Norris takes Hungarian Grand Prix

By Ananya Iyer — 26 July 2026 — 4 min read

Norris takes Hungarian Grand Prix

Lando Norris secured his and McLaren’s first Grand Prix victory of 2026 in Hungary. Norris finished ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. The race included mid-race drama and a late retirement for Norris’s teammate, Oscar Piastri.

Norris, who started from pole position, spent the initial part of the race behind Piastri. Piastri had moved into the lead early in the race, and McLaren initially resisted Norris’s requests to be allowed past. However, the internal team battle shifted after Piastri’s second pit stop when he encountered traffic in the form of Carlos Sainz and made contact with a Williams car.

This incident, combined with Norris’s strong pace in clear air before his own second stop, influenced the race outcome. Piastri’s race concluded with an apparent gearbox problem.

Race Incidents and Penalties

A Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was deployed following Piastri’s stoppage, leading to further pit lane activity. Verstappen and Antonelli, who had recently changed tyres, remained on track to secure second and third positions, respectively. They finished ahead of the two-stopping Ferrari drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Hamilton initially emerged from his final stop ahead of Antonelli but later conceded the position. Replays showed Hamilton reached the relevant VSC white line just behind the Mercedes. Hamilton also received a five-second penalty for speeding in the pits, which impacted his chances of a podium finish. Leclerc moved ahead of Hamilton into fourth place after the penalty was applied.

Isack Hadjar secured sixth place for Red Bull, while George Russell finished seventh after a difficult start to the race, which saw him drop to 21st due to an anti-stall issue. Racing Bulls achieved a double points finish with Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad, who placed eighth and 10th, respectively. They were positioned around Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg, whose teammate, Gabriel Bortoleto, finished 11th.

Aston Martin drivers Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso finished 13th and 14th, splitting the Alpine cars of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto. They also finished ahead of both Haas and Williams cars. In addition to Piastri, Valtteri Bottas of Cadillac retired due to overheating brakes, and his teammate Sergio Perez also failed to finish due to a front-left issue.

Qualifying and Race Start

In a close qualifying session at the Hungaroring circuit, Norris secured pole position by a narrow margin over Hamilton. Leclerc qualified third, and championship leader Antonelli started fourth. However, both Hamilton and Antonelli received three-place grid penalties from the stewards. Hamilton was penalised for failing to slow sufficiently under yellow flags, while Antonelli received a penalty for impeding another driver.

These penalties meant Norris started from pole, followed by Leclerc, Piastri, and Verstappen. Hamilton was demoted to fifth, ahead of Russell, and Antonelli dropped to seventh. Perez started from the pit lane after making set-up changes.

At the start of the race, Norris maintained his lead. Piastri overtook Leclerc to follow his teammate into the first corner, and Verstappen battled with the two Ferraris. Piastri then moved into the lead at Turn 2. Hamilton also passed Leclerc for fourth and made contact with Verstappen.

Russell experienced a difficult start, falling from seventh to 21st. As the race progressed, Piastri held a lead of just over a second from Norris, with Verstappen, Hamilton, and Leclerc following. Antonelli was in sixth, having gained a position due to Russell’s start. Hadjar, Lawson, Lindblad, and Hulkenberg occupied the remaining top-10 positions.

Verstappen communicated issues with his car over the radio, mentioning “damping failed” and requesting adjustments to the shifts. Hamilton continued to pressure Verstappen during this period but could not find a way past. McLaren also had radio communications regarding the gap between Norris and Piastri, with Norris stating he was “much faster” but in “dirty air.”

By Lap 13, Russell had climbed to 11th. Hamilton made the first front-running pit stop on Lap 14, changing to hard tyres. Verstappen responded on Lap 15, also switching to hards, and then made a pass on Hamilton into Turn 1. Piastri and Leclerc pitted on Lap 17, followed by Norris on the next lap. Antonelli continued for a few more laps, with McLaren informing Piastri that Antonelli might attempt a one-stop strategy, though a stop for hards on Lap 22 suggested a two-stop strategy for Antonelli as well.

Piastri reclaimed the lead but faced significant pressure from Norris. Verstappen gradually fell back into third, followed by Hamilton, Leclerc, and Antonelli. Russell moved up to seventh before pitting for hards on Lap 28. Bottas retired on Lap 30 due to overheating brakes. Hamilton made his second stop on Lap 30 for another set of hards. Piastri pitted for hards on Lap 33, giving Norris clear air and a potential advantage for the final stint.

Antonelli extended his championship lead to 50 points over Lewis Hamilton and over his Mercedes teammate George Russell, who finished seventh.

The race concluded with Norris’s victory, marking a significant moment for him and McLaren in the current season.

Source: formula1.com