Norris: McLaren not feeling pressured to clinch victory at Hungarian Grand Prix
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
BUDAPEST, Hungary - Lando Norris has refuted suggestions that McLaren is under heightened pressure to secure a win at the Hungarian Grand Prix despite recent missed opportunities in the Formula 1 season.
Since Norris' triumph at the Miami Grand Prix in early May, McLaren has faced several frustrated attempts to clinch additional victories. The team, however, remains optimistic as Norris secured pole position ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, marking McLaren’s first front-row lockout since the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix.
When asked about the need to convert this starting advantage into a win on Sunday, Norris downplayed its importance.
"I mean, I don't think it's, like, important. Every single quali is important. Every race is important. So it's not all of a sudden I need to do it and I need to prove my point. I don't," Norris commented.
"We've done the best we could in every race. I think we've shown great pace and great opportunities. And I know we've missed out on some. We don't need to get back into all of that stuff. But yeah, I would love to have a clean, strong weekend.
"From yesterday already, we were very strong in the beginning in FP2, FP3 quali now. So it would be nice, yeah, just to have a nice Turn One and see what happens from there. But I'm not expecting it. I'm expecting still a difficult race with Oscar and Max behind. But every one is important. Every time we're trying to maximise every place, every point.
"And yeah, the more we can try to get back on Max, the more we as a team can get on Red Bull and other constructors, the better. So no point or emphasis on trying to beat a particular someone or something. It's just go out and do what we do because we're doing a good job."
Since Norris' victory in Miami, there have been several races where McLaren seemed poised for triumph, including Imola, Canada, Spain, Austria, and Great Britain. Despite this, McLaren sits 78 points behind Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship standings.
The Hungarian Grand Prix presents an excellent opportunity for McLaren to close that gap, especially with Max Verstappen starting in third and his teammate Sergio Perez much further back in 16th.
Despite qualifying behind the McLaren duo, Verstappen expressed dissatisfaction with his car's balance.
Asked what he could do to surpass the McLarens, he said:
"Errr ... I don't know at the moment. But what can I do? We'll try the very best, try to have a good, stable balance with the car. And if I find that that I can follow them ... But I don't know.
"Honestly, my long runs have been ok, but nothing fantastic or special.
"I think it's better to be realistic than sitting here and spreading false hope, but we'll see tomorrow. It is what it is."
As the race weekend unfolds, the stage is set for an exhilarating contest, with McLaren and Red Bull both looking to make significant gains in the championship standings.
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