Lando Norris claimed his first Formula 1 victory of the 2026 season, delivering a superb drive for McLaren to win a dramatic Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring. Norris finished ahead of Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) after a race filled with strategy changes, overtakes, and late drama.
Starting from pole position, Norris briefly lost the lead to teammate Oscar Piastri on the opening lap. However, Piastri’s race unraveled after contact with Carlos Sainz damaged his car, and a later gearbox failure forced the Australian to retire. Norris regained control and expertly managed the race to secure McLaren’s first Grand Prix victory of the season.
Verstappen mounted a late charge but had to settle for second, while championship leader Antonelli recovered from a difficult qualifying session to finish third and extend his lead in the drivers’ standings. Charles Leclerc placed fourth for Ferrari, while Lewis Hamilton crossed the line fifth after receiving a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.
Top 10 Finishers
Lando Norris (McLaren)
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
George Russell (Mercedes)
Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber)
Arvid Lindblad (Red Bull)
The Hungarian Grand Prix marked the final race before Formula 1’s summer break. Although Norris celebrated his breakthrough win of the season, Antonelli strengthened his championship advantage, setting up an exciting battle when the season resumes at the Dutch Grand Prix in late August.
