Lando Norris reflects on the team’s instructions in Hungary: “Both sides could have done things a little better”

During an interview with the press near the McLaren garage this Thursday, Lando Norris expressed his mixed feelings following his teammate Oscar Piastri’s first victory in Formula 1, a race marked by controversy over team strategy. The young British driver acknowledged that the victory had been tarnished by particular circumstances.

Lando Norris first explained that the speculation of outside observers did not bother him as much as his own perception of the situation. “People outside think, you know, they make up their own stories about what happened, what I would have done, and wouldn’t have done, that kind of thing, that, that doesn’t bother me,” he said. However, he expressed regret about how the events had overshadowed the team’s one-two finish. “The fact that we got a one-two finish, which barely made the headlines after the race, yes, it’s about that kind of thing that I felt bad about,” he said.

According to Norris, discussions took place within the team to analyze the situation and identify areas where improvements were possible. “We discussed it, we talked about it, both sides could have done things a little better and a little differently,” he said. He considers that this experience, although unpleasant, was a learning opportunity for the team.

Did Lando Norris take too long to let Oscar Piastri pass?

The incident in question concerned a strategic decision where Norris could have let his teammate pass earlier. “That’s something we could have done better, probably a bit differently,” he admitted. He also emphasized the apparent simplicity of the situation in hindsight, while acknowledging that it was not obvious at the time. “I could have just let him pass and try to overtake again, and it seems so simple now, but it’s not something that came to mind at that moment.”

Norris also addressed the issue of public perception and doubts about his intention to follow the team’s instructions. “I don’t need to think about it too much, make it more complicated, I feel like it has taken on a much greater scale than it needs to be,” he said, emphasizing that he was always clear about what he needed to do.

When asked if he thought a faster decision by the team would have been beneficial, Norris replied negatively, stating that it would not have changed the events. “I shouldn’t have led the race, that’s the end, I shouldn’t have been in the lead, Oscar beat me at the start, he controlled well,” he specified.

As for the question of whether he should be designated as the number one driver of the team to increase his chances of catching up with Max Verstappen, Norris rejected this idea. “I still have to earn it. I still have to go out there and drive faster than everyone else,” he said, adding that he saw no reason for the team to change its current approach.