Norris wins Hungarian GP as Ferrari falters; McLaren, Red Bull capitalize

Lando Norris secured his first victory of the 2026 season at the Hungarian Grand Prix, a win that owed as much to the struggles of rivals Ferrari and Mercedes as it did to McLaren's performance. The triumph highlighted Norris's growing maturity and McLaren's potent upgrades, leaving competitors trailing at the Hungaroring.

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It's not a good Sunday when you were 1-2 on Friday. You expect much more. On top of that, we made too many mistakes starting with the penalty, and that Max (Verstappen) overtook us and that at each pit stop we were losing a position for 0.2 or 0.3 seconds.

Ferrari endured a particularly disappointing weekend. Despite possessing what seemed to be the fastest car on a track suited to their strengths, a series of errors in decision-making and execution saw Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finish fourth and fifth. Team boss Fred Vasseur lamented the team's performance, stating, "It's not a good Sunday when you were 1-2 on Friday. You expect much more." He pointed to Leclerc's poor start, Hamilton's penalties for impeding Oscar Piastri and speeding in the pit lane, and strategic missteps, including tire choices and a costly late pit stop under a virtual safety car.

Lewis Hamilton acknowledged the team's shortcomings, admitting, "You can't make these kinds of mistakes if you want to challenge for a title." He currently trails championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 50 points after 11 races. Mercedes, meanwhile, leads Ferrari by 72 points in the constructors' standings.

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You can't make these kinds of mistakes if you want to challenge for a title.

McLaren team chief Andrea Stella emphasized Lando Norris's development, noting his increased confidence and emotional control since winning last year's title. "Lando is much more confident," Stella said. "He's much more aware of the tools that he has in his driving and how to deploy these tools." This evolution, combined with McLaren's upgrades, positions them as significant contenders as the season progresses into a "development war" after the summer break.

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Lando is much more confident. He's much more aware of the tools that he has in his driving and how to deploy these tools. And I think he's also... more in control of his emotions.