Lando Norris claimed his first victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Hungarian Grand Prix, emerging victorious after a intense duel with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.
Starting from pole position, Norris lost the lead early on as Piastri made a stronger launch to lead into the opening lap. However, Norris maintained stronger race pace and capitalized during the second round of pit stops. By staying out longer on older tires, Norris generated a sufficient gap to re-emerge ahead of Piastri on lap 40 and retain control of the race.
Piastri’s race ended in frustration 14 laps from the finish due to a mechanical gearbox issue while running second, triggering a Virtual Safety Car.
Max Verstappen produced a strong final stint to secure second place for Red Bull, while Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli held off pressure to take third. Ferrari faced strategy setbacks and a pit-lane speeding penalty for Lewis Hamilton, who was relegated to fifth behind teammate Charles Leclerc in fourth. Isack Hadjar finished sixth for Red Bull, while George Russell recovered to seventh to maintain his championship lead. Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad claimed the final points positions for Racing Bulls.
