Lando Norris takes Hungarian GP as Max Verstappen fights to second; Oscar Piastri’s late DNF reshuffles podium

Norris breaks through

Lando Norris won the Hungarian Grand Prix from pole position, delivering McLaren’s first victory of the 2026 season. The reigning world champion controlled the race after an early leadership swap with teammate Oscar Piastri, reclaiming the lead following the first pitstop sequence. Norris crossed the line with a comfortable margin, cementing his status as the fastest driver of the afternoon. His win ends a winless start to the year for the Woking squad and marks his first triumph as defending champion.

Verstappen fights through adversity

Max Verstappen finished second despite a weekend marred by car problems and a strategy that twice dropped him out of podium contention. Starting fourth after grid penalties for Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli, Verstappen immediately passed Charles Leclerc at Turn 1, absorbing a light touch from Hamilton. After an early pitstop undercut left him behind Hamilton on lap 14, Verstappen responded a lap later with a spectacular overtake: he first swept past Arvid Lindblad on the straight and then braked around the outside of Hamilton at Turn 1 to reclaim third. His long final stint on the soft tyre proved crucial; when the virtual safety car was deployed, Verstappen stayed out while rivals pitted. Piastri’s retirement on lap 56 then promoted him to second, and he held off a charging Antonelli in the closing laps. Over the radio, Verstappen summed up his afternoon:

How we finished second today? It’s unbelievable. A good result, but I had a tough time.

Piastri’s race ends in disappointment

Oscar Piastri had been locked in a strategic battle with Norris for the lead, but his afternoon unravelled late. After being held up in traffic and then losing the lead to his teammate through the pitstops, Piastri suffered a gearbox failure on lap 56 and parked his car at the side of the track. The virtual safety car that followed reshuffled the order, ultimately gifting Verstappen the runner-up spot. Piastri’s DNF cost him valuable points and saw him drop behind Verstappen in the drivers’ standings.

Championship table shifts

Kimi Antonelli finished third, extending his lead at the top of the world championship. The Mercedes driver, who started further back after a grid penalty, recovered to the podium and now holds a larger advantage over second-placed Hamilton. Verstappen’s second place lifted him to sixth in the standings with 109 points, overtaking Piastri. Hamilton, after receiving a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane, dropped behind teammate Leclerc, losing points to Antonelli in the title fight. George Russell had a disastrous start, fell silent and finished only seventh, losing a further 9 points to teammate Antonelli.

Pit lane and strategy chess

Ferrari’s aggressive gamble to start Leclerc and Hamilton on the soft tyre backfired, as both lost positions early. Hamilton’s undercut via an early pitstop briefly put him ahead of Verstappen, but the Dutchman’s immediate response on track erased that advantage. Verstappen’s teammate Isack Hadjar briefly held up the McLarens and Hamilton, helping Verstappen pull away on hard tyres. Red Bull’s decision to keep Verstappen on soft tyres for the final stint paid off when the virtual safety car froze competitors. Late-race blocking by Gabriel Bortoleto further slowed Antonelli and Hamilton, allowing Verstappen to extend his margin. Cadillac’s Sergio Pérez retired with mechanical trouble, rounding out a race of attrition.