Hungary Grand Prix sees Lando Norris triumph amid McLaren upgrades

By Rohan Gupta — 27 July 2026 — 3 min read

Lando Norris secured a victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix, marking a significant moment for him and McLaren. This win concludes the initial phase of the Formula 1 season before the summer break. Norris described his performance as one of his best, especially after a challenging start to the season for the reigning world champion and his team.

The win followed substantial upgrades to the McLaren car, which Norris fully utilised. He had previously secured pole position for the race. Despite an early error on the first lap where he misjudged grip at Turn Two, allowing teammate Oscar Piastri to take the lead, Norris maintained his composure.

Norris’s Strategic Victory

Norris quickly realised he could match Piastri’s pace, even while driving in the turbulent air behind him. He expressed confidence in his ability to win the race, citing superior degradation and overall pace. He communicated his faster pace over the radio, though he did not explicitly request to be let through. His request to pit first was denied, adhering to team protocol that grants the leading driver the first option for a pit stop.

McLaren pitted Piastri on Lap 16 to counter pit stops made by Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Norris then pitted on Lap 17. The second round of pit stops proved crucial on the high tyre-wear circuit. Piastri pitted again on Lap 33 to cover Hamilton, while Norris extended his stint, pitting on Lap 39. This strategy provided Norris with a tyre life advantage over Piastri.

A collision involving Piastri and Carlos Sainz on Lap 39 further impacted the race. Piastri was attempting to lap Sainz, who was engaged in a battle with Fernando Alonso. Sainz, who had been informed by his Williams team, swung back onto the racing line after running wide in Turn Two, colliding with Piastri. This incident caused Piastri to lose crucial time, allowing Norris to emerge from his pit stop in the lead, a position he maintained until the end.

Challenges for Competitors

Piastri’s race ended prematurely due to a transmission failure, denying McLaren a potential one-two finish. He was later forced to make a third stop under a Virtual Safety Car on Lap 56 to recover his car. Piastri expressed frustration over the collision with Sainz, noting that he was incredibly annoyed and felt his chances of winning were over after the incident. Sainz received a five-second penalty for the collision, which he attributed to not seeing Piastri due to his position on the outside of a 180-degree turn and a reported issue with the blue light warning system for lapped cars.

Ferrari, despite being considered pre-race favourites, encountered difficulties. Hamilton, who had qualified well, received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Piastri during qualifying. Charles Leclerc also faced challenges, including a deleted lap time for track limits during qualifying. Both Ferrari drivers finished outside the podium positions, with team boss Frederic Vasseur acknowledging that the team made too many mistakes.

Mercedes also struggled with pace. Kimi Antonelli received a three-place grid penalty for failing to lift sufficiently under yellow flags in qualifying. George Russell experienced engine damage after running over kerbs in Turn 4, necessitating a power unit change for race day. Russell dropped to 21st at the start but managed to climb back to seventh place. Antonelli secured a podium finish, extending his championship lead to 50 points over Hamilton and 59 points over Russell.

Norris’s victory places him 98 points behind Antonelli in the championship standings. He cautioned against high expectations for future races, emphasising the team’s focus on present performance. Another upgrade for the McLaren car is anticipated for the next race, the Dutch Grand Prix, following the summer break.

Max Verstappen finished second despite complaining about aerodynamic degradation, handling issues, and inconsistent gear shifting in his Red Bull. He made impressive overtakes on Hamilton’s Ferrari. Liam Lawson finished eighth and Arvid Lindblad 10th for Racing Bulls, contributing to their team’s standing.

Source: formula1.com

Rohan Gupta

Sports Reporter