BUDAPEST — Oscar Piastri won his first Formula 1 race after completing a McLaren one-two with Lando Norris at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.
The 23-year-old Australian driver started second behind Norris, who was on pole, and beat him into the first corner to take the lead. Norris took the lead after a pit stop strategy that favored him, but ultimately heeded his team’s request to hand the lead back to his partner.
“This is the day I dreamed of, being on the top step of an F1 podium,” said Piastri.
Lewis Hamilton finished third, behind the papaya-colored duo, extending his record 200th career podium.
Points leader Max Verstappen finished fifth behind Charles Leclerc in a Ferrari and has now gone three races without a victory. Verstappen leads the standings with 265 points to Norris’ 189.
McLaren celebrated the double, but the great victory will also be remembered for the team’s debate over which driver would finally emerge victorious.
At first, the team told Piastri that the pit strategy was to ensure Norris could keep Hamilton away, while asking Norris to hand back the place “at his convenience”.
As the laps passed and Norris didn’t move, McLaren told Piastri he could get back to the front when he caught Norris. Finally, the team asked Norris to let Piastri pass.
“I know you will do the right thing,” the team told Norris. After a long silence, Norris replied “tell him to catch up, please.”
The tension increased until Norris relaxed and allowed Piastri to pass with two laps to go.
Piastri and Norris exchanged a brief handshake as they took off their helmets and then both were congratulated by the McLaren team and other drivers.
Lando didn’t say any harsh words before taking second place on the winners’ podium, despite coming so close to taking his first F1 victory in Miami in May.
“An incredible day as a team, that’s the main thing. I’m so happy. It was a long journey to achieve this based on merit,” said Norris. “Oscar had a good start. (His victory) was coming at some point, and he deserved it today.”
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