Norris converts McLaren pace into Hungary win as Ferrari errors mount

Lando Norris won the Hungarian Grand Prix, claiming his first victory of the 2026 season after briefly losing the lead to McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri on lap one. The result capped a strong McLaren weekend and left Ferrari reflecting on missed chances.

Norris started from pole but ran wide at Turn Two, handing Piastri the advantage on a circuit where passing is notoriously difficult. McLaren’s strategy then opened a route back: Piastri stopped to respond to Lewis Hamilton, Norris used clear air to build pace, and the lead changed hands after Norris made his own stop.

Piastri’s race unravelled further after contact with Carlos Sainz while lapping the Williams, and he later retired with a gearbox problem, denying McLaren a one-two. Team principal Andrea Stella credited Norris’ calmer race management and growing confidence as important parts of the win.

Ferrari’s pace did not translate into the result expected after a promising build-up. Hamilton was hit by a grid penalty for impeding Piastri and later a pit-lane speeding penalty, while Charles Leclerc also fell away from a front-row start; team boss Frederic Vasseur acknowledged that Ferrari made too many errors.