Well, wasn't that a quintessential Hungarian Grand Prix? Just when you thought you had a handle on the 2025 F1 season, Budapest threw F1 another curveball, delivering a race that shuffled the deck for several teams. Lando Norris won the race as the summer break beckons, but some teams and drivers are heading off with a spring in their step, while others are probably already plotting their revenge. Let's dive into who soared and who stumbled at the Hungaroring.
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Lando Norris proved his worth during this race. At the beginning of the first lap, Norris was beset with bad luck, which resulted in multiple position losses until he finally reached his box for tire changes. The initial disadvantage turned into a winning opportunity for McLaren through the decision to execute a bold one-stop strategy, which they initially doubted was even possible. Norris performed flawlessly during the race by perfecting his tire management, while Oscar Piastri countered with a two-stopper strategy. McLaren achieved their 200th Grand Prix victory while Norris successfully defended his championship lead against Piastri by taking nine points from him. The masterful execution transformed an uneventful start into a significant win for Norris and the team.
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Oh, Tifosi. Where do we even begin? Charles Leclerc secured the unexpected pole position and maintained the lead for much of the race. Still, a sudden chassis problem compromised his speed, leaving him unable to continue at a winning pace. He received a relatively light five-second penalty after his wild driving during his battle with Russell. Lewis Hamilton experienced an equally disappointing weekend when he declared himself "useless" while suggesting Ferrari should replace him with another driver after he started 12th and finished last. The Prancing Horse experienced a downright disastrous weekend that exposed their continued inability to transform potential into real performance. The team experienced its most unsuccessful weekend at the track in recent years.
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Mercedes has had its share of disappointing races over the past few weeks, but their performance at the Hungaroring suggests it might have regained its competitive edge. The return to their pre-Imola suspension setup proved to be a brilliant decision since it restored vital pace and stability to the W15. George Russell secured his first podium since Montreal by utilizing his P4 qualifying position to pass Norris at the start and then catch up with struggling Charles Leclerc for a third-place finish. The rookie driver, Kimi Antonelli, achieved a point by finishing in 10th place, demonstrating better tire management skills. The podium finish serves as a significant confidence boost for Mercedes as it proves the team and its drivers remain competitive.
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Budapest proved to be the race that Oscar Piastri lost despite his second-place finish. He started with an advantage by out-qualifying Lando Norris and took the dash to Turn 1 victory while placing a Mercedes between himself and his main rival. The two-stop strategy McLaren thought would be wise turned out to be less effective than Norris's winning one-stop approach.. A crucial lock-up on the penultimate lap occurred when he tried to pass Norris into Turn 1, which blocked his potential overtake. The P2 did not constitute a disaster, yet it felt like a lost opportunity to increase his championship lead, as his advantage over Norris dropped to just nine points.
Gabriel Bortoleto is continuing to make significant waves as his performance improves . The young driver continues to produce impressive results, earning his second consecutive points finish and his third score in four races. Bortoleto began the Hungarian Grand Prix from a personal best seventh position to deliver a P6 finish between the two Aston Martins. Sauber received eight crucial points from Bortoleto as evidence that his dedication during a difficult start to the season has begun to yield results. The Brazilian driver is rapidly establishing himself as a force within the midfield racing class.
The Hungarian Grand Prix delivered Red Bull's most disappointing result in recent times. During Saturday's event, Max Verstappen confirmed there was no grip and his team continues to analyze the phenomenon . Verstappen placed P9 while other drivers, including Liam Lawson, finished ahead of him despite his fresh tires. During the race, Yuki Tsunoda lost all the goodwill he had gained in qualifying after a collision and suffering front wing damage. Team principal Laurent Mekies maintains that this was an isolated incident, but the team remains perplexed by their complete loss of performance at this low-to-medium speed circuit.
The summer break will begin with teams analyzing data while reconsidering their strategy and hoping for a chance to start fresh. The championship fight has taken a new direction, while the competition between midfield teams continues to intensify. The second half of the season is now on the horizon and it should be an exciting finish to the season.
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