Overview
- Lando Norris converted pole into a dominant Hungarian Grand Prix victory that was more than 15 seconds clear of Max Verstappen, delivering McLaren’s first win of the 2026 season.
- Norris says he is driving better than at the same stage of his 2025 title campaign and team principal Andrea Stella says the driver is notably more confident.
- McLaren credited a substantial upgrade package — a redesigned floor, new aerodynamic elements, modified wing endplates and larger brake ducts — with producing the step forward.
- The team concedes it still trails rivals by as much as three months in development and remains behind in the standings with Norris 91 points adrift of the lead and McLaren third in the constructors’ table.
- McLaren will use the summer shutdown and the next on-track chance at Zandvoort to test and refine the package while the team works to better understand the MCL40’s narrow operating window.