Hungary Beyond Victory: Stories You Didn't See

The 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix presented a spectacle marked by tension at the front, strategic maneuvering, and battles throughout the grid. McLaren was the star of the show, with its two drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri fighting an intense duel in the closing laps. Ultimately, victory went to Norris, thanks to a calculated strategic risk and masterful tire management.

The day didn't start easily for the Briton. After a strong start, he had to dodge his teammate and lost two positions to George Russell and Fernando Alonso, dropping to fifth. But that initial setback paved the way for an aggressive plan: a single pit stop. Norris extended his first stint to lap 30 and completed the final 40 laps with impeccable wear control, putting him squarely in the fight for the win.

Meanwhile, Piastri starting second opted for a more conservative two-stop strategy, initially focusing on battling Charles Leclerc and failing to anticipate that his true rival would be his teammate. The Australian had good pace and put pressure on Norris in the closing laps, but small errors under pressure such as tire locks prevented him from making the pass and sealed the victory for his teammate. This victory marks the team's 200th win in the top category.

Leclerc, meanwhile, was the day's biggest disappointment. The Ferrari driver started from pole position after a surprising qualifying session and started with promising pace. However, a poor strategy and the car's loss of performance after the second stop relegated him to fourth place. The Monegasque driver's frustration was evident over the radio: "You need to start listening to your drivers. I had a possible solution for these problems, and you didn't listen," he declared, reflecting on the difficult season the Scuderia is having.

The final step of the podium went to Russell, who rescued Mercedes after several mediocre races. The Briton put in a solid performance, with good pace and strategy, as well as an intense defense against Leclerc in the closing laps. His teammate, Kimi Antonelli, also scored points after starting 15th, finishing in tenth place.

Another notable name was Gabriel Bortoleto. The Brazilian driver from Sauber achieved the best result of his short F1 career by finishing sixth, thanks to an impeccable strategy and surprising pace for a car that remains far from the best. Ahead of him, Fernando Alonso secured a key fifth place for Aston Martin, using a DRS system to defend and hold off his pursuers. His teammate Lance Stroll also finished in the points, confirming the team's improvement after a disastrous weekend in Belgium.

Liam Lawson was another revelation: he outperformed his teammate and was the best of the four drivers linked to Red Bull, even ahead of Max Verstappen. The Dutchman had a weekend to forget, with pace and strategy issues. After the race, Verstappen was emphatic: "I don't think I'll win another race this season." The recent champion team is going through a critical period.

Lewis Hamilton also didn't have a good Sunday. The Ferrari driver struggled all weekend and couldn't even crack the top 10. Williams again missed out on points, Haas suffered Ollie Bearman's retirement due to mechanical issues, and Alpine missed a great opportunity with Franco Colapinto, who had a promising start but saw his race ruined by two extremely slow pit stops (almost 7 and 12 seconds).

Hungary made it clear that this season isn't just a title battle between Norris and Piastri, but also a championship full of surprises, strategic risks, and individual performances that can change the script at any moment.