McLaren Formula One driver Lando Norris won his first race of the 2026 season at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.
If the 2025 drivers’ champion were still in the thick of the title hunt, that would be a bigger deal. Norris, however, isn’t truly in the mix, making the victory much less consequential to the 2026 season.
Why Lando Norris’ win doesn’t make a huge difference in 2026 F1 championship chase
The 2026 season, like many F1 campaigns, has belonged to one driver: Mercedes-AMG wunderkind Kimi Antonelli. Entering Sunday, the baby-faced driver, who turns 20 on Aug. 25, was considered a heavy favorite to win the title. He remains in that position, even though he didn’t win Sunday’s race.
Antonelli finished third in Hungary behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Norris, scoring 15 points for Sunday’s race and securing his 12th podium of the season. He remains first in the driver’s standings with 219 points, well ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton (169). Hamilton finished fifth on Sunday after a penalty-riddled race.