F1 – Piastri Takes First F1 Win As McLaren Seal 1-2 In Hungary Ahead Of Hamilton

Oscar Piastri claimed his first Formula 1 victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix, with team-mate Lando Norris finishing second to hand McLaren its first 1-2 finish for three years, as Lewis Hamilton took the final podium spot for Mercedes.

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Piastri’s win was set up at the start when he overtook Norris in Turn 1, but the Australian’s first victory was thrown into doubt late on when a strategic decision to pit Norris ahead of his team-mate in the final stops handed the British driver an undercut that put him in the lead. A lengthy team orders discussion followed, but eventually Norris ceded first place back to Piastri who led McLaren to its first one-two finish since the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.

At the start of the race, polesitter Norris got away well but on the run to the first corner Piastri and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen drew level with the Briton and they went three abreast into Turn 1. Verstappen went off track and with Norris also battling to stay on track, Piastri snuck through on the inside to take the lead.

Verstappen rejoined in second but with the incident being investigated, he was told to give back the place back to Norris and did so soon after. and soon after the start the championship leader handed the place back into Turn 1.

At the end of a tight first stint, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was the first of the frontrunners to pit, from fourth place, followed by Norris and Piastri. Verstappen stayed on track, however, waiting until lap 21 to make his first stop and as the first round of tyre changes played out, Piastri returned to P1, three seconds ahead of Norris, but Hamilton had made the undercut work and he was now third ahead of Verstappen.

Verstappen, with fresher tyres, closed up to Hamilton over the following laps and at the start of lap 35 he attacked into Turn 1. The Mercedes driver locked up and went wide, giving Verstappen the chance to pass on the outside into Turn 3, but on his second attempt it was the Dutchman who went off track and Hamilton held on.

With Verstappen continuing to press, Mercedes eventually pitted Hamilton and the Red Bull driver began to eat into the gap to Norris ahead.

Meanwhile, at the front, Piastri suffered a brief off on lap 33 and that allowed Norris to close the gap at the front to just 1.5s. On lap 45, with both Verstappen and Hamilton threatening, McLaren pitted Norris ahead of leader Piastri to cover the charge. And with Piastri staying out for two more laps, Norris’ undercut promoted him to the race lead.

The strategy decision set up an increasingly techy finish for McLaren as Norris questioned the need to cede the position to Piastri and his race engineer talked the Briton into letting Piastri past.

Verstappen pitted at the end of lap 49, but even though the Dutchman’s stop of 2.3s good, he emerged in fifth place behind Hamilton and Leclerc with the task of passing both in the final 20 laps.

Leclerc’s defence was solid, but with Verstappen carrying more pace on fresh tyres, it was also brief. But after dismissing the Ferrari driver at the start of lap 56, Verstappen’s attempts to pass Hamilton proved frustrating and eventually debilitating.

The Dutchman attacked on lap 62 but Hamilton defended well. Max went for it again on the following lap but his lunge down the inside was too late. As Hamilton turned in, Verstappen locked up and there was contact.

The Red Bull driver was pitched into the air and then off track. Hamilton powered off into third and as Verstappen rejoined, Leclerc swept past to demote the Red Bull driver to fifth.

At the front, Norris eventually gave way to Piastri on lap 69 and two laps later the Australian took the flag to score his maiden F1 victory. Norris completed the 1-2 for McLaren and Hamilton took the remaining podium place ahead of Leclerc.

That left fifth place for a frustrated Max, who was also summoned to the stewards to review the Hamilton incident. Sainz took sixth place while another trademark Checo charge brought the team six hugely valuable points at the end of a difficult afternoon. Russell was left with eighth ahead of Tsunoda and the final point went to Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.

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