Lando Norris emerged victorious at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, fending off a late surge from McLaren teammate and championship leader Oscar Piastri. With this triumph, Norris notched his fifth win of the season, narrowing the championship gap to just nine points as the Formula 1 calendar heads into its summer break.
Lando Norris executes perfect strategy amid tight McLaren duel
Starting behind polesitter Charles Leclerc, Norris relied on a clever one-stop strategy to leapfrog the frontrunners in a race dominated by tire management and strategic nuance. While Leclerc led the early laps, holding off Piastri during the first stint, the Ferrari driver's two-stop plan left him vulnerable in the second half of the race.
As strategies played out, Norris found himself leading the pack, having opted to extend his first stint. With fresher rubber in hand and a resilient pace, he defended valiantly against a rapidly advancing Piastri in the closing stages.
“It was a tough one today. Oscar really pushed me all the way,” Norris said post-race. “The team made a great call with the strategy and I just had to keep my head down and bring it home.”
Oscar Piastri’s late charge falls short
Oscar Piastri, who currently leads the Drivers' Championship, pushed his McLaren to the absolute limit in the final laps. Cutting down Norris’ advantage to under a second, the Australian applied relentless pressure but was ultimately unable to execute a pass.
"I gave it everything I had," Piastri admitted. "Lando was just too good today. The fight was clean and intense — that's what racing should be."
Despite missing out on the win, Piastri's P2 finish kept him atop the championship standings, albeit with a significantly reduced lead.
Charles Leclerc fades, George Russell capitalizes
Charles Leclerc had looked set for a podium early on, but his pace deteriorated on the two-stop strategy. The Ferrari driver’s hopes were further dashed after a five-second time penalty for erratic driving while defending against George Russell.
Russell seized the opportunity, overtaking Leclerc to clinch third for Mercedes — a vital result for the team.
Fernando Alonso, Bortoleto Shine in Midfield
Fernando Alonso delivered a typically composed drive to finish fifth for Aston Martin, marking a strong double-points finish for the team with Lance Stroll in seventh. Between them, rookie Gabriel Bortoleto impressed once again by securing sixth for Kick Sauber — a result that continues to raise eyebrows across the paddock.
Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton struggle in budapest
It was a rare off day for Red Bull and Mercedes' top contenders. Max Verstappen finished ninth after a quiet race that included a post-race investigation following contact with Lewis Hamilton — though no further action was taken. Hamilton, meanwhile, endured a disappointing outing, finishing outside the points in 12th.
Race Result: 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix
| POS. | DRIVER | TEAM | TIME / RETIRED | PTS. |
| 1. | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:35:21.231 | 25 |
| 2. | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.698s | 18 |
| 3. | George Russell | Mercedes | +21.916s | 15 |
| 4. | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +42.560s | 12 |
| 5. | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +59.040s | 10 |
| 6. | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | +66.169s | 8 |
| 7. | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +68.174s | 6 |
| 8. | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +69.451s | 4 |
| 9. | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +72.645s | 2 |
| 10. | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +1 lap | 1 |
With momentum firmly on his side, Lando Norris heads into the break reinvigorated and closing in fast on the title chase. The McLaren intra-team rivalry promises fireworks as the second half of the season looms.