Lando Norris plays down expectations for McLaren's Hungarian Grand Prix performance

McLaren driver Lando Norris has humbly played down the likelihood of replicating the team's stellar Silverstone performance at the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix.

Surprising everyone at the British GP, Norris secured an impressive second place in both Qualifying and the race, narrowly trailing behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen. It marked McLaren's most impressive showing of the season, benefiting from the high-speed corners and cool conditions that Silverstone provided.

However, Norris acknowledged that the team's historical strength lies in such conditions, and the upcoming Budapest circuit, with its low-speed and hot weather characteristics, poses a different challenge.

Despite the shift in conditions, Norris remains optimistic about contending with formidable rivals like Mercedes, Ferrari, and Aston Martin for a podium finish.

"No matter what the outlook of it all is, we're not very good in the slow speed [corners]," Norris candidly expressed to the media.

"We're not terrible, and if you fully focus on slow speed, we're not so bad. We're not normally so bad in Monaco, but when you have to start making compromises, there are much bigger gains for us by performing well in the high-speed [corners] than focusing too much on the low speed."

He also reflected on last year's performance at the Hungaroring, recognizing that it wasn't a bad weekend for McLaren, even with a car that posed challenges at the beginning of the season.

"But I doubt it is going to be as good as Silverstone because there are no high-speed corners," he conceded.

After securing a fourth-place finish in Austria, both McLaren and Norris were quick to downplay the result due to their historical prowess at the Red Bull Ring. Norris has claimed two podiums and boasts an average finishing position of 4.4 across his seven visits to the circuit. Looking ahead to the Hungaroring, he believes the upcoming race will provide a clearer understanding of the team's genuine progress.

"I don't think it's still the true test; there are still going to be some tracks that are challenging for us," he admitted.

"It's not a bad track for us, mainly because of the grippy tarmac we have here. The corners are quite long, which is not our strength. Even if you say slow speed, they are not super slow speed corners, so I think we are going to face more significant challenges at some of the upcoming tracks."

Norris anticipates a more accurate assessment of their performance during the race, particularly as there are no high-speed corners except for Turns 4 and 11, which he considers more medium-speed than high-speed corners.

"It'll be a better test of where we stand - the last few tracks have made us look better than where we stand over the longevity of a whole season," Norris said thoughtfully.

Mark your calendars for Sunday, 23 July, as the Hungarian Grand Prix awaits at the Hungaroring.