Mercedes believes that McLaren’s dominant performance at the Hungarian GP cannot be explained solely by the new upgrade package introduced by the team. For Simone Resta, the deputy technical director of the German team, Lando Norris’s performance was also decisive for the victory at Hungaroring.
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McLaren brought aerodynamic updates to Budapest with the aim of reducing the gap to Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull. The result was immediate: Norris took pole position and won for the first time this season, securing only the third victory for a team other than Mercedes in 2026.
According to Resta, the updates played an important role, but the performance difference between Norris and his teammate, Oscar Piastri, indicates that other factors were involved. “The upgrade package was certainly significant and must have contributed to their performance. At the same time, if we look at the difference between the two McLaren cars, it is clear that there was more than just the updates,” he said.
“Throughout the year we saw McLaren being very competitive, but the performance balance between the two drivers varied from race to race. We also saw Lando put in great performances on several occasions,” he continued.
“Budapest may have been one of those weekends where he found an ideal combination with the car, setup, and tire management. I believe it was a combination of these two factors,” he summarized.
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Despite McLaren’s progress in recent races, Mercedes continues to lead the drivers’ and constructors’ championships. Resta also highlighted that the team’s strength comes from the duo formed by George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
“We are lucky to have a very strong driver duo. George and Kimi are extremely fast. Both have secured poles this season and both have won races. On different circuits and under different circumstances, each of them has delivered exceptional performances for the team. That is a huge asset,” he said.
“The competition between them constantly raises the level and, in the end, this allows the team to achieve even better results,” he concluded.
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