excitement for the remainder of the race weekend.
Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc followed closely, with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso securing fourth and fifth, despite Alonso missing the first session due to a back issue. Lewis Hamilton finished sixth, grappling with rear-end stability issues that sent him off track.
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