New Maserati supercar may bring back the manual gearbox
British publication Autocar has said the new flagship supercar – Maserati's first since the Ferrari-based MC12 sold between 2004 and 2005 – could be unveiled as soon as 2026 with a manual transmission.
"There are still customers looking for pure mechanical cars," Maserati engineering boss Davide Danesin told Autocar.
"By doing a purely mechanical car, it does make sense to have a mechanical gearbox with a shifter. So why not? It fulfils perfectly the brand. It fulfils perfectly our approach and the mindset. So honestly, I think one day we'll do it."
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
Maserati has not offered a manual gearbox in a production car since 2019, when production of the first-generation GranTurismo wound up. The current model is offered with automatic transmission only.
The proposed new grand touring supercar, which would likely be a limited-edition flagship, would be co-developed with Alfa Romeo since both brands are owned by Stellantis and share the same CEO, Santo Filici.
The two Italian automakers have collaborated on numerous projects in the past, with Maserati most recently supplying the chassis from its MC20 sports car to produce the 2024 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale supercar.
The 33 Stradale was a limited-run model, with only 33 units produced globally. None made it to Australia and each vehicle was priced at €3 million ($A5.33 million).
When asked about a new Maserati supercar, Mr Filici told Autocar: "We have infinite possibilities to customise products for our customers, for the entire range of Maserati. I'm imagining to do something like we did in the past, also considering Alfa Romeo."
This could mean using the underpinnings of the second-generation Maserati GranTurismo, introduced in 2023, which is sold in Australia only with the company's 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol 'Nettuno' engine, but is also available in some markets with a battery-electric powertrain.
Mr Filici told the British publication the new limited-edition model would be a celebration of the Nettuno engine – which made its debut in the MC20 supercar – describing it as "a masterpiece".
"We can imagine a 'few-off' Maserati. It's easy, because you can look at the past of these two brands, and you can find a nice car like the 33 Stradale, and we can invent something like this," he said.
Manual transmissions have gradually disappeared from road cars – and been largely replaced by dual-clutch automatics – with Ferrari and Lamborghini not offering a traditional three-pedal production model for more than a decade.
Ferrari, which last offered a manual in 2012, has suggested the old-school transmission type may make a comeback in its cars, including a project led by its 2025 Formula 1 recruit, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
MORE: Everything Maserati
MORE: Ferrari F44? F1 legend Lewis Hamilton wants to make a manual supercar
MORE: The 10 cheapest new manual cars you can buy in Australia
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
Ferrari and Lamborghini have all dropped them, but Maserati has suggested a manual transmission could be offered in a new supercar it may co-develop with fellow Italian brand Alfa Romeo.
British publication Autocar has said the new flagship supercar – Maserati's first since the Ferrari-based MC12 sold between 2004 and 2005 – could be unveiled as soon as 2026 with a manual transmission.
"There are still customers looking for pure mechanical cars," Maserati engineering boss Davide Danesin told Autocar.
"By doing a purely mechanical car, it does make sense to have a mechanical gearbox with a shifter. So why not? It fulfils perfectly the brand. It fulfils perfectly our approach and the mindset. So honestly, I think one day we'll do it."
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
Maserati has not offered a manual gearbox in a production car since 2019, when production of the first-generation GranTurismo wound up. The current model is offered with automatic transmission only.
The proposed new grand touring supercar, which would likely be a limited-edition flagship, would be co-developed with Alfa Romeo since both brands are owned by Stellantis and share the same CEO, Santo Filici.
The two Italian automakers have collaborated on numerous projects in the past, with Maserati most recently supplying the chassis from its MC20 sports car to produce the 2024 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale supercar.
The 33 Stradale was a limited-run model, with only 33 units produced globally. None made it to Australia and each vehicle was priced at €3 million ($A5.33 million).
When asked about a new Maserati supercar, Mr Filici told Autocar: "We have infinite possibilities to customise products for our customers, for the entire range of Maserati. I'm imagining to do something like we did in the past, also considering Alfa Romeo."
This could mean using the underpinnings of the second-generation Maserati GranTurismo, introduced in 2023, which is sold in Australia only with the company's 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol 'Nettuno' engine, but is also available in some markets with a battery-electric powertrain.
Mr Filici told the British publication the new limited-edition model would be a celebration of the Nettuno engine – which made its debut in the MC20 supercar – describing it as "a masterpiece".
"We can imagine a 'few-off' Maserati. It's easy, because you can look at the past of these two brands, and you can find a nice car like the 33 Stradale, and we can invent something like this," he said.
Manual transmissions have gradually disappeared from road cars – and been largely replaced by dual-clutch automatics – with Ferrari and Lamborghini not offering a traditional three-pedal production model for more than a decade.
Ferrari, which last offered a manual in 2012, has suggested the old-school transmission type may make a comeback in its cars, including a project led by its 2025 Formula 1 recruit, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
MORE: Everything Maserati
MORE: Ferrari F44? F1 legend Lewis Hamilton wants to make a manual supercar
MORE: The 10 cheapest new manual cars you can buy in Australia
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
Ferrari and Lamborghini have all dropped them, but Maserati has suggested a manual transmission could be offered in a new supercar it may co-develop with fellow Italian brand Alfa Romeo.
British publication Autocar has said the new flagship supercar – Maserati's first since the Ferrari-based MC12 sold between 2004 and 2005 – could be unveiled as soon as 2026 with a manual transmission.
"There are still customers looking for pure mechanical cars," Maserati engineering boss Davide Danesin told Autocar.
"By doing a purely mechanical car, it does make sense to have a mechanical gearbox with a shifter. So why not? It fulfils perfectly the brand. It fulfils perfectly our approach and the mindset. So honestly, I think one day we'll do it."
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
Maserati has not offered a manual gearbox in a production car since 2019, when production of the first-generation GranTurismo wound up. The current model is offered with automatic transmission only.
The proposed new grand touring supercar, which would likely be a limited-edition flagship, would be co-developed with Alfa Romeo since both brands are owned by Stellantis and share the same CEO, Santo Filici.
The two Italian automakers have collaborated on numerous projects in the past, with Maserati most recently supplying the chassis from its MC20 sports car to produce the 2024 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale supercar.
The 33 Stradale was a limited-run model, with only 33 units produced globally. None made it to Australia and each vehicle was priced at €3 million ($A5.33 million).
When asked about a new Maserati supercar, Mr Filici told Autocar: "We have infinite possibilities to customise products for our customers, for the entire range of Maserati. I'm imagining to do something like we did in the past, also considering Alfa Romeo."
This could mean using the underpinnings of the second-generation Maserati GranTurismo, introduced in 2023, which is sold in Australia only with the company's 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol 'Nettuno' engine, but is also available in some markets with a battery-electric powertrain.
Mr Filici told the British publication the new limited-edition model would be a celebration of the Nettuno engine – which made its debut in the MC20 supercar – describing it as "a masterpiece".
"We can imagine a 'few-off' Maserati. It's easy, because you can look at the past of these two brands, and you can find a nice car like the 33 Stradale, and we can invent something like this," he said.
Manual transmissions have gradually disappeared from road cars – and been largely replaced by dual-clutch automatics – with Ferrari and Lamborghini not offering a traditional three-pedal production model for more than a decade.
Ferrari, which last offered a manual in 2012, has suggested the old-school transmission type may make a comeback in its cars, including a project led by its 2025 Formula 1 recruit, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
MORE: Everything Maserati
MORE: Ferrari F44? F1 legend Lewis Hamilton wants to make a manual supercar
MORE: The 10 cheapest new manual cars you can buy in Australia
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
Ferrari and Lamborghini have all dropped them, but Maserati has suggested a manual transmission could be offered in a new supercar it may co-develop with fellow Italian brand Alfa Romeo.
British publication Autocar has said the new flagship supercar – Maserati's first since the Ferrari-based MC12 sold between 2004 and 2005 – could be unveiled as soon as 2026 with a manual transmission.
"There are still customers looking for pure mechanical cars," Maserati engineering boss Davide Danesin told Autocar.
"By doing a purely mechanical car, it does make sense to have a mechanical gearbox with a shifter. So why not? It fulfils perfectly the brand. It fulfils perfectly our approach and the mindset. So honestly, I think one day we'll do it."
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
Maserati has not offered a manual gearbox in a production car since 2019, when production of the first-generation GranTurismo wound up. The current model is offered with automatic transmission only.
The proposed new grand touring supercar, which would likely be a limited-edition flagship, would be co-developed with Alfa Romeo since both brands are owned by Stellantis and share the same CEO, Santo Filici.
The two Italian automakers have collaborated on numerous projects in the past, with Maserati most recently supplying the chassis from its MC20 sports car to produce the 2024 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale supercar.
The 33 Stradale was a limited-run model, with only 33 units produced globally. None made it to Australia and each vehicle was priced at €3 million ($A5.33 million).
When asked about a new Maserati supercar, Mr Filici told Autocar: "We have infinite possibilities to customise products for our customers, for the entire range of Maserati. I'm imagining to do something like we did in the past, also considering Alfa Romeo."
This could mean using the underpinnings of the second-generation Maserati GranTurismo, introduced in 2023, which is sold in Australia only with the company's 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol 'Nettuno' engine, but is also available in some markets with a battery-electric powertrain.
Mr Filici told the British publication the new limited-edition model would be a celebration of the Nettuno engine – which made its debut in the MC20 supercar – describing it as "a masterpiece".
"We can imagine a 'few-off' Maserati. It's easy, because you can look at the past of these two brands, and you can find a nice car like the 33 Stradale, and we can invent something like this," he said.
Manual transmissions have gradually disappeared from road cars – and been largely replaced by dual-clutch automatics – with Ferrari and Lamborghini not offering a traditional three-pedal production model for more than a decade.
Ferrari, which last offered a manual in 2012, has suggested the old-school transmission type may make a comeback in its cars, including a project led by its 2025 Formula 1 recruit, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
MORE: Everything Maserati
MORE: Ferrari F44? F1 legend Lewis Hamilton wants to make a manual supercar
MORE: The 10 cheapest new manual cars you can buy in Australia
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
11 minutes ago
- West Australian
Inheritance tax wake-up call for all expat Brits in Australia still with private pensions in the UK!
A major tax change in the UK could have serious consequences for thousands of British expats living in Australia with pension savings left behind in the old country. From April 2026, pension pots inherited after the age of 75 will no longer be tax-free for beneficiaries. Instead, they'll be taxed as income, at the recipient's marginal rate — potentially as high as 45 per cent.. And from April 2027, the UK is going a step further — pensions will be brought into the scope of inheritance tax, too. This 2027 change is a fresh move from the UK Treasury. Pensions, which were previously exempt from UK estate taxes, will now potentially face double taxation — income tax plus inheritance tax. If you're an Australian tax resident with a UK pension and you're assuming it'll all pass seamlessly to your family one day, then think again. Historically, UK defined contribution pensions — also known as 'private pensions' — were a handy estate planning tool. If the pension holder died before age 75, the entire pot could pass to beneficiaries tax-free, and even after 75 it was only subject to income tax when withdrawn. More importantly, pensions were excluded from the estate for UK inheritance tax purposes, meaning they avoided the UK's hefty 40 per cent estate tax altogether. But from April 2026, that income tax exemption ends for people who die over age 75. And from April 2027, the pension itself will be counted as part of the estate for inheritance tax purposes. The UK government has confirmed that from April 2027, defined contribution pensions will be reportable for inheritance tax, with the responsibility falling on executors. In some cases, families could have just six months to report and pay tax or face late penalties. If that sounds like a nightmare for grieving families navigating two tax systems, it's because it probably will be. In contrast, Australian superannuation is relatively generous when it comes to estate planning because: Adding further complexity is a lesser-known change to how the UK defines inheritance tax exposure. From April 6 this year, the UK moved to a residence-based system. If you've been a UK tax resident for 10 out of the last 20 tax years, you may be classified as a long-term resident and subject to UK inheritance tax on your worldwide assets. So, even if you've been living in Australia for years, you may still be caught by UK inheritance tax, because the new rules apply a 'tail' period of up to 10 years after you leave. For many, transferring UK pensions to Australia via a Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme has for a long time — and in the right circumstances — made financial sense. It consolidates retirement savings, aligns your money with your tax residency and gives you more control. Now, with the emergence of this new tax regime, the argument for a transfer grows stronger. It also removes the burden from your family of having to deal with HM Revenue and Customs, complex executor responsibilities and international tax reporting. Of course, it's not always straightforward because: But with professional advice, the process can often be navigated smoothly and the long-term benefits can be significant. The UK's planned tax changes are a wake-up call for British expats in Australia because: So, if you have UK pension savings and live in Australia, it's time to reassess your strategy. A well-considered pension transfer, in the right circumstances and with the right personalised advice, could mean more of your hard-earned savings stay in the hands of your family — and not in the UK tax office. Nicholas Hart is a financial adviser and UK Pensions expert at Empire Financial Group
The Advertiser
43 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Norris closes gap on Piastri in Hungary thriller
Oscar Piastri tried everything to overtake Lando Norris in a tense finish but his McLaren teammate held on to win the Hungarian Grand Prix and boost his F1 title chances heading into the mid-season break. Norris clung on with worn tyres as Piastri loomed behind him in the final laps. He celebrated on Sunday with a double fist pump on top of his car after claiming McLaren's 200th F1 win by less than a second to cut Piastri's lead to nine points from 16. "I'm dead. It was tough, it was tough," Norris said. "The final stint, with Oscar catching, I was pushing flat out." It was a race shaped as much by smart strategy as gritty driving. Norris briefly dropped to fifth on the first lap but made his tyres last to stop only once, while Piastri changed twice. When race engineer Will Joseph asked Norris on the radio, "Lando, 40 laps on the hard tyre, you up for it?" Norris replied: "Yeah, why not?" Piastri said: "I pushed as hard as I could. After I saw Lando going for a one-stop, I knew I was going to have to overtake on track, which is much easier said than done around here." Looking at his late passing attempt, he said: "I think I needed to be at least a couple of tenths closer which was going to take a mistake from Lando to achieve that. "I felt that was going to be my best chance. You never want to try and save it for the next lap, then it never comes, so I thought I would at least try." Piastri steadily cut into Norris' lead in the latter stages of the race but the British driver held on with old tyres to take the win. Piastri nearly collided with his teammate when he locked up a wheel while trying to pass on the second-to-last lap, earning a mild rebuke from his team. "Remember how we go racing, Oscar," came the warning from his race engineer, Tom Stallard. Norris held on to have the last word in their title fight as F1 heads into a four-week break. "Good racing. Good strategy. Good call," was how Norris summed it up on the radio. For the dominant McLaren drivers, it was their seventh 1-2 finish on the season and the team's 11th victory in 14 races in 2025. George Russell took third for Mercedes after fighting his way past Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in a contest that earned Leclerc a time penalty for nearly colliding with Russell. Defending champion Max Verstappen was only ninth. He stays third in the standings, but drops to 97 points behind Piastri. Leclerc started on pole position with hopes of landing Ferrari its first Grand Prix win of the year, but ended up fourth. "This is so incredibly frustrating. We've lost all competitiveness," he told the team over the radio. Leclerc dropped so far off the pace in his final stint that the two McLaren drivers and Russell questioned what happened to him as they chatted after the race. A day after calling himself "useless" and questioning whether Ferrari might need to replace him, Lewis Hamilton ended up 12th, exactly where he started. Hamilton said he's facing issues "in the background". "When you have a feeling, you have a feeling. There's a lot going on in the background that is not great," Hamilton said. But asked if he'd lost his love of racing, he said no. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said: "Lewis is wearing his heart on his sleeve. "It was very raw what he said. He was hard on himself. We have seen it before when he felt he had not met his own expectations." Fernando Alonso took Aston Martin's best result of the season with fifth on a slow track that suited his car, with Gabriel Bortoleto a surprise sixth for Sauber and Lance Stroll seventh in the other Aston Martin. The season resumes with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on August 31. With agencies Oscar Piastri tried everything to overtake Lando Norris in a tense finish but his McLaren teammate held on to win the Hungarian Grand Prix and boost his F1 title chances heading into the mid-season break. Norris clung on with worn tyres as Piastri loomed behind him in the final laps. He celebrated on Sunday with a double fist pump on top of his car after claiming McLaren's 200th F1 win by less than a second to cut Piastri's lead to nine points from 16. "I'm dead. It was tough, it was tough," Norris said. "The final stint, with Oscar catching, I was pushing flat out." It was a race shaped as much by smart strategy as gritty driving. Norris briefly dropped to fifth on the first lap but made his tyres last to stop only once, while Piastri changed twice. When race engineer Will Joseph asked Norris on the radio, "Lando, 40 laps on the hard tyre, you up for it?" Norris replied: "Yeah, why not?" Piastri said: "I pushed as hard as I could. After I saw Lando going for a one-stop, I knew I was going to have to overtake on track, which is much easier said than done around here." Looking at his late passing attempt, he said: "I think I needed to be at least a couple of tenths closer which was going to take a mistake from Lando to achieve that. "I felt that was going to be my best chance. You never want to try and save it for the next lap, then it never comes, so I thought I would at least try." Piastri steadily cut into Norris' lead in the latter stages of the race but the British driver held on with old tyres to take the win. Piastri nearly collided with his teammate when he locked up a wheel while trying to pass on the second-to-last lap, earning a mild rebuke from his team. "Remember how we go racing, Oscar," came the warning from his race engineer, Tom Stallard. Norris held on to have the last word in their title fight as F1 heads into a four-week break. "Good racing. Good strategy. Good call," was how Norris summed it up on the radio. For the dominant McLaren drivers, it was their seventh 1-2 finish on the season and the team's 11th victory in 14 races in 2025. George Russell took third for Mercedes after fighting his way past Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in a contest that earned Leclerc a time penalty for nearly colliding with Russell. Defending champion Max Verstappen was only ninth. He stays third in the standings, but drops to 97 points behind Piastri. Leclerc started on pole position with hopes of landing Ferrari its first Grand Prix win of the year, but ended up fourth. "This is so incredibly frustrating. We've lost all competitiveness," he told the team over the radio. Leclerc dropped so far off the pace in his final stint that the two McLaren drivers and Russell questioned what happened to him as they chatted after the race. A day after calling himself "useless" and questioning whether Ferrari might need to replace him, Lewis Hamilton ended up 12th, exactly where he started. Hamilton said he's facing issues "in the background". "When you have a feeling, you have a feeling. There's a lot going on in the background that is not great," Hamilton said. But asked if he'd lost his love of racing, he said no. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said: "Lewis is wearing his heart on his sleeve. "It was very raw what he said. He was hard on himself. We have seen it before when he felt he had not met his own expectations." Fernando Alonso took Aston Martin's best result of the season with fifth on a slow track that suited his car, with Gabriel Bortoleto a surprise sixth for Sauber and Lance Stroll seventh in the other Aston Martin. The season resumes with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on August 31. With agencies Oscar Piastri tried everything to overtake Lando Norris in a tense finish but his McLaren teammate held on to win the Hungarian Grand Prix and boost his F1 title chances heading into the mid-season break. Norris clung on with worn tyres as Piastri loomed behind him in the final laps. He celebrated on Sunday with a double fist pump on top of his car after claiming McLaren's 200th F1 win by less than a second to cut Piastri's lead to nine points from 16. "I'm dead. It was tough, it was tough," Norris said. "The final stint, with Oscar catching, I was pushing flat out." It was a race shaped as much by smart strategy as gritty driving. Norris briefly dropped to fifth on the first lap but made his tyres last to stop only once, while Piastri changed twice. When race engineer Will Joseph asked Norris on the radio, "Lando, 40 laps on the hard tyre, you up for it?" Norris replied: "Yeah, why not?" Piastri said: "I pushed as hard as I could. After I saw Lando going for a one-stop, I knew I was going to have to overtake on track, which is much easier said than done around here." Looking at his late passing attempt, he said: "I think I needed to be at least a couple of tenths closer which was going to take a mistake from Lando to achieve that. "I felt that was going to be my best chance. You never want to try and save it for the next lap, then it never comes, so I thought I would at least try." Piastri steadily cut into Norris' lead in the latter stages of the race but the British driver held on with old tyres to take the win. Piastri nearly collided with his teammate when he locked up a wheel while trying to pass on the second-to-last lap, earning a mild rebuke from his team. "Remember how we go racing, Oscar," came the warning from his race engineer, Tom Stallard. Norris held on to have the last word in their title fight as F1 heads into a four-week break. "Good racing. Good strategy. Good call," was how Norris summed it up on the radio. For the dominant McLaren drivers, it was their seventh 1-2 finish on the season and the team's 11th victory in 14 races in 2025. George Russell took third for Mercedes after fighting his way past Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in a contest that earned Leclerc a time penalty for nearly colliding with Russell. Defending champion Max Verstappen was only ninth. He stays third in the standings, but drops to 97 points behind Piastri. Leclerc started on pole position with hopes of landing Ferrari its first Grand Prix win of the year, but ended up fourth. "This is so incredibly frustrating. We've lost all competitiveness," he told the team over the radio. Leclerc dropped so far off the pace in his final stint that the two McLaren drivers and Russell questioned what happened to him as they chatted after the race. A day after calling himself "useless" and questioning whether Ferrari might need to replace him, Lewis Hamilton ended up 12th, exactly where he started. Hamilton said he's facing issues "in the background". "When you have a feeling, you have a feeling. There's a lot going on in the background that is not great," Hamilton said. But asked if he'd lost his love of racing, he said no. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said: "Lewis is wearing his heart on his sleeve. "It was very raw what he said. He was hard on himself. We have seen it before when he felt he had not met his own expectations." Fernando Alonso took Aston Martin's best result of the season with fifth on a slow track that suited his car, with Gabriel Bortoleto a surprise sixth for Sauber and Lance Stroll seventh in the other Aston Martin. The season resumes with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on August 31. With agencies Oscar Piastri tried everything to overtake Lando Norris in a tense finish but his McLaren teammate held on to win the Hungarian Grand Prix and boost his F1 title chances heading into the mid-season break. Norris clung on with worn tyres as Piastri loomed behind him in the final laps. He celebrated on Sunday with a double fist pump on top of his car after claiming McLaren's 200th F1 win by less than a second to cut Piastri's lead to nine points from 16. "I'm dead. It was tough, it was tough," Norris said. "The final stint, with Oscar catching, I was pushing flat out." It was a race shaped as much by smart strategy as gritty driving. Norris briefly dropped to fifth on the first lap but made his tyres last to stop only once, while Piastri changed twice. When race engineer Will Joseph asked Norris on the radio, "Lando, 40 laps on the hard tyre, you up for it?" Norris replied: "Yeah, why not?" Piastri said: "I pushed as hard as I could. After I saw Lando going for a one-stop, I knew I was going to have to overtake on track, which is much easier said than done around here." Looking at his late passing attempt, he said: "I think I needed to be at least a couple of tenths closer which was going to take a mistake from Lando to achieve that. "I felt that was going to be my best chance. You never want to try and save it for the next lap, then it never comes, so I thought I would at least try." Piastri steadily cut into Norris' lead in the latter stages of the race but the British driver held on with old tyres to take the win. Piastri nearly collided with his teammate when he locked up a wheel while trying to pass on the second-to-last lap, earning a mild rebuke from his team. "Remember how we go racing, Oscar," came the warning from his race engineer, Tom Stallard. Norris held on to have the last word in their title fight as F1 heads into a four-week break. "Good racing. Good strategy. Good call," was how Norris summed it up on the radio. For the dominant McLaren drivers, it was their seventh 1-2 finish on the season and the team's 11th victory in 14 races in 2025. George Russell took third for Mercedes after fighting his way past Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in a contest that earned Leclerc a time penalty for nearly colliding with Russell. Defending champion Max Verstappen was only ninth. He stays third in the standings, but drops to 97 points behind Piastri. Leclerc started on pole position with hopes of landing Ferrari its first Grand Prix win of the year, but ended up fourth. "This is so incredibly frustrating. We've lost all competitiveness," he told the team over the radio. Leclerc dropped so far off the pace in his final stint that the two McLaren drivers and Russell questioned what happened to him as they chatted after the race. A day after calling himself "useless" and questioning whether Ferrari might need to replace him, Lewis Hamilton ended up 12th, exactly where he started. Hamilton said he's facing issues "in the background". "When you have a feeling, you have a feeling. There's a lot going on in the background that is not great," Hamilton said. But asked if he'd lost his love of racing, he said no. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said: "Lewis is wearing his heart on his sleeve. "It was very raw what he said. He was hard on himself. We have seen it before when he felt he had not met his own expectations." Fernando Alonso took Aston Martin's best result of the season with fifth on a slow track that suited his car, with Gabriel Bortoleto a surprise sixth for Sauber and Lance Stroll seventh in the other Aston Martin. The season resumes with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on August 31. With agencies
Herald Sun
3 hours ago
- Herald Sun
Lando Norris wins Hungarian Grand Prix as Oscar Piastri dudded by McLaren strategy
Lando Norris has taken the chequered flag to win the Hungarian Grand Prix, holding off teammate Oscar Piastri in a nail-biting finish. Norris suffered a horror start to the race as he slipped down to fifth place, but a decision to go with a one-stop strategy paid off for the British driver as he secured his fifth win of the season. Fox Sports, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every practice, qualifying session and race in the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship™ LIVE in 4K. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. Piastri hunted his teammate down but couldn't get past him in the final laps as he had to cross the line second with his championship lead shrinking to nine points. The Aussie driver pitted early in an attempt to undercut Ferrari's Charles Leclerc but the strategy left him with a mountain of work to do late and had fans watching on questioning if the team had favoured Norris. 'I don't know if trying to undercut Leclerc was the right call in the end but we can go through that after,' Piastri said. Behind the McLaren duo it was Mercedes' George Russell who secured the final spot on the podium with Leclerc falling down to fourth. The Ferrari driver was left seething with his own team after his race was ruined by a change in setup to the car. The Formula 1 grid will now head off for the summer break before returning for the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday, August 31. Originally published as Lando Norris wins Hungary GP as Oscar Piastri dudded by strategy
