LANDO Norris expressed his excitement for future battles with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri after securing a narrow victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix. The British driver finished just 0.698 seconds ahead of Piastri, marking McLaren’s 200th Formula One win and their 13th triumph at the Hungaroring.
“I’m dead!” Norris joked after the race, admitting the one-stop strategy was not their initial plan. “It was tough in the final stint with Oscar catching. I was pushing flat out, so my voice has gone a little bit!”
Piastri, who opted for a two-stop strategy, had fresher tyres but struggled to overtake on the tight circuit. “I pushed as hard as I could,“ Piastri said. “I saw Lando going for a one-stop, so I knew I had to overtake on track, which is easier said than done here.”
Norris acknowledged Piastri’s strong performance, saying, “Credit to Oscar, he put up a good charge, and I just about held on. I look forward to many more of these.” The win narrowed Piastri’s championship lead to nine points as the season heads into its summer break.
Piastri questioned McLaren’s early strategy to undercut Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, which ultimately put him on a two-stop plan. “I’m not sure that was the right call,“ he admitted. Leclerc finished fourth behind Mercedes’ George Russell, while McLaren celebrated their fourth consecutive 1-2 finish.
With five wins this season, Norris has closed in on Piastri, setting up an intense second half of the championship. McLaren now leads Ferrari by 299 points in the constructors’ standings ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix on August 31. - AFP
