Stella Praises Norris, Piastri After 70-Lap Hungary Duel Ends in McLaren's 1st 2026 Win
Updated
Updated · Formula 1 · Jul 27
Stella Praises Norris, Piastri After 70-Lap Hungary Duel Ends in McLaren's 1st 2026 Win
3 articles · Updated · Formula 1 · Jul 27
Summary
Lando Norris claimed his first Grand Prix victory of the season in Hungary after a 70-lap fight with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, which team boss Andrea Stella called respectful and fair.
Piastri led early after passing Norris at Turn 2, but McLaren pitted him first to cover Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari; traffic and contact with Carlos Sainz's Williams then cost him track position.
Norris stopped six laps later, rejoined ahead and, once in clean air, found about half a second per lap to secure the win, with Stella calling his pace "mega."
Oscar Piastri later retired with a suspected gearbox issue and apologized after an angry radio message about strategy, which Stella said came in the heat of the moment.
The result reinforced McLaren's renewed competitiveness after recent upgrades, with Stella saying both drivers are now in contention for wins and podiums.