Lando Norris claimed his first Grand Prix victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Hungaroring on Sunday, converting pole position into a commanding win. The McLaren driver’s performance marked his second career triumph at the Hungarian circuit. McLaren’s recent upgrades proved effective, contributing to Norris’s strong pace throughout the weekend.
Max Verstappen finished second for Red Bull, a result he admitted was unexpected given the team’s earlier performance struggles this season. Kimi Antonelli completed the podium for Mercedes, extending his lead in the drivers’ championship.
Antonelli’s podium finish came despite a three-place grid penalty for failing to slow sufficiently under yellow flags during Saturday’s qualifying session. He started the race from seventh position.
Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, faced multiple penalties during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. He received a three-place grid penalty in qualifying for impeding Oscar Piastri, dropping him from second to fifth on the starting grid.
During the race, Hamilton incurred a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane. This additional penalty relegated him from fourth to fifth at the chequered flag.
Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate, was promoted to the front row of the grid following Hamilton’s initial penalty. Leclerc finished the race in fourth position. Ferrari had shown strong pace on Friday but could not convert it into a podium finish.
Oscar Piastri, Norris’s McLaren teammate, retired from the race due to a gearbox failure. His race was further complicated by an incident with Carlos Sainz while being lapped, which Piastri described as a ‘complete lack of awareness’.
Carlos Sainz, driving for Williams, endured a challenging weekend, culminating in a poor result and a penalty for his collision with Piastri. Williams had anticipated the Hungaroring circuit would expose the car’s inherent weaknesses.
The Hungaroring is known for its tight, technical corners and limited straights, demanding precise car control and strategic mastery. Overtaking opportunities are traditionally scarce beyond the first corner.
Isack Hadjar secured sixth place for Red Bull. Hadjar, Max Verstappen’s teammate for the 2026 season, has had a promising start to his debut year with the team. He noted the Red Bull car has become ‘more reliable’ recently.
George Russell, in the second Mercedes, recovered to seventh position after an anti-stall issue at the start dropped him from sixth to 21st. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff commented on the need for the team to eliminate such operational errors.
Liam Lawson finished eighth for Racing Bulls, with his rookie teammate Arvid Lindblad securing the final point in tenth. Lindblad is the sole rookie on the 2026 grid, making his Formula 1 debut this season.
Nico Hulkenberg scored Audi’s first points of the season by finishing ninth. His teammate Gabriel Bortoleto finished just outside the points in eleventh.
Pierre Gasly finished twelfth for Alpine, while his teammate Franco Colapinto crossed the line in fifteenth. Gasly is in his fourth season with Alpine, and Colapinto is in his second.
Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso finished thirteenth and fourteenth respectively for Aston Martin. The team’s recent upgrade package provided some encouragement.
Cadillac experienced a double retirement, with both Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas failing to finish the race. Perez retired due to overheating brakes, while Bottas’s car suffered a front-left problem.
Cadillac, making its Formula 1 debut in 2026 with Ferrari power units, has Perez and Bottas as its race drivers, with Zhou Guanyu serving as the reserve driver. Perez had encountered a bizarre brake failure during Friday practice.
