Oscar Piastri claims maiden F1 victory in Hungary

As the lights went out, Oscar Piastri made a perfect getaway, maintaining his lead into Turn 1.

His McLaren teammate Lando Norris slotted into second, with Max Verstappen's Red Bull in third.

The opening laps saw Piastri steadily building a gap to Norris, while Verstappen struggled to keep pace with the McLarens.

The first round of pit stops began around lap 20, with most frontrunners opting for hard tires.

During the first round of pitstops Piastri pitted first and retained his position ahead of Norris after both drivers had completed their stops.

Hamilton Pressures Verstappen

As the race progressed, Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes began to close the gap to Verstappen.

Their battle intensified in the latter stages of the second stint, with Hamilton defending hard and preventing Verstappen from making progress.

The final pit stop phase saw McLaren pit Norris on lap 45, two laps before Piastri.

The undercut effect was strong, allowing Norris to emerge ahead of his teammate when Piastri pitted on lap 47.

This led to a tense team orders situation in the closing laps.

With about 10 laps to go, McLaren instructed Norris to let Piastri through. Norris initially resisted, citing his stronger pace.

After several laps of increasingly firm radio messages, Norris finally yielded on lap 68, allowing Piastri to reclaim the lead and secure his maiden victory.

The closing stages also saw a dramatic moment between Verstappen and Hamilton.

Frustrated by his inability to pass, Verstappen attempted an ambitious move into Turn 1.

The resulting contact sent Verstappen briefly airborne and allowed Charles Leclerc to slip past into fourth place.

Piastri took the checkered flag, followed by Norris and Hamilton, with Leclerc and Verstappen rounding out the top five.

Red Bull: Under Pressure

Red Bull's air of invincibility showed cracks in Hungary. Despite bringing updates, the team struggled to match McLaren's pace.

Verstappen's frustration was evident throughout the race, manifesting in tense conversations with his race engineer and culminating in the clash with Hamilton.

The team's inability to secure a podium finish raises questions about their dominance going forward.

McLaren's Race Management

McLaren demonstrated they currently have the fastest and most balanced car on the grid.

However, their race management and strategy execution need refinement.

The decision to pit Norris before race leader Piastri, while effective in securing a 1-2 finish, created unnecessary tension between their drivers.

The protracted team orders saga in the closing laps highlighted the need for clearer communication and decision-making.

Mercedes Consistency

Mercedes showed improved form, securing a podium with Hamilton's third-place finish.

While not yet challenging for wins, their race pace was strong enough to keep them in the fight.

Russell's recovery drive from outside the top ten to eighth place further underlined the team's progress. However, the gap to McLaren in qualifying pace remains a concern.

Ferrari

Ferrari exceeded expectations with Leclerc's strong fourth-place finish. The new floor introduced for this race seemed to yield positive results.

However, the team continues to grapple with bouncing issues in high-speed corners, a problem they must solve to consistently challenge for podiums and wins.

As the Formula 1 circus leaves Hungary, the 2024 championship landscape appears markedly different.

Red Bull's dominance, seemingly unassailable just months ago, now faces a genuine threat from a resurgent McLaren.

With Mercedes finding consistency and Ferrari showing flashes of speed, the second half of the season promises an intensified battle for the championship.