Lando Norris Feared 2026 Hungarian F1 Victory Was Already Over

Lando Norris admitted he feared his chances of winning the 2026 Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix were already over after an opening-lap mistake cost him the lead to Oscar Piastri.

Norris ultimately claimed his first victory as the reigning world champion by approximately 15 seconds over Max Verstappen. However, the commanding result only became possible after an incident between Piastri and Carlos Sainz opened the door for the McLaren driver to take control.

Norris’ difficulties began at Turn 2 when the rear of his car repeatedly lost stability. Piastri took advantage with a cutback and moved into first place.

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“I don’t know what happened. I just kept losing the rear, had three or four snaps, and it felt horrible,” Norris said.

“I think I was just a bit wide in the dirt, and it felt like game over for the first lap. Oscar did a good job to cut back and get past.”

Despite running behind, Norris believed he had stronger pace than his team-mate. He continued applying pressure in an attempt to force Piastri into a mistake while preserving his tyres sufficiently to extend each stint.

Norris described his race pace at the Hungaroring as some of the strongest of his career. He said the McLaren was extremely comfortable to drive and gave him the confidence to continue attacking.

The extended strategy ultimately became a decisive factor. Norris delayed his second stop because tyre degradation remained under control, then returned to the circuit ahead of Piastri after the Australian lost time in his incident with Sainz.

“The pace was so good that I could always extend the stints and then have fresher tyres. In the end, that is what won me the race,” he said.

Norris then pulled away from Piastri before a gearbox failure forced his team-mate to retire on lap 56. He retained first place to the finish and secured his first victory since the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The result was also Norris’ third podium of the 2026 season. He credited McLaren’s upgraded package with making a major contribution to the car’s improved performance.

“The team put in a lot of effort and work to get the upgraded car here. It has obviously worked well this weekend,” Norris said.

Norris believes McLaren remains capable of winning more races this season, although he acknowledged that the Hungaroring is particularly well suited to his driving style and the car’s strengths.

“I certainly believe we can still win races. The team has put so much work into making this a car that can finally win again, and it is nice to be able to do it for them,” he concluded.