Norris wins at Hungaroring on 3/8. Photo: AP

Norris wins at Hungaroring on 3/8. Photo: AP

The McLaren duo started behind Charles Leclerc's Ferrari SF-25 at the Hungaroring. Despite predictions that Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri would overtake the Monacan driver early on, initial difficulties suggested a McLaren victory was unlikely.

A close start between Piastri and Norris pushed the trailing MCL39 onto an unfavorable line, dropping to fifth behind George Russell (Mercedes) and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin). Piastri narrowly avoided losing second place to Russell, while Leclerc maintained a surprising lead.

Leclerc's SF-25 consistently set fastest laps in the opening stages, widening the gap with Piastri to almost three seconds within a few laps. Recognizing the SF-25's pace, McLaren opted for an early pit stop to undercut their rival.

When Piastri pitted on lap 18, Ferrari responded by pitting Leclerc the following lap to prevent being overtaken. Meanwhile, Norris passed Alonso for fourth. Struggling to overtake Russell, Norris switched to a later pit stop strategy for an attacking advantage, briefly taking the lead.

Norris pitted on lap 31, 12 laps later than his main rivals. The MCL39's remarkable pace and stability allowed him to switch to a one-pit strategy, unlike his two-stop competitors. Team principal Andrea Stella admitted initial uncertainty about the strategy, but the car's balance and tire management enabled Norris to finish the final 39 laps on hard tires.

Norris's strategy unexpectedly disadvantaged Piastri, who had started ahead, dropping him to third. The Australian driver communicated his desire for a winning strategy, unconcerned with Ferrari. However, his efforts proved unsuccessful, losing a 14-point battle.

Leclerc's early pit stop necessitated a second stop on lap 40, while Piastri waited five more laps to maximize his track advantage over Norris. After his final pit stop, Piastri quickly closed the gap, overtaking Leclerc for second on lap 51. The nine-second gap between the McLaren drivers diminished as Norris focused on tire conservation.

Leclerc at the Hungaroring. Photo: Scuderia Ferrari

Leclerc at the Hungaroring. Photo: Scuderia Ferrari

With five laps remaining, Piastri trailed Norris by less than a second. Despite several attempts, he couldn't overtake on the notoriously difficult Hungaroring circuit. A near collision between the McLarens occurred on the penultimate lap after Piastri's aggressive maneuver.

Norris admitted post-race exhaustion, stating: "I'm dead. It was tough. Initially, we didn't plan a one-pit strategy, but after the first lap, it was our only option for victory. Battling Oscar at the end was challenging. It's commendable, and today's result is perfect." Piastri acknowledged the difficulty after learning of Norris's one-pit strategy: "I knew I had to pass him, a difficult feat at Hungaroring. Today, we went the wrong way. Lando had nothing to lose. I'm unsure if focusing on Leclerc was the right decision, but we'll review and learn."

In contrast to McLaren's jubilation, Ferrari's technical area was filled with disappointment and internal doubt. Leclerc was disheartened by his decline in the latter half of the race, eventually losing a top-three finish to Russell and receiving a five-second penalty for illegally defending against the Mercedes driver.

Leclerc disappointed after finishing fourth at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Photo: Scuderia Ferrari

Leclerc disappointed after finishing fourth at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Photo: Scuderia Ferrari

After being overtaken, Leclerc immediately criticized his team over the radio for ignoring his feedback, which he felt led to the race's downfall. However, Ferrari later attributed Leclerc's disastrous Hungarian Grand Prix to technical issues with the SF-25 in the second half.

Red Bull also experienced a difficult race. Max Verstappen started eighth and finished ninth, unable to pass former teammate Liam Lawson in the Racing Bulls car. The gap between Verstappen and the championship leader has widened to 97 points.

Hungarian Grand Prix results:

Driver and constructor standings are also included in the original content.

Minh Phuong