Norris Fends Off Piastri in Thrilling Hungarian Grand Prix Victory **

Lando Norris secured McLaren’s 200th Formula 1 win by narrowly holding off teammate Oscar Piastri in a tense Hungarian Grand Prix, closing the championship gap to nine points. A strategic one-stop gamble paid off for Norris, despite Piastri’s late charge on fresher tyres. **

By Chris Posiano

August 4, 2025 at 12:33 AM

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Norris Holds Off Piastri for Historic McLaren Victory

A masterful defensive drive from Lando Norris secured his third Formula 1 victory—and McLaren’s 200th—at the Hungarian Grand Prix, as he resisted a late surge from teammate Oscar Piastri. The win narrows Norris’ championship deficit to Piastri to just nine points heading into the summer break.

After falling to fifth on the opening lap, Norris opted for a bold one-stop strategy, which initially seemed risky but paid off as he stretched his stint on hard tyres. Piastri, on a two-stop plan, closed in dramatically in the final laps but could not overcome the challenge of overtaking on the notoriously difficult Hungaroring circuit.

Piastri made two aggressive attempts to pass Norris at Turn One, but ultimately came up short. "I pushed as hard as I could," the Australian admitted. "Today we were just on the wrong side of it."

Norris, who called the race "tough" and "rewarding," said: "We weren’t planning on the one-stop, but after the first lap, it was our only option. The final stint was flat-out, but we made it work."

George Russell (Mercedes) completed the podium, overtaking a fading Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) late in the race. Leclerc, who started from pole, struggled with tyre wear and an unknown car issue, allowing Russell to pass him with a decisive move.

Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) delivered a standout performance with a one-stop strategy, finishing fifth, while his protégé Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) matched the feat in sixth. Alonso’s teammate Lance Stroll took seventh, helping Aston Martin leapfrog Sauber in the constructors’ standings.

A tough day for Lewis Hamilton saw him finish 12th, hampered by an unsuccessful long-run tyre strategy. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) struggled all weekend, managing only ninth place, with teammate Liam Lawson securing eighth.

The result sets up an intense championship battle as F1 heads into its summer break. Will Norris close the gap further, or can Piastri regroup and maintain his lead? The fight continues at Spa in late August.