Lando Norris and McLaren secured their first victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Hungarian Grand Prix, marking a significant moment for the team. Norris, who started from pole position, managed to convert his strong qualifying performance into a win, despite briefly losing the lead to teammate Oscar Piastri on the opening lap.
Norris described his pace during the race as some of the best he has ever had, expressing confidence in the car’s performance. He also acknowledged the team’s efforts in developing the car, which contributed to their return to winning races. The victory provides a positive momentum for McLaren as the season heads into a break.
Mixed Fortunes for McLaren and Other Teams
The race could have seen an even better outcome for McLaren, but Oscar Piastri was forced to retire from the race after an incident with Williams’ Carlos Sainz and a subsequent gearbox issue. Piastri had initially taken the lead from Norris at the start, but his race ended prematurely, which he described as a significant disappointment given the team’s potential for a strong finish.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen secured a podium finish, navigating a challenging race to take second place. Despite reporting issues with his car during qualifying and starting from a provisional sixth on the grid, Verstappen capitalized on penalties for other drivers and made strategic moves during the race to climb up the order. His performance was highlighted by his ability to manage worn tyres and benefit from Piastri’s retirement.
Mercedes experienced mixed results, with Kimi Antonelli extending his championship lead by finishing third. Antonelli, who started P7 due to a penalty, made gains throughout the race with a different strategy. His teammate, George Russell, had a more difficult day, falling to the back of the field after a problematic start caused by an anti-stall issue. Russell managed to recover to seventh place, but expressed his need for a break after a challenging period.
Ferrari’s Disappointment and Midfield Battles
Ferrari, despite showing strong pace in Friday practice, saw their performance decline as the weekend progressed. Charles Leclerc finished fourth, and Lewis Hamilton, after receiving a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane, finished fifth. The team’s strategy, involving a three-stop race for both cars, did not yield the desired results, leading to a disappointing outcome after initial promise.
In the midfield, Racing Bulls demonstrated strong form, securing a double points finish. Liam Lawson finished eighth, and Arvid Lindblad achieved his sixth consecutive top-10 finish. This performance allowed Racing Bulls to gain ground on Alpine in the Teams’ Championship, with both teams having been level on points before the race. Aston Martin also had a solid outing by their 2026 standards, with Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso finishing thirteenth and fourteenth respectively, despite being outside the points.
Conversely, Cadillac faced significant reliability issues, with both Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez retiring from the race. Bottas experienced brake issues, while Perez’s retirement was due to an internal problem yet to be fully diagnosed. These issues highlight ongoing concerns about the team’s reliability. Nico Hulkenberg of Audi secured ninth place, earning valuable points.
In support races, Noel Leon won the F2 Feature Race for Campos Racing, aided by a Virtual Safety Car deployment. Freddie Slater took the win in the F3 Feature Race for TRIDENT, extending his lead in the standings. Both F2 and F3 are scheduled to return to action in Monza.
Source: formula1.com
