Norris turns McLaren advantage into victory

Lando Norris won the Hungarian Grand Prix for his first victory as a Formula 1 world champion, converting McLaren’s pace into a victory after a tense strategic battle with teammate Oscar Piastri.

Piastri took the lead from pole-sitter Norris at Turn 2, but Norris remained within striking distance during the opening stint. The McLaren pair pulled away from Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, setting up another intra-team fight at the Hungaroring.

Norris repeatedly told McLaren that he had superior pace, at one point declaring over the radio: “I’m miles faster!” When Piastri made his second pit stop on Lap 33, Norris stayed out for six more laps and used the clean air to maintain strong pace on older tires.

Piastri also lost valuable time while negotiating traffic, then suffered a costly moment when Carlos Sainz nearly collided with him while being lapped at Turn 2. Norris emerged from his own stop in the net lead and quickly pulled clear after passing Kimi Antonelli.

Piastri retires with suspected gearbox failure

The race that had appeared capable of delivering Piastri’s first win of 2026 ended in disappointment. He reported a gearbox problem and retired on Lap 56, 15 laps from the finish, leaving Norris to take a deserved victory and McLaren facing more questions about its split strategies in Hungary.

A virtual safety car followed Piastri’s retirement. Hamilton pitted, while Verstappen stayed out and Antonelli moved into the fight for the podium. Verstappen held second comfortably over the final laps, while Antonelli resisted Hamilton’s late pressure to finish third.

Penalty costs Hamilton, Russell recovers from 21st

Hamilton’s race was undermined by a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane during his virtual-safety-car stop. The sanction dropped him to fifth, behind Charles Leclerc in the other Ferrari. Hamilton had also faced a three-place grid penalty before the race, making it a difficult weekend for the seven-time world champion.

Ferrari had hoped the Hungaroring’s tight corners would suit its car, but neither Hamilton nor Leclerc could convert that potential into a podium. Leclerc struggled with overheating, while Hamilton spent much of the opening phase behind Verstappen before briefly returning to the podium fight.

George Russell endured an even more dramatic opening. His Mercedes entered anti-stall mode at the start, sending him from sixth to 21st. He fought back through the field and eventually finished seventh, although the early deficit prevented him from challenging for a higher position.

Verstappen holds second despite Red Bull frustration

Verstappen finished runner-up despite continued complaints about his Red Bull’s handling. He described the car as becoming increasingly difficult to drive, with oversteer worsening through qualifying and the race.

Starting fourth after post-qualifying penalties for Hamilton and Antonelli, Verstappen moved into third on the opening lap and battled Hamilton. He regained position after Hamilton’s undercut attempt and later used a long stint on soft tires to stay ahead of the pursuing Mercedes.

Antonelli completed the podium for Mercedes, extending his championship lead after a measured strategy. He was left out longer than many of his rivals, briefly inherited the lead and then held off Hamilton after making his final stop.

Hungarian Grand Prix result

1. Lando Norris, McLaren
2. Max Verstappen, Red Bull
3. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
4. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
5. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
6. Isack Hadjar, Red Bull
7. George Russell, Mercedes
8. Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
9. Nico Hülkenberg, Audi
10. Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
11. Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi
12. Pierre Gasly, Alpine
13. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
14. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
15. Franco Colapinto, Alpine
16. Esteban Ocon, Haas
17. Alex Albon, Williams
18. Carlos Sainz, Williams
19. Ollie Bearman, Haas

Did not finish: Oscar Piastri, Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas.