Montoya: Confident McLaren 'Hard to Stop' in 2026 Title Chase

Juan Pablo Montoya believes McLaren has become "hard to stop" as the Woking squad gains momentum in the 2026 championship, with Lando Norris arriving at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix on a two-race winning streak.

Why it matters:

Despite trailing Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli by 83 points in the drivers' standings, McLaren's recent form — back-to-back victories in Hungary and the Netherlands — signals a shifting tide in the title fight. The reigning champion is closing the gap, and Montoya sees a team transformed by its underdog mentality.

The details:

Speaking on F1 TV's Weekend Warm-Up show, the former F1 driver highlighted McLaren's newfound willingness to take risks:

• Strategy aggression: "They're not afraid of taking risks with strategy," Montoya said, contrasting this year's approach with last season's cautious mindset.
• Underdog mentality: "Last year they were put in a position with the fastest car where they were winning races, but they were afraid of making mistakes and losing races. Now they're the underdog and they're going for broke — and it's working."
• Confidence snowball: Montoya noted that success breeds belief, making Norris "hard to stop" as confidence grows within the team and driver.

Between the lines:

Montoya also pointed to a key differentiator between Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri: trust in the MCL40. While Piastri remains quick over one lap, he's struggled to extract the same performance in race conditions, particularly on hotter tyre compounds. Montoya believes it's not a loss of speed but a lack of confidence in the car's behaviour — a gap that allows Norris to carry more braking and cornering speed.

What's next:

The Italian Grand Prix at Monza offers McLaren another opportunity to cut into Antonelli's lead. With the championship battle heating up, Montoya's assessment suggests the momentum is firmly with the papaya squad.