August 03, (THEWILL) — Lando Norris claimed victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, leading a dominant McLaren one-two finish for the fourth time this season.
Starting from second on the grid, Norris executed a one-stop strategy to hold off teammate Oscar Piastri, who closed the gap in the final laps but fell short by just 0.7 seconds.
The win marks McLaren’s 200th in Formula 1, cementing their resurgence as a championship-contending force.
George Russell secured third place for Mercedes, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who started on pole, finished fourth after criticising his team’s race strategy. Leclerc’s frustration underscored Ferrari’s ongoing struggles, with the Scuderia still yet to win a race in 2025.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, despite battling back pain, delivered a strong performance to take fifth, ahead of Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.
Norris’s victory narrows Piastri’s lead in the drivers’ championship to just nine points as the season enters its mid-season break.
“I’m dead, it was tough! I wasn’t planning the one-stop strategy, but it paid off,” Norris admitted post-race.
Piastri acknowledged the challenge of overtaking at the Hungaroring, stating: “I saw Lando going for a one-stop, so I knew I’d have to pass on track—easier said than done here.”
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, competing in his 200th race for the team, could only manage ninth, while Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli rounded out the top 10.
Lewis Hamilton, now driving for Ferrari, finished a disappointing 12th. McLaren CEO Zak Brown praised his team’s performance, saying, “Everyone’s going to sleep well tonight—a great way to go into the summer break.”
The result extends McLaren’s remarkable mid-season momentum, with the team now firmly established as Red Bull’s closest rival.
The Formula 1 season resumes on August 29 with the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
