‘200 is a big achievement’ – Norris targets ‘special’ win to write his name in McLaren history books

Lando Norris is determined to write his name in the history books by clinching McLaren’s 200th Formula 1 Grand Prix victory in Hungary this weekend.

On Sunday, 9 June 1968, at Spa-Francorchamps, Bruce McLaren stood on the top step of the podium for the first time for his eponymous team. Since then, a rollcall that sounds more like a list of F1 legends than simply McLaren drivers have added a further 198 successes.

Denny Hulme followed the team founder, winning on six occasions, with Emerson Fittipaldi (5), James Hunt (9), Ayrton Senna (35), Alain Prost (30), Mika Hakkinen (20), and Lewis Hamilton (21) among the standout performers for the Woking-based squad.

Like team mate and championship rival Oscar Piastri, Norris’ personal tally for the team stands at eight, but the battle to reach nine has an added tinge of 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.”

Explaining his pride at representing the team, he added: “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.

“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.

“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.”