McLaren’s Oscar Piastri claims stunning first F1 win in Hungary
Oscar Piastri raced to his maiden Formula 1 victory in Hungary, delivering a flawless performance that left his rivals playing catch-up all afternoon.
The young Australian took control from the very start, sweeping past both pole-sitter teammate Lando Norris and Max Verstappen into Turn 1.
From there, Piastri never looked back.
The early drama wasn’t finished, though. On Lap 4, Red Bull instructed Verstappen to hand back position to Norris after a questionable move at the start, dropping the championship leader to third.
Piastri showed incredible pace, stretching his lead to three seconds over Norris as the first round of pit stops approached.
The McLaren cars were simply in another league today.
Verstappen’s frustration grew throughout the race. A slow pit stop cost him position to Lewis Hamilton, and when he tried to reclaim it on lap 35 with a bold outside move at Turn 2, his RB21 understeered wide.
“This car is just not working!” Verstappen fumed over team radio, clearly feeling the pressure as his championship rivals continue to close the gap.
In a surprise tactical move, McLaren brought Norris in for his final stop before race leader Piastri—breaking normal team protocol. This briefly put Norris ahead on track, but the team soon made their intentions clear.
“We’ll need to switch positions in the coming laps,” came the message to Norris.
The real fireworks came on Lap 63. Verstappen, desperate for a podium finish, made a lunge at Hamilton that ended with the two championship rivals colliding. Somehow, both managed to continue racing despite the contact.
Two laps from home, Norris honored the team’s request, letting Piastri through to secure his first-ever F1 win. The gesture showed real sportsmanship from the Brit, who’s still seeking his second career victory.
Hamilton rounded out the podium in third, while Charles Leclerc and a frustrated Verstappen completed the top five.
For the 23-year-old Piastri, it was the culmination of a remarkable rookie journey. From reserve driver just last year to race winner today—proof that McLaren’s faith in their young talent has been totally justified.
