Hungaroring, Hungary : Lando Norris stormed to a vital victory at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix, slicing into Oscar Piastri’s lead in the drivers’ championship with a brilliantly executed one‑stop strategy. In what proved to be a milestone race for McLaren, the team secured its 200th Formula 1 win and a commanding one-two finish, with Piastri crossing the line just 0.698 seconds behind his teammate.
Norris Delivers Tactical Masterclass On Worn Tyres
Norris made the bold decision to stretch his hard tyres over half the race distance, a strategy that paid off brilliantly under pressure from Piastri in the closing laps. His ability to manage tyre wear while maintaining pace underlined his maturity as a title contender. This victory narrows the championship gap to just nine points heading into the summer break.
“This is the best I’ve driven all year,” said Norris post-race. “We took a risk, and it worked. Full credit to the team.”
Piastri Holds Lead But Faces Renewed Pressure
Oscar Piastri retains the top spot in the standings, but the pressure is mounting. Despite showing excellent pace and challenging Norris to the very end, he was unable to reclaim the lead in the final laps.
“It was close, but Lando deserved it today,” Piastri admitted. “The fight continues after the break.”
Russell Shines As Mercedes Return To Form
George Russell delivered a strong performance for Mercedes, finishing third and securing valuable points for the team. He also benefitted from a five-second penalty handed to Charles Leclerc, who had initially crossed the line in third but was demoted due to aggressive driving tactics.
Leclerc Frustrated As Strategy And Penalty Ruin Pole
Charles Leclerc started from pole but saw his chances of victory slip away due to a misjudged strategy and a controversial penalty for erratic defending against Russell. Despite this, he retained fourth place.
“Honestly, I don’t know what we were doing,” Leclerc told reporters. “We threw it away again.”
Hamilton’s Ferrari Woes Continue With No Points
Lewis Hamilton’s difficult debut season with Ferrari hit another low point as he finished 12th, outside the points. After the race, Hamilton openly criticized his own performance and jokingly questioned if the team should replace him.
“I was useless today,” he said. “Fred [Vasseur] deserves better. Maybe they need a new driver.”
It marks his worst result of the season and adds to a growing list of setbacks since joining the Scuderia.
Championship Picture: McLaren Rising, Red Bull Fading
Piastri still leads the title race, but Norris is now within striking distance. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen continued to struggle and has fallen further off the pace, signaling a potential power shift in the 2025 season.
McLaren’s resurgence is becoming the defining story of the year, both drivers now clearly in championship contention.
F1 Heads Into Summer Break Before Dutch Grand Prix
The Hungarian Grand Prix concludes the first half of the 2025 season. Teams now enter the summer shutdown, with the Dutch Grand Prix set to resume action later in August.
Final Classification: Hungarian Grand Prix 2025
Position Driver Team Time/Gap
1 Lando Norris McLaren 1:37:45.832
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.698s
3 George Russell Mercedes +21.254
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +24.102s (pen.)
5 Carlos Sainz Ferrari +28.763s
… … … …
12 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +1 Lap
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