The 2026 F1 Barcelona-Catalunya GP delivered a complete British podium, with Lewis Hamilton on top, followed by George Russell and Lando Norris respectively.
Although the season is not even halfway through, the Barcelona-Catalunya GP might go down as the most unforgettable weekend of 2026, highlighted by Hamilton’s first-ever victory with Ferrari. Yet, it was also a major step forward for Lando Norris and McLaren.
Norris crossed the line in third place, marking his return to the podiums for the first time since finishing second in Miami at the start of May.
A weekend of gradual progress
Lando Norris experienced a tricky Saturday. Though the Briton looked competitive in practice sessions, he could only manage fourth place in qualifying, three tenths off from Russell’s pole time.
Nevertheless, the gap to the Mercedes duo wasn’t uncontrollable during the 2026 F1 Barcelona-Catalunya GP. Norris managed to keep both cars firmly in sight throughout the race and held onto the fourth place. Kimi Antonelli’s late retirement due to a mechanical failure gifted him the final spot on the podium.
“Yeah, a tough race. I did my best to keep up with these guys but too quick. So, we stayed there, we gave ourselves a chance if anything happened and we obviously got a bit lucky with Antonelli going out, but otherwise very happy, very happy for the team, very happy to be back on the podium. So a good day for us.”
Regaining confidence
In a post-race press conference, Norris admitted he was surprised by McLaren’s race pace. The British driver wasn’t expecting to be so close to the Mercedes cars and further securing a podium finish at the 2026 F1 Barcelona-Catalunya GP.
Norris’ optimism was low early on, particularly after falling roughly 12 seconds behind Russell during the opening stint. However, a combination of strategy and execution allowed McLaren to claw their way back into contention.
Despite benefitting from Antonelli’s car failure, Norris revealed that the underlying performance of his McLaren was much stronger than the team had initially predicted. However, he also noted that maintaining this pace required an immense amount of effort behind the wheel.
Nevertheless, Norris’ 2026 F1 Barcelona-Catalunya GP success was a relief for the team in regaining their confidence for the rest of the season.
“Quite a bit actually. I just wasn’t expecting to be… It wasn’t like I was fighting the Mercedes, but I was always there. You know, I wasn’t far behind at all, and I probably wasn’t expecting to be quite that close for the whole race, especially because after the first stint, I think I was already like, I don’t know, 12 seconds behind George.
“So, the fact we kind of pulled things around and we seemed to be stopping on good laps and things like that, I think shows good signs. So, I was pretty happy with the race today. I think it was clear how much more I had to push comparing to them in kind of the first parts of, you know, the first third and second third of a stint, because it was clear how much more I deg’d off after in the final third of a stint.
“But the fact I was there so close shows some good positives for us as a team. A better day than I was expecting. I certainly wasn’t expecting to be on the podium today, so it’s just nice to be back here, nice to finish a race. I’ve not seen a chequered flag for a while, so it’s good to be here and just nice to reward the team once again.”
Keeping heads down
Although the podium victory was a clear step forward, Norris remains grounded about the car’s deficits. When he was asked what the final ingredient was in converting these podiums into race wins, the Briton called for a collective effort across all departments, acknowledging that their rivals are simply executing at a higher level at the moment.
Rather than being discouraged by the remaining gap, Norris expresses his complete faith in McLaren’s progress and the work ethic behind the scenes.
“Just a little bit of everything. At the minute, we’re doing a good job as a team. I think we’re making good progress, but these guys are just doing a better job, so we have to give credit to them and admit that to ourselves that we’ve got to keep working hard, we’ve got to keep putting in the effort. But the whole team are doing it, so I’m very happy with them. But we’ve just got to keep our heads down and keep working and we’ll be there soon.”
A special day for British motorsport at the 2026 F1 Barcelona-Catalunya GP
Although the spotlight belonged to Hamilton for his sensational maiden victory in red at the 2026 F1 Barcelona-Catalunya GP, it was also a special day for British motorsport, celebrating the first all-British podium since 1968. Norris congratulated his compatriots while reflecting on Hamilton’s triumph.
“Well done, boys!
“Yeah. I guess, first of all, I want to congratulate Lewis. Nice to see him back on top, so I’m very happy for you, mate.
“I think pretty cool. It’s pretty special. It’s nice. You know, the last few weekends he’s certainly seemed to have upped his game and as much as it, yeah, was something we once could kind of take advantage of and try and make the most of, it seems like he’s making the most of what he’s got now, and that’s cool to see.
“I grew up as a fan of Lewis and I don’t know if I would still say I’m like that kind of fan, but I’m still a fan of him. And as a seven-time World Champion, it’s always a pleasure to see those kinds of things. And with Ferrari again, it’s even cooler to kind of see that partnership come through and kind of pay dividends, as it is doing now. So, yeah, special.
“And also, to share the podium with him and then with George, to have three Brits up there, I think the first time since 1968, I think someone said. Pretty special, pretty cool for us to represent our country that way.
“And, yeah, I’m happy for him. I hope he’s not this fast the whole season, because it would be nice if we could battle a bit more, but good for him. I think you could see how much it meant to him. At the same time, he’s obviously had a lot of people talk badly about him and he’s got a lot of crap online from a lot of people, so it’s nice that he can stick the middle finger up to all of them.”
