Norris Targets Historic 200th McLaren F1 Win in Hungary

British star eyes landmark Grand Prix victory

Lando Norris is aiming to etch his name into McLaren’s illustrious Formula 1 history by securing the team’s 200th Grand Prix win at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

A Legacy of Success

The historic milestone traces back to June 9, 1968, when founder Bruce McLaren claimed his maiden victory at Spa-Francorchamps. Since that inaugural triumph, a stellar roster of drivers, including legends like Denny Hulme, Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Mika Hakkinen, and Lewis Hamilton, have contributed to McLaren’s 198 subsequent race wins.

Currently, Norris himself has amassed eight victories for the Woking-based outfit, with his teammate Oscar Piastri also a significant part of the team’s recent success. The pursuit of a ninth win for Norris carries an added weight of historical significance.

“I would like to be, yeah,” said Norris when asked about his desire to be the driver to clinch the milestone result. “Of course, you always want to be whatever number you can be, but 200 is a big achievement for the team.”

Pride in McLaren Heritage

Reflecting on his time with the team, Norris expressed immense pride in representing McLaren, a team with a storied past featuring numerous championships and iconic drivers.

“When you look at the history of who has been in McLaren, the drivers, the championships that have been won, all of these things, then it’s always been an honour for me to be a part of McLaren,” he stated. “I’m lucky to have been part of McLaren since I joined Formula 1. It’s special. I think it’s something I’ll look back on in many years and be very proud of. It’s an amazing team.”

He added: “We’ve improved a lot over the years, and it’s nice that we can start these cool stats again and we can make some history, and add to what McLaren was once achieving many years ago. It’s special, but of course, the number 200 is even more special, and that’s something I would like to be.”

McLaren’s recent resurgence has seen them secure multiple podium finishes, demonstrating a significant step forward in performance. In the 2023 season, they achieved 9 podiums, highlighting their renewed competitiveness. (Source: Formula 1 official statistics).