Formula 1: Norris fends off Piastri in final-lap duel to win Hungarian GP
clinched a nail-biting win at the
Hungarian Grand Prix
, outduelling teammate
Oscar Piastri
in a dramatic McLaren showdown that came down to the final lap. The Briton not only secured McLaren's 200th
Formula 1
victory but also slashed Piastri's lead in the drivers' standings to just nine points as the season heads into its mid-year break.
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Starting from third on the grid, Norris dropped to fifth early in the race but executed a flawless one-stop strategy. Piastri, who began just ahead and was running second after Turn 1, was put on a two-stop plan that gave him fresher tyres in the closing stages. With a 10-second gap to close in the final 20 laps, the Australian rookie mounted a fierce charge, cutting into Norris' lead lap after lap.
The real showdown began with just a handful of laps to go.
On Lap 69, Piastri made a daring move on the main straight and lunged into Turn 1, locking up a tyre but narrowly avoiding contact with Norris. Despite the relentless pressure, Norris held firm on worn rubber to take the chequered flag just 0.7 seconds ahead.
Further behind,
George Russell
staged a late-race push to steal third place from polesitter
Charles Leclerc
. The Ferrari driver had led early on but was clearly frustrated in the final stint, struggling with grip and pace.
Fernando Alonso
battled both the competition and a back injury to finish fifth for Aston Martin, showing characteristic grit. Gabriel Bortoleto delivered another standout performance in his rookie year with a strong sixth-place finish for Sauber, followed by Lance Stroll in seventh.
There were more headaches for Red Bull as
Max Verstappen
, celebrating his 200th Grand Prix start, could only manage ninth after a difficult afternoon.
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He's also under investigation for a bold move on Lewis Hamilton that might have pushed the Ferrari driver off the track. Rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli scored the final point in 10th for Mercedes, while Hamilton endured a quiet race, finishing 12th. The result leaves the championship wide open as Norris builds momentum and McLaren continues to look like the team to beat in the second half of the season.
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