HUNGARIAN GP: NORRIS FINISHES STRONG BEFORE THE BREAK

Cavalieri Garage Magazine
9 minutes ago
2 min read

Lando Norris finally returned to Victory Lane with a commanding performance. The reigning Formula 1 World Champion dominated the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring, claiming his first victory of the season after eleven races in the final event before the summer break. The win also marks the 12th triumph of his Formula 1 career.

Starting from pole position, Norris displayed untouchable race pace throughout the afternoon, despite briefly surrendering the lead at the start after an imperfect launch allowed teammate Oscar Piastri to move ahead. The Australian appeared on course to secure a McLaren one-two before his race unraveled following contact with Carlos Sainz's Williams while navigating traffic.

The incident disrupted Piastri's strategy, allowing Norris to regain the lead during the second round of pit stops. The decisive blow came in the closing stages, when a technical failure forced Piastri to retire while comfortably holding second place.

Behind the dominant McLaren, Max Verstappen delivered another exceptional performance, extracting everything possible from his Red Bull to secure second place. The Dutchman also produced one of the standout overtakes of the race with a brilliant move on Lewis Hamilton.

Completing the podium was Kimi Antonelli, whose measured and intelligent recovery drive followed the qualifying penalty that had compromised his starting position. The Mercedes driver avoided unnecessary risks, steadily working his way through the field and securing valuable championship points.

It was a disappointing afternoon for Ferrari. Charles Leclerc, who started from the front row, lost ground immediately at the start and eventually finished fourth, while Hamilton dropped to fifth after receiving a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane. Ferrari leaves Budapest having missed a major opportunity at one of its most favorable circuits on paper.

Thanks to his third-place finish, Antonelli further extends his championship advantage, increasing his lead over every major title contender. The Italian now sits 50 points ahead of Hamilton and 59 clear of teammate George Russell, who recovered only to seventh after a difficult opening lap.