Lando Norris: We didn’t expect to do so well

Lando Norris finished second in Hungary and is happy with the result…

Q: Lando, what happened on stage? How did Max’s victory cup suffer?
Lando Norris: I can’t say for sure. Max just put it too close to the edge! He must have fallen.

Q: How different are the emotions here from what you felt at Silverstone?
Lando Norris: There are differences. First of all, the fact that I climbed to the podium two races in a row. Second place is a fantastic result in a car that should not have been second.

Q: Tell me about the first round? You appeared frustrated after the first corner, but then successfully overtook Lewis Hamilton into the second.
Lando Norris: Sometimes you win with it, sometimes you don’t.

I started well, riding at the same pace as Max and Lewis, but couldn’t go to the right. It was hard to know what to do. If I brake early, they easily overtake me in the inside radius. I braked where I wanted and tried to turn, but every time Max and Lewis’ cars got in my way, but it happens.

Oscar was able to get ahead, but in turn two I shifted the balance of the brakes back a few clicks to attack more actively – and it worked. I think it saved my race and put me on the podium.

Q: Do you agree that the McLaren was the second fastest car this weekend?
Lando Norris: Hard to say. In terms of speed, we are about equal to Mercedes, but their tires wear much less. It’s always been that way. Mercedes has always been very strong at managing tire degradation. And if Lewis had stayed ahead in the second corner on the first lap, he would have beaten us to the finish. They are excellent at their job. But so do we.

Q: Before the start of the weekend you said it’s unlikely to perform as well as Silverstone, but everything worked out. Are you surprised?
Lando Norris: To be fair, yes. I don’t think we expected to lead the way this weekend. In practice, the Red Bull cars were much faster. Moreover, Mercedes took pole position here last year. They have a good car.