McLaren and Red Bull excel as Ferrari and Mercedes falter at Hungarian Grand Prix

Lando Norris secured his first win of the 2026 season for McLaren after an overcut strategy helped him pull away on the Hungaroring, describing it as his best pace of the year. Max Verstappen finished second for Red Bull, benefitting from a tyre strategy that kept the soft compound viable for the final stint, a decision praised by the team.

Oscar Piastri retired early after a strong start, citing a back-marker collision and poor tyre performance as factors in his DNF. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc said the team expected a podium after a strong qualifying but ended up fourth and fifth, marking a missed opportunity to close the gap to Mercedes.

Mercedes driver George Russell finished seventh after an anti-stall issue at the start, calling the result disappointing despite a recovery from the back of the grid. His teammate Kimi Antonelli earned a podium finish, extending his championship lead by five points.

Aston Martin achieved its best finish of the season with drivers in 13th and 14th, while Cadillac suffered two retirements due to brake and internal failures. Other midfield teams saw mixed results: Nico Hulkenberg scored points for Audi, Liam Lawson finished eighth for Racing Bulls, and both Williams and Haas ended near the back of the field.