Lando Norris secured his first Grand Prix win as a World Champion in Budapest, marking a significant achievement for both him and McLaren. The victory came after a competitive race at the Hungaroring, where Norris also claimed pole position.
Norris’s performance was described as relentless, as he navigated challenges throughout the race. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, initially took the lead in the second corner. Norris communicated his pace advantage over Piastri, and while he requested to pit first, the team followed protocol, allowing the leading driver the first option for a stop.
The second round of pit stops proved crucial on the high-tyre wear circuit. Piastri pitted on Lap 33, covering Lewis Hamilton on fresh tyres. Norris then pitted on Lap 39, benefiting from a tyre life offset compared to Piastri. This strategy allowed Norris to emerge from the pits into a lead he maintained until the end.
An incident involving Piastri and Carlos Sainz occurred on Lap 39. Piastri was attempting to lap Sainz, who was battling Fernando Alonso. Sainz, having run wide in Turn 2, swung back to the racing line, colliding with Piastri. Sainz’s team had informed him of Piastri’s approach, but his position on the outside of the turn limited his visibility. Sainz received a five-second penalty for the incident. Piastri avoided spinning but lost critical time, which further solidified Norris’s lead.
Piastri’s McLaren later experienced a transmission failure, leading to a third stop for Norris under a Virtual Safety Car on Lap 56 for fresh soft compound tyres.
Verstappen’s Fight and Ferrari’s Strategy
Max Verstappen, despite expressing concerns about aerodynamic degradation, handling, and inconsistent gear shifting in his Red Bull, finished in second place. He executed several overtakes on Hamilton’s Ferrari. Verstappen’s team explained that damage to the car’s aero parts, particularly underneath, could disproportionately affect downforce and grip, which might have contributed to his comments on aero degradation.
Ferrari had been considered strong contenders after practice sessions. Hamilton had preserved a new set of soft tyres by clearing the first stage of qualifying on medium tyres. However, he incurred a three-place grid penalty for unintentionally blocking another driver during qualifying, who was later identified as Piastri. Charles Leclerc also faced issues in qualifying, with a lap time deleted due to track limits, leaving him with only lightly used soft tyres to start the race.
Ferrari attempted to aid Hamilton with early pit stops on Laps 13 and 30 for fresh tyres, but these efforts did not yield dividends against Verstappen’s performance. Both Ferrari drivers pitted again under the Lap 56 Virtual Safety Car for fresh soft tyres. This allowed Kimi Antonelli to move ahead, a position he maintained to secure a podium spot.
Mercedes’ Performance and Other Finishers
Mercedes, which had shown strong form earlier in the season, appeared to be off the pace in Hungary. Antonelli received a three-place grid penalty for failing to sufficiently lift for yellow warning flags during qualifying when Verstappen spun. This placed him seventh on the grid, one position behind his teammate, George Russell, who also struggled with pace.
Russell’s car sustained engine damage from running over kerbs in Turn 4, necessitating a new power unit for race day. The cause of a difficult start for Russell is not yet certain, though Toto Wolff indicated it was a car issue. Russell dropped to 21st but recovered to finish seventh, close to Isack Hadjar‘s Red Bull in sixth.
Antonelli’s podium finish increased his championship lead over Hamilton and Russell as the season heads into the summer break. Liam Lawson finished eighth, and Arvid Lindblad secured 10th place for Racing Bulls, contributing to their standing.
Source: formula1.com
