Mercedes Under Pressure as McLaren Ends Perfect 2026 Start in Hungary

Mercedes' unblemished start to the 2026 Formula 1 season finally cracked in Budapest, where Lando Norris guided McLaren to a commanding Hungarian Grand Prix win on the back of a significant floor upgrade. The victory halted Mercedes' streak of six consecutive poles and wins from the opening races, while Ferrari also continues to erode the championship lead, now sitting 72 points adrift as the grid heads into the summer break.

Why it matters:

The Silver Arrows once looked untouchable under F1's radical new-era regulations, but their early cushion is rapidly disappearing. Persistent power unit reliability issues have cost the team valuable points, and with McLaren and Ferrari both delivering effective upgrade packages, Mercedes is suddenly fighting to defend its advantage rather than extend it. The championship is shaping up to be far closer than the opening rounds suggested.

The details:

• McLaren's redesigned floor for the Mercedes-powered MCL40 delivered a clear performance gain in Hungary. Mercedes deputy technical director Simone Resta called it a "sizeable update," though he stressed that Norris's strong weekend execution and tire management were equally decisive, citing the large gap to his teammate as proof that driver form also played a major role.
• Despite sweeping the first six grands prix, Mercedes had anticipated a tighter field would eventually emerge. Resta said the fluctuating performance across teams makes for better racing, but admitted the squad is paying a heavy price for reliability shortcomings that have undermined its results.
• Ferrari has clawed back 26 points across the last three race weekends, turning what initially looked like a runaway championship fight into a genuine three-way contest.

What's next:

Mercedes is now carefully mapping out its second-half upgrade strategy. Deputy team principal Bradley Lord confirmed the team is weighing when to introduce new aero parts and ADUO power unit updates, wary of moving too quickly and tripping over itself in the rush to respond. With rivals gaining serious momentum, Mercedes faces a crucial post-summer stretch to fix its reliability woes and prove its early 2026 dominance was no temporary advantage.