BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Australian driver Oscar Piastri won his first Formula One race after team mate Lando Norris put him back in the lead to complete a McLaren one-two at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.
The remarkable result came after a long and sometimes awkward period between the British team and its number one driver before Norris finally obeyed orders to allow Piastri back into the lead.
Piastri started the race from second behind pole-sitter Norris and overtook him at Turn 1. Norris then moved ahead after a pit stop strategy that worked in his favour despite being behind his team-mate, but he eventually obeyed team orders and allowed Piastri to take the win.
“This is the day I dreamed of when I was a kid, standing on the top step of the podium,” said Piastri, 23. “It was a bit complicated at the end, but I put myself in a good position from the start.
“I had a lot of confidence in Lando, and I think it was a fair decision to finally get him back in the game.”
Lewis Hamilton finished third behind the papaya-coloured duo to claim a record 200th career podium.
Max Verstappen, the drivers’ championship leader, was fifth behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and has not won in three races so far. Verstappen still leads the standings with 265 points to Norris’s 189, but the Dutchman has seen Red Bull’s pace advantage evaporate this summer.
Radio Drama
McLaren’s huge win will also be remembered for the debate within the team over which driver would ultimately win.
Initially, the team informed Piastri that the pit strategy was to ensure Norris could keep Hamilton under control, with Norris asked to return the spot “at his own convenience”.
As the laps ticked by and Norris did not move, McLaren told Piastri he could get back into the lead if he caught Norris. Eventually, the team resorted to begging Norris to let Piastri through.
“I know you’ll do the right thing,” the team said to Norris. After a long silence, Norris replied, “Tell him to follow you then, please.”
Tensions mounted until Norris slowed down and let Piastri pass with two laps to go.
Piastri and Norris exchanged a brief handshake as they removed their helmets and were congratulated by McLaren staff and other drivers.
“I don’t know any driver who would welcome a return to the lead when he is leading the race, that’s not the nature of the drivers,” said McLaren team principal Andrea Stella. “That’s why we have to remember our principles… In these battles, Lando will need Oscar’s support and the team’s support.”
Lando had no harsh words before climbing to second on the podium, although he came very close to adding his first Formula 1 win in Miami in May – and extending Verstappen’s advantage in the standings.
“It was an amazing day for the team, that’s the main thing,” said Norris after finishing second for the 12th time in his career. “I’m very happy. It’s been a long journey to get this done and it’s well deserved.” “Oscar has made a good start. (His win) was coming at some point and he deserved it today.”
When asked directly about the decision to surrender his lead, Norris said briefly: “The team asked me to do it, so I did it, that’s all.”
For his part, Piastri breathed a sigh of relief when asked how he had spent the 20 laps behind Norris before admitting it had been a nervous period.
“The longer I left it, the more nervous I got, but yeah, I think it was the right thing to do,” he said.
Piastri became the seventh different winner in 13 races this season, and what looked like another cruise for three-time champion Verstappen has now turned into a battle. Red Bull’s lead in the constructors’ championship has been cut to 389-338 over McLaren, with Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez continuing to struggle and finishing seventh.
Piastri was a Formula 3 and Formula 2 champion before moving into elite motorsport last season with McLaren. It was the Melbourne native’s first win in 35 Formula 1 races. He has also finished second twice recently, in Monaco and Austria. His biggest previous achievement in Formula 1 was winning the Qatar Grand Prix in 2023.
Born April 2001 Piastri becomes first Formula 1 winner born in this century.
Verstappen vs Hamilton
While McLaren faced no competition on the track, Hamilton and Verstappen put on a very exciting performance at the Hungaroring.
Hamilton had already managed to hold off Verstappen for a long time before the Dutchman tried again to pass him in the final laps with third place at stake.
But when Verstappen rushed past Hamilton at the right-hand corner, he locked his front tyres and the rear of his car collided with Hamilton’s Mercedes, sending the rear of the Red Bull into the air before it spun off the track. Verstappen got back into the race but lost a position to Leclerc in the process.
“The tough battle we had at the end was a bit worrying, but that’s the nature of the race,” Hamilton said.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was sixth, with Mercedes’ George Russell eighth behind Perez. Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll were third and fourth respectively.
The Hungarian Grand Prix marks the start of the second half of the season, followed by the Belgian Grand Prix on July 28.
___
AP Car Racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
“Coffee ninja. Web fan. Hipster-friendly beer enthusiast. Professional creator.”