Norris secures Hungarian Grand Prix victory, McLaren’s first of the season
Lando Norris secured his and McLaren’s first Grand Prix victory of the season at the Hungaroring in Hungary. The win came after a compelling race that saw Norris navigate an early challenge from his teammate and maintain strong pace throughout.
Norris praised the upgrades to his McLaren car, stating that he delivered “some of the best pace I’ve ever had” during the race. He confidently beat Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli to the top step of the podium.
Race Overview
Norris, who started from pole position, initially lost the lead to his teammate Oscar Piastri on the opening lap. Piastri capitalised on Norris going wide at Turn 2 to take the lead. Norris expressed frustration over the radio about being stuck behind Piastri, who led for much of the first half of the race.
McLaren eventually called Piastri into the pits for his second stop, allowing Norris to race in clean air. Norris immediately began setting faster laps and maintained his advantage after Piastri’s subsequent pit stop. This strategy paved the way for Norris to control the race and secure his victory.
Piastri, who was running in second place, later retired from the race due to a gearbox failure. This incident also led to a late Virtual Safety Car with 14 laps remaining.
The race also featured a tense battle for the remaining podium positions in the closing laps between Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. Verstappen managed to hold on to second place, with Antonelli taking third. Antonelli’s third-place finish extended his championship lead to 50 points over Lewis Hamilton and 59 points over his Mercedes teammate George Russell.
Russell finished seventh after a difficult start to the race. Ferrari’s Hamilton initially finished fourth, close behind Antonelli, but received a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane. This penalty dropped him to fifth place, behind his teammate Charles Leclerc.
Norris’s Performance and Team Strategy
Reflecting on the opening lap, Norris mentioned experiencing several “big snaps” and losing the rear of his car, which allowed Piastri to take the lead. Despite this early setback, Norris felt the car was “beautiful to drive” and he was very confident in its performance.
Norris’s strong pace allowed him to extend his stints on old tyres, which ultimately contributed to his win. He noted that the fresh tyres after his stops were crucial in securing the victory. The McLaren team’s big upgrade package for Hungary was a significant factor in their strong performance throughout the weekend.
The decision to pit Piastri before Norris, despite Norris’s initial request to pit first, proved effective. Norris stayed out longer, and Piastri encountered lapped traffic, including Williams’ Carlos Sainz, which resulted in minor contact. Norris then pitted on Lap 40 and emerged ahead of his teammate, dominating the rest of the race.
Norris expressed his happiness with the win and acknowledged the significant effort from his team to develop a car capable of winning again. He also noted that the Hungaroring is one of his best-suited tracks of the year.
Championship Implications and Future Races
Antonelli’s third-place finish further solidified his position at the top of the championship standings. Hamilton’s penalty and his inability to overtake Antonelli meant a missed opportunity to reduce the championship deficit.
Ferrari’s strategy for Hamilton was questioned, particularly their decision to pit him under a late Virtual Safety Car, which caused him to drop from second to fourth. Hamilton’s penalty further compounded the team’s challenges on a day when they potentially had the pace to contend for the win against Norris.
Other notable performances included Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar finishing sixth. The Racing Bulls duo of Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad engaged in a race-long battle with Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg, with Lawson ultimately finishing ahead of Hulkenberg and Lindblad in the points-paying positions.
Norris’s victory has brought him to within 10 points of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the standings, marking a significant improvement from the beginning of the season. The Formula 1 season will resume after the summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix, scheduled from August 21-23.
Source: bbc.co.uk