Lando Norris of McLaren secured his first Grand Prix victory of the year in Budapest, following a compelling race. Despite starting from pole position, Norris initially lost the lead to his teammate, Oscar Piastri, who had a strong start and capitalized on Norris running wide through Turn 2.
Piastri led for a significant portion of the first half of the race, maintaining a lead over Norris. However, a strategic pit stop by McLaren for Piastri, aimed at covering a threat from behind, allowed Norris to extend his stint and gain time with a series of quick laps. Piastri’s race was further complicated by traffic and a collision with Carlos Sainz, a lapped driver, which resulted in a five-second penalty for Sainz.
Norris eventually emerged ahead after his own pit stop. Piastri, who had been promoted back to second place following Kimi Antonelli’s second pit stop, was forced to retire on lap 56 due to a gearbox failure. This incident led to a late virtual safety car (VSC) period.
Verstappen secures second place
Max Verstappen of Red Bull secured a second-place finish, despite expressing frustration with his car throughout the race. Red Bull’s strategy to fit soft tyres on Verstappen’s car during his second pit stop proved to be a key factor in his performance. This move was aimed at challenging Lewis Hamilton in the later stages of the race.
Verstappen’s race also saw him re-pass Hamilton after the Ferrari driver had briefly moved ahead following the first pit stops. This allowed Verstappen to maintain a strong position behind the McLarens. Isack Hadjar, also from Red Bull, finished in sixth place, marking his seventh consecutive top-six finish.
Hamilton finished the race in fourth place, but a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane dropped him to fifth, behind his teammate Charles Leclerc. This penalty was Hamilton’s second in two days, following a penalty for blocking Piastri in qualifying, and additional penalties in previous races.
Team reactions and future outlook
Norris expressed his happiness with the victory, stating that his pace was among the best he had ever achieved. He credited the team’s significant work for putting them in a position to win again and expressed belief in securing further victories. Piastri, despite his retirement, congratulated Norris and acknowledged the car’s capability to win races, emphasizing the team’s continued push for performance.
Andrea Stella, McLaren’s Team Principal, lauded the team’s effort and the strategic execution of the race. He highlighted Norris’s exceptional pace and acknowledged the unfortunate circumstances that led to Piastri’s retirement. Stella also noted that the performance improvement was a direct result of recent upgrades, validating the team’s conceptual direction.
Laurent Mekies, Red Bull’s Team Principal, praised Verstappen and Hadjar’s performances, noting that the team’s underlying pace was strong enough to compete with all but Norris. He emphasized the team’s effective strategy calls and pit stops. Both McLaren and Red Bull are looking forward to the summer break to recharge before the second half of the season, with plans for further development and upgrades.
The next race, the Dutch Grand Prix, is scheduled from August 21-23, following a four-week summer break.
Source: formula1.com
