Lando Norris wins Hungarian Grand Prix for first victory of 2026
Lando Norris turned pole into a 15-second Hungarian Grand Prix win as Oscar Piastri’s McLaren race ended with a gearbox issue.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
Lando Norris won the Hungarian Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday, taking his first victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season in an upgraded McLaren, according to ESPN’s race report and final classification.
The reigning world champion finished the race at the Hungaroring in 1:39:56.180, with ESPN’s results showing Red Bull’s Max Verstappen second, 15.080 seconds behind. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, identified by ESPN as the title leader, completed the podium in third, 18.728 seconds off Norris.
It was a clean conversion from the front for Norris, who started on pole and had enough pace in hand to beat Verstappen by more than 15 seconds despite making three pit stops to Verstappen’s two, according to the race classification.
Who won the Hungarian Grand Prix?
Norris won the Hungarian Grand Prix for McLaren, with Verstappen second for Red Bull and Antonelli third for Mercedes. The race was held at the Hungaroring, a 4.381-kilometer circuit, as part of the July 24-26 AWS Hungarian Grand Prix weekend listed by ESPN.
The result gave McLaren a headline win, but the team’s day was far from tidy. ESPN reported that Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri had been running second before retiring with a gearbox problem.
Piastri was classified 20th in the final order, 15 laps down, after making two pit stops. His exit turned what could have been a McLaren one-two into a solo celebration for Norris.
Behind the podium, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished fourth, 23.840 seconds behind the winner. Lewis Hamilton took fifth for Ferrari, 24.540 seconds back, after ESPN reported he received a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane.
Isack Hadjar placed sixth for Red Bull, followed by Mercedes’ George Russell in seventh. Liam Lawson was eighth for Racing Bulls, Nico Hülkenberg ninth for Audi and Arvid Lindblad 10th for Racing Bulls, according to ESPN’s final results.
What happened to Oscar Piastri?
ESPN reported that Piastri retired from second place because of a gearbox issue. In Formula 1, a gearbox transfers power from the engine to the wheels, so a failure can leave a driver unable to continue at racing speed.
The classification showed several drivers finishing a lap or more behind Norris. Lawson, Hülkenberg, Lindblad, Gabriel Bortoleto, Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso were all listed one lap down, while Franco Colapinto, Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz and Oliver Bearman finished two laps down.
Sergio Pérez was classified 21st for Cadillac, 22 laps down, and Valtteri Bottas was 22nd for Cadillac, 57 laps down, according to ESPN’s race table.
For Norris, the Hungarian Grand Prix delivered the tidy part of the story: pole, pace and the win. For McLaren, Piastri’s gearbox trouble kept the afternoon from becoming a full team sweep.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.