Lando Norris in Hungary he would have liked to celebrate the second victory of his career after starting from Pole but found himself having to give up the position to his teammate, finishing "only" second, despite having been ordered by the team to return to the pits first. A treatment that Lando did not appreciate and which actually made him even more nervous in the back podium, where waiting for him as well as Oscar piastri Lewis Hamilton was there. The 7-time world champion, speaking of McLaren's competitiveness, had to deal with Norris, annoyed by his statement. A curious back-and-forth was therefore triggered between Hamilton and Norris, who ended up on trial especially for the reaction of the McLaren driver, considered exaggerated by many.
Hamilton compliments McLaren but Norris responds with a provocation
Such an open championship can bring with it some contraindications and one of these is linked to the fact that there are multiple contenders for the victory. When two of these are teammates things get even more complicated. Lando Norris' race was very particular. After losing his position at the start to his teammate, the Englishman was able to count on a strategy that had brought him back to the leadership of the race, with a rather large margin over the competition and Oscar Piastri. However, this margin was of little use as the team decided to change plans by asking Norris to give up the position and therefore the victory to Piastri.
Lando blamed this change in strategy a lot, to the point of asking the team to think about the world championship, and not about the single victory. In fact, Norris could have picked up other important points in the comparison with Verstappen, who was cut off from the podium. But the McLaren unlike Red Bull it does not yet have a clear distinction in the driver hierarchies and it was the Englishman who paid the price as he finished in second position. Behind him came Lewis Hamilton and he wanted to use the opportunity of the back podium to talk about the performances of McLaren, his former team, as well as the best on the track in Hungary as demonstrated by the one-two.
The conversation between Hamilton and Norris in Hungary
Hamilton: “Wow guys, you're fast” Lewis begins.
"You had a fast car seven years ago" Norris replies smiling.
Hamilton therefore continues: “Seven years ago? Eh, it's been a while. Were you here seven years ago?”.
And Norris insists, this time with a more serious expression: “You had a fast car and now it's our turn.”
Having caught the hint of venom in Norris's words, Hamilton therefore justifies himself by explaining: "But I wasn't complaining, I was complimenting your team."
A conversation that highlights how much Lando Norris feels the comparison and perhaps also the weight of certain choices - his but above all those of the team - which at the moment have only given him one victory. A miserable haul for those who have the best car in the paddock.
