Hungarian GP Review 2025

Lando Norris closed in on the championship lead against all odds after a Hungarian GP that saw McLaren seal their seventh 1-2 finish of 2025. Strategy saw Oscar Piastri come off worse in Budapest again, but there were no frantic radio messages for team orders we saw last year. The long life of Pirelli's Hard tyre helped Norris to run a one-stop strategy to victory on a day of gambles that left the winner unknown until the last lap.

It wasn't either of the McLaren duo who started the race in P1, though. Charles Leclerc took his first pole position start of the year as Ferrari settle into the second-best position. The Monegasque driver had left teammate Lewis Hamilton feeling "useless" after the seven-time champion qualified and finished a disappointing P12.

There was no disappointment in the early race for Leclerc, however. Knowing that the opening corners of the race would establish the order at the tough-to-pass track, the Ferrari racer eased into a relatively comfortable Turn 1 lead. The fighting for position came behind, with George Russell passing Norris and attacking Piastri for P2, and Fernando Alonso sweeping around the outside of Norris for P4.

Further back, Max Verstappen had qualified a lowly P8 and was trying his best to provide entertainment in the race. The reigning champion had shared with the media that he doesn't expect to win another race all year, but he still had the hunger to fight. He had made overtakes at the Turn 6 chicane early in the race, but it was his pass on Hamilton at Turn 4 that was the most dramatic.

An unconventional overtaking spot had Verstappen with a better exit out of Turn 3 and took the inside of his 2021 rival. This was a battle for P11, not P1, though, and Hamilton jumped across the kerbs to avoid contact with the Red Bull driver. Each was in a damage control race, but this was a near-miss moment that could have ended both champions' Sunday.

The third stint changed the race considerably, with Leclerc pitting ahead of Piastri this time. Although it seemed the wise decision, the Ferrari's pace in the race's final act dropped off a cliff. Piastri took chunks of time from Leclerc after stopping for a final set of Hards and used his additional grip to go around the outside of Turn 1 to get ahead. With Norris not pitting, this was not a move for the lead, however, and there was a nine-second gap for the championship leader to close.

Leclerc's frustrations at losing the place came out over the radio, and the pole-sitting driver complained it would be a "miracle" if he would finish on the podium. His prediction soon came true, too, with Russell being the next driver to pass the frustrated Ferrari racer. Leclerc's anger came through in his defending, too, with late-braking moves ending up earning him a five-second penalty in a day that went from bad to worse.

While Leclerc descended down the order, Norris had opposite fortunes and was still leading the race despite his poor start. Piastri closed in on his teammate in the final laps and had to lock up his front Pirelli tyres to avoid contact in an ambitious Turn 1 overtake attempt. The lack of passing opportunities afforded by the Hungaroring helped Norris fend off Piastri to take an unexpected win and tighten the championship battle.

It's now just nine points between Piastri and Norris at the top as F1 heads into its summer break with 10 rounds remaining. The McLaren pair have now won the past four grands prix with one-two success, and look like they could win every remaining race. There are now three weekends without racing as the sport enters its mandatory two-week shutdown. The Dutch GP is at the end of the month, with Zandvoort resuming the championship on 31 August.