Lando Norris claims Hungarian GP win for first F1 victory of 2026

Lando Norris’ Hungarian GP win gave the McLaren driver his first full Formula One Grand Prix victory of 2026 and ended an eight-month gap since his previous race win. The Associated Press reported that Norris beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli at the Hungaroring near Budapest on Sunday.

Norris started from pole position but did not keep control of the race at the start. According to the Associated Press, he ran wide at the second corner, allowing McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri to take the lead.

The race turned back toward Norris after Piastri was held up by a collision with Carlos Sainz Jr. The delay let Norris emerge from the pits ahead of his teammate, and AP reported that he then drove on to victory.

How did Lando Norris win the Hungarian GP?

Norris won after combining strong race pace with a break in the sequence of events involving his teammate. Piastri first passed Norris after the pole-sitter went wide, but the collision involving Sainz cost Piastri time and opened the door for Norris to retake the advantage through the pit cycle.

Piastri’s race later ended with a broken gearbox, according to AP. That retirement promoted Verstappen to second place, while Antonelli completed the podium in third.

Norris credited McLaren after the race, saying the car had been “unbelievable” and that the team had been “flying,” according to AP. He added that it was “nice to finally” deliver the result for the team after a wait that he said had felt long.

What the result means for the F1 standings

Antonelli strengthened his lead in the standings with his third-place finish, AP reported. The teenager gained ground on title rival Lewis Hamilton, who finished fifth after receiving a penalty for speeding in the pits.

George Russell finished seventh after nearly stalling at the start, according to AP. The result added another twist to a championship picture in which Antonelli entered the race ahead of Hamilton and left Hungary with a larger advantage.

For Norris, the victory was his first full Grand Prix win since Sao Paulo in November. AP noted that he had won a sprint race in Miami in May, but Hungary marked his first Sunday Grand Prix victory of the 2026 season.

When is the next Formula One race?

The Hungarian Grand Prix was the final race before Formula One’s mid-season break. The next race on the calendar is the Dutch Grand Prix on August 23, according to AP.

The break arrives after a race in which McLaren briefly looked set for an internal fight at the front before Piastri’s problems changed the order. Norris leaves Budapest with a long-awaited win, while Verstappen and Antonelli took the remaining podium places.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.