Brundle: 2026 F1 Title Race 'Far From Over' After McLaren's Hungary Win

Martin Brundle insists the 2026 Formula 1 championship battle is far from decided after McLaren secured its 14th Hungarian Grand Prix victory, delivering a statement upgrade ahead of the summer break. With the competitive order tightening among the top four teams, the former driver and Sky Sports pundit sees plenty of drama still to unfold before the season concludes.

Why it matters:

McLaren's latest development package translated into immediate success at the Hungaroring, proving the Woking outfit can challenge for wins on a regular basis. With the leading teams separated by razor-thin margins across the board, any competitive swing could dramatically alter the championship trajectory in the remaining rounds and keep the title fight alive deep into the autumn.

The details:

• Points still available: A total of 291 points remain up for grabs across the rest of the season, assuming the full calendar proceeds as planned.
• Calendar uncertainty: The Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix face potential cancellation due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East, forcing Formula 1 to formulate contingency options.
• Bahrain's relocation: The Bahrain Grand Prix will now take place at Malaysia's Sepang circuit from October 2-4, after the original Saudi Arabian and Bahrain rounds were cancelled in April.
• Replacement plans: If the Middle East finale races cannot take place, F1 is preparing a European replacement round for late November or early December, which would likely bring challenging weather and visibility conditions.

What's next:

The season resumes with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort from August 21-23. With McLaren carrying strong momentum out of the summer break and rivals poised to fire back with their own upgrades, the championship picture should only intensify through the final European and flyaway rounds.