Lando Norris delivered a masterclass in strategic racing to win the Hungarian Grand Prix, holding off a thrilling late-race charge from McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in one of the most gripping finishes of the 2025 season. The Briton’s alternative one-stop strategy proved decisive at the Hungaroring, cutting Piastri’s championship lead to just nine points as Formula 1 heads into the summer break. Here at Supercars.com.GH, we witnessed an edge-of-the-seat finale that showcased the intensity of McLaren’s internal title battle and confirmed their dominance over the field with their seventh one-two finish of the season.
Leclerc’s Early Promise Fades Under Strategic Pressure
Charles Leclerc started from a surprise pole position and initially controlled the race brilliantly, building a commanding three-second lead over Piastri in the opening stages while Norris struggled in fifth after losing positions to George Russell and Fernando Alonso at the start. The Ferrari driver looked set to claim his first victory of the season as he managed the gap to Piastri through the first stint, successfully defending his position when the Australian attempted an undercut on Lap 19. However, Leclerc’s race began to unravel as different strategies played out, with the Monegasque reporting mysterious handling issues that made his car “undriveable” in the latter stages. His struggles became evident when Russell mounted a sustained challenge for third place, with Leclerc eventually receiving a five-second time penalty for driving erratically during their wheel-to-wheel battle, though he managed to retain fourth place despite the sanction.
Norris’s One-Stop Gamble Creates Championship Drama
The race’s pivotal moment came when McLaren committed to an alternative one-stop strategy for Norris after his poor start left him out of position. The decision, born from necessity rather than design, proved inspired as Norris pitted on Lap 32 for hard tires and found himself perfectly positioned for the final phase of the race. As Leclerc and Piastri completed their two-stop strategies, they emerged behind the patient Norris, setting up a thrilling finale with the Australian on fresher rubber and rapidly closing the gap. The strategic gamble transformed what could have been a damage limitation exercise into a potential victory, with Norris managing his tire degradation expertly while keeping Piastri at bay despite intense pressure in the closing laps.
Heart-Stopping Finale Decides Championship Momentum
The Hungarian Grand Prix’s conclusion provided edge-of-the-seat drama as Piastri closed from 5.6 seconds behind to within 0.6 seconds of Norris in the final two laps. The Australian’s charge through traffic was relentless, with the championship leader desperate to minimize the points loss to his teammate. A late lunge on Lap 69 saw Piastri lock up and narrowly miss contact with Norris, prompting his engineer to remind him to “remember how we go racing.” Despite having fresher tires and superior pace, Piastri couldn’t find a way past his defensive teammate, crossing the line just 0.698 seconds behind in a finish that will be remembered as one of the season’s most thrilling. Russell’s third place completed a satisfying podium for Mercedes, while Fernando Alonso’s season-best fifth place and Gabriel Bortoleto’s impressive sixth highlighted the competitive depth of the midfield as the sport heads into its traditional summer break.
Join Supercars.com.GH after the summer break as we continue following this incredible championship battle heading into the Dutch Grand Prix!