BUDAPEST (AP) — Australian driver Oscar Piastri received his first Components One race after teammate Lando Norris handed him again the result in full a McLaren one-two on the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.
That excellent consequence got here after an extended and at occasions awkward back-and-forth between the British workforce and its prime driver earlier than Norris lastly obeyed orders to let Piastri again in entrance.
Piastri began second behind pole-sitting Norris and beat him to the primary flip. Norris then acquired forward after a pit-stop technique that favored him regardless of being behind his teammate, however he ultimately listed to workforce orders and let Piastri take the victory.
“That is the day I dreamed of as a child, standing on the highest step of the rostrum,” the 23-year-old Piastri mentioned. “A bit difficult on the finish, however I put myself in place off the beginning.
“I had a whole lot of belief in Lando, and I believe it was a good choice to swap us again on the finish.”
Lewis Hamilton completed third behind the papaya-colored pair for his record-extending 2 hundredth profession podium.
Factors chief Max Verstappen completed fifth behind Charles Leclerc in a Ferrari and has now gone three races with out a victory. Verstappen nonetheless leads the standings with 265 factors to Norris’ 189 however the Dutchman has seen Crimson Bull’s pace benefit evaporate this summer time.
RADIO DRAMA
McLaren’s enormous victory may even be remembered for the workforce debate over which driver would lastly come out on prime.
At first, the workforce informed Piastri that the pit technique was to make sure Norris may maintain Hamilton at bay, whereas asking Norris to present the place again “at his comfort.”
Because the laps ticked by and Norris didn’t budge, McLaren informed Piastri that he may get again in entrance when he caught up with Norris. Lastly, the workforce turned to pleading with Norris simply to let Piastri by.
“I do know you’ll do the fitting factor,” the workforce informed Norris. After an extended silence, Norris replied “inform him to catch up then please.”
The stress was constructing till Norris eased up and allowed Piastri previous with two laps to go.
Piastri and Norris exchanged a short handshake whereas taking off their helmets and after each have been congratulated by McLaren employees and different drivers.
“I don’t know any driver who when main the race is completely satisfied to swap again, that’s not the character of drivers,” McLaren workforce principal Andrea Stella mentioned. “That’s why we now have to recall our rules … in these battles, Lando will want the assist of Oscar and the assist of the workforce.”
Lando had no harsh phrases earlier than stepping onto the second spot on the winners podium, though he had come so near including to his maiden F1 win in Miami in Could — and to chipping additional into Verstappen’s benefit within the standings.
“An incredible day as a workforce, that’s the most important factor. I’m so completely satisfied. It has been an extended journey to realize this on benefit,” Norris mentioned. “Oscar had begin. (His win) was coming in some unspecified time in the future, and he deserved it at present.”
When requested straight concerning the choice to cede his lead, Norris mentioned curtly: “The workforce requested me to do it so I did it, that’s it.”
Piastri, for his half, took an extended breath when requested how he spent the 20-laps trailing Norris earlier than admitting it was an anxious spell.
“The longer you permit it, the extra you get a bit nervous, however yeah, I believe it was the fitting factor,” he mentioned.
Piastri turned the seventh completely different winner in 13 races this season that began wanting like one other cruise for the three-time defending champion Verstappen however has now become a combat. Crimson Bull noticed its lead within the constructors championship lowered to 389-338 over McLaren, after Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Pérez continued to wrestle and completed seventh.
Piastri was a champion in F3 and F2 earlier than he made the leap to the motorsport’s elite competitors final season with McLaren. It was the Melbourne native’s first victory in 35 F1 races. He completed runner-up twice just lately, in Monaco and Austria. His earlier largest F1 achievement was successful the dash race at Qatar in 2023.
VERSTAPPEN VS HAMILTON
Whereas McLaren was unchallenged on the observe, Hamilton and Verstappen delivered probably the most thrilling driving on the Hungaroring.
Hamilton had already held off Verstappen throughout an extended stretch earlier than the Dutchman tried once more to move him on the ultimate laps with third place at stake.
However as Verstappen lunged previous Hamilton on the within of a right-hand nook, he locked his entrance wheels and his again clipped Hamilton’s Mercedes, sending the Crimson Bull’s rear airborne earlier than veering off the observe. Verstappen acquired again into the race however had misplaced a spot to Leclerc within the course of.
“The shut battle we had on the finish was a bit hair-raising, however that’s racing,” Hamilton mentioned.
Carlos Sainz was sixth within the different Ferrari. Mercedes’ George Russell was eighth, behind Pérez. Yuki Tsunoda of RB and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll closed out the factors positions.
The Hungarian GP marks the beginning of the second half of the season. Subsequent up is the Belgian GP on July 28.
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