Lando Norris enters the second half of the 2026 season with a 91-point deficit to Kimi Antonelli in the championship lead. And for Formula 1 fans, opinions are divided on whether the Brit will be able to defend the title this season.
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The McLaren driver lost important points throughout the first half of the year. An electrical problem prevented him from starting in China, while gearbox failures in Canada and battery issues in Monaco also compromised his results. Additionally, the MCL40 did not show the consistency needed to keep up with Mercedes and Antonelli at the front.
Despite this, the 2025 F1 champion has shown on several occasions that he still has the speed to get back into the fight, with his win at the Hungarian GP being his first this season. Before that, he also won the Miami Sprint, finished second in the Miami GP, and stood on the podium in Barcelona.
Mathematically, a comeback is still possible. There are 302 points up for grabs in the final 11 rounds, including two weekends with Sprints. To surpass Antonelli, however, Norris would need to outscore the Italian by an average of more than eight points per remaining race.
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The driver himself remains confident in his ability to respond. “I’m doing a better job this year compared to last year when I won the world championship. When the car is good and I’m in good form, no one can stop me,” he said.
A poll conducted by RacingNews365 with its readers showed exactly the division of opinions about Norris’s chances. The vote was almost evenly split among three groups: 36.25% believe the Brit will defend the 2026 championship, while 35% believe he will fight for the title but finish behind Antonelli. Finally, 28.75% do not believe he will contend for the championship.
