In a race that saw all drivers making multiple tire changes due to the demanding conditions of the Hungarian Grand Prix, young Australian driver Oscar Piastri claimed his first career victory in Formula 1. He was followed by British teammate Lando Norris, securing a perfect 1-2 finish for McLaren, demonstrating that the team is now in a position to challenge Red Bull’s dominance in recent years.
Regarding Red Bull, three-time world champion Max Verstappen finished fifth after struggling throughout the race. He was bested by multiple champion Lewis Hamilton, who took third place for Mercedes, and Charles Leclerc in fourth for Ferrari.
Verstappen could have secured third place, but on the 63rd lap, while in fourth and chasing Hamilton, both cars made contact. Verstappen’s Red Bull nearly crashed but he managed to keep it on the track. However, this incident caused him to drop to fifth place.
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Piastri crosses the finish line in Hungary, winning his first F1 race. The other McLaren driven by Norris can be seen behind him. (Photo AFP)
For the 21-year-old Piastri, achieving his first victory was not easy. Norris started from pole position and led part of the race. When Piastri took the lead, there was some uncertainty within the McLaren team due to both drivers competing under equal conditions, with no designated "number 1" driver. Ultimately, it was decided that Piastri would claim his first champagne victory, a memorable moment at the Hungaroring circuit.
For seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, coming third was significant, not only for making it back to the podium but also for showing that Mercedes is becoming competitive again. The German manufacturer dominated Formula 1 from 2014 to 2020 and even won the Constructors’ Championship in 2021. Hamilton lost the title in a dramatic last-lap finish in Abu Dhabi to Max Verstappen, marking the beginning of Red Bull’s recent dominance powered by Honda engines.
The fastest lap of the race was set by George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) with a time of 1:20.305 on the 55th lap (average speed: 244.363 km/h).
Hungarian Grand Prix Results:
- Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes) – 1:38:01.989
- Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes) + 2.141 seconds
- Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) + 14.880 seconds
- Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) + 19.686 seconds
- Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) + 21.349 seconds
- Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari) + 23.073 seconds
- Sergio Pérez (MEX/Red Bull) + 39.792 seconds
- George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) + 42.368 seconds
- Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/Racing Bulls-Red Bull) + 1:17.259
- Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes) + 1:17.976
- Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin-Mercedes) + 1:22.460
- Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Racing Bulls-Red Bull) + 1 lap
- Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Haas-Ferrari) + 1 lap
- Alexander Albon (THA/Williams-Mercedes) + 1 lap
- Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari) + 1 lap
- Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Sauber-Ferrari) + 1 lap
- Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams-Mercedes) + 1 lap
- Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault) + 1 lap
- Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Sauber-Ferrari) + 1 lap
Driver Rankings:
- Max Verstappen (NED) – 265 pts
- Lando Norris (GBR) – 189
- Charles Leclerc (MON) – 162
- Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) – 154
- Oscar Piastri (AUS) – 149
- Lewis Hamilton (GBR) – 125
- Sergio Pérez (MEX) – 124
- George Russell (GBR) – 116
- Fernando Alonso (ESP) – 45
- Lance Stroll (CAN) – 24
- Nico Hülkenberg (GER) – 22
- Yuki Tsunoda (JPN) – 22
- Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) – 11
- Oliver Bearman (GBR) – 6
- Pierre Gasly (FRA) – 6
- Kevin Magnussen (DEN) – 5
- Alexander Albon (THA) – 4
- Esteban Ocon (FRA) – 3
- Zhou Guanyu (CHN) – 0
- Logan Sargeant (USA) – 0
- Valtteri Bottas (FIN) – 0
Constructors’ Championship Rankings:
- Red Bull – 389 pts
- McLaren-Mercedes – 338
- Ferrari – 322
- Mercedes – 241
- Aston Martin-Mercedes – 69
- Racing Bulls-Red Bull – 33
- Haas-Ferrari – 27
- Alpine-Renault – 9
- Williams-Mercedes – 4
- Sauber-Ferrari – 0
(Source: AFP/HB)
