Verstappen inspires Norris: 'He proved it's possible'

Norris secured McLaren's first Grand Prix victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season ahead of the summer break at the Hungaroring, while the defending world champion was also victorious at Zandvoort on Sunday.

As a result, he is now fourth in the drivers' standings, 83 points behind Kimi Antonelli.

Last year, Verstappen mounted a similar comeback but ultimately missed out on the title by just two points to Norris. What the Dutchman achieved has also inspired the Briton, he explained to Sky Sports News.

During the 2025 season, the McLaren intra-team duel was a hotly-debated topic. "There wasn't anything that we were doing wrong at the time. We just had two drivers fighting for our championship. They just had one," Norris explained.

"It's kind of a similar situation to what Mercedes are in now versus where I am. So, there's not a lot, I would say, to take from it, apart from just keep believing that it's possible until it's not. And that's the attitude we're going to fight with," the Briton concluded.

According to George Russell, after two victories in a row, McLaren is now the team to beat in Formula 1.

He explained: "I think we will be slightly more competitive [in Monza]. However, I believe Ferrari have an engine upgrade incoming, and the truth is we just don’t know.

The Mercedes driver therefore concluded: "Monza may be slightly different, but I think they are the team to beat right now."