Norris wins first race of 2026

Lando Norris claimed his first victory of the 2026 season after beating Max Verstappen to the finish of the Hungary Grand Prix. 

The Briton crossed the line first at the Hungaroring to secure both his and McLaren’s maiden win of the campaign, with Verstappen finishing second for Red Bull and Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli completing the podium in third. 

This marked McLaren as the third team to win a race this season.

Norris started from pole position but lost the lead on the opening lap when teammate Oscar Piastri made a decisive move at Turn 2.

The Australian then spent much of the first half of the race at the front, keeping Norris behind as McLaren locked out the top two positions.

Passing opportunities were limited around the tight and twisting Budapest circuit, forcing Norris to stay close and wait for strategy to create an opening. That opportunity arrived during the second round of pit stops.

Piastri emerged from his stop into heavy traffic, costing him valuable seconds as he worked through slower cars. 

His afternoon became even more complicated after contact with Carlos Sainz in the opening sector shortly after rejoining the track. 

The delay allowed Norris, who was running a different strategy, to move into a stronger position as the race entered its final phase.

McLaren’s decision to keep Norris on a one-stop strategy ultimately proved decisive. With fresher tyres and clean air, he inherited the lead and began building a small but important gap over the chasing pack.

Verstappen remained within fighting distance but never got close enough to launch a serious challenge. 

Norris responded by carefully moving through the closing laps, avoiding mistakes and keeping the Dutchman behind him to secure a long-awaited victory.

Piastri’s hopes of fighting back disappeared altogether when a gearbox problem forced him to retire late in the race. 

After leading for much of the afternoon, the Australian was left with nothing to show for a strong performance.

Antonelli capitalized on the late drama to secure another podium finish in his impressive rookie campaign. 

The result strengthened Mercedes’ position in the constructors’ battle and added further evidence that the Italian teenager remains a genuine contender at the front of the field.