Lando Norris held off a thrilling late charge from Oscar Piastri to win the Hungarian Grand Prix and reduce his F1 world championship rival’s lead to nine points ahead of the summer break.
Norris was running in fourth place but benefited from stopping for tyres one fewer time than his rivals to land his fifth victory of the season.
The British driver took the chequered flag just six tenths ahead of Piastri, who went within centimetres of colliding with Norris on the last-but-one lap when he locked up his front-right tyre at the opening corner.
George Russell passed Charles Leclerc with eight laps to go to take the final spot on the podium. Pole-sitter Leclerc had to settle for fourth. Lewis Hamilton, who urged Ferrari to replace him after he qualified only 12th, finished in the same position, a lap down.
Follow live coverage of the Hungarian Grand Prix with The Independent
F1 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- Lando Norris wins the Hungarian GP; Piastri 2nd; Russell 3rd
- Click HERE for the top-10 in Budapest
- START! Hamilton drops to 14th at the start
- START! Norris loses two spots at the start
- Lewis Hamilton appalled at his F1 qualifying display in Hungary: ‘I’m useless’
F1 constructor standings after Hungarian GP
21:59 , Kieran Jackson1. McLaren - 559 points
2. Ferrari - 260 points
3. Mercedes - 236 points
4. Red Bull - 194 points
5. Williams - 70 points
6. Aston Martin - 52 points
7. Sauber - 51 points
8. Racing Bulls - 45 points
9. Haas - 35 points
10. Alpine - 20 points
Fernando Alonso, who finished 5th:
21:00 , Kieran Jackson“The best result of the season, very important.
“Super happy and proud of the team. The track was friendly for us, we take one at a time, we executed a good weekend.”
F1 driver standings heading into the summer break:
19:59 , Kieran Jackson1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 284 points
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 275 points
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 187 points
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 172 points
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 151 points
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 109 points
7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 64 points
8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 54 points
9. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) - 37 points
10. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 27 points
11. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 26 points
12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 26 points
13. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 22 points
14. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 20 points
15. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 20 points
16. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 16 points
17. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 14 points
18. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – 10 points
19. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 8 points
20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 0 points
21. Jack Doohan (Alpine) – 0 points
Max Verstappen after finishing 9th:
18:56 , Kieran Jackson“No one was really sure if we touched or not, we didn’t touch.
“From my side, very difficult weekend, very low grip, not much we could make out of it.
“It’s a fully open discussion between everyone. It’s complicated to explain - this weekend, nothing worked. In Spa, we had a much more competitive weekend. We’re not on the level of McLaren, this is a bit weird for us.”
Oscar Piastri on one-stop strategy:
18:17 , Kieran Jackson“We thought a two-stop was the best thing to do and in clean air it potentially was, but vs dirty air it’s a different story. It’s easy now to say a one-stop was the way to go but a second difference, we’d be saying something different.”
Ollie Bearman on race retirement:
17:50 , Kieran Jackson“We managed to run in P10 for the first stint, but I was really clinging on the whole way. I was really struggling with the feeling of the car, and I had massive oversteer throughout.
“It progressed in the second stint, picking up some damage somewhere because we saw a big drop in loads, and by that point, it was clear that we couldn’t finish the race. It’s disappointing as we had a decent qualifying and opening lap today, but from there I wasn’t looking forward, I was looking behind.
“We need to understand why that was the case because in the last few races I’ve been feeling really good in race trim, but this weekend it hasn’t been the case.”
Leclerc was given a five-second penalty for moving under braking here
17:30 , Kieran JacksonThe five-second penalty didn’t have any impact on Leclerc finishing fourth...
George Russell is into P3!
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) August 3, 2025
Charles Leclerc is out of the podium positions after starting on pole 😮 pic.twitter.com/FnxtTbkT4v
RACE REPORT: Lando Norris holds off Oscar Piastri in thrilling finale to Hungarian Grand Prix
17:15 , Kieran JacksonLando Norris held off a thrilling late charge from Oscar Piastri to win the Hungarian Grand Prix and reduce his F1 world championship rival’s lead to nine points.
Norris was running in fourth place but benefited from stopping for tyres one fewer time than his rivals to land his fifth victory of the season.
The British driver took the chequered flag just six tenths ahead of Piastri, who went within centimetres of colliding with Norris on the last-but-one lap when he locked up his front-right tyre at the opening corner.
George Russell passed Charles Leclerc with eight laps to go to take the final spot on the podium.
Full report below:
Lando Norris holds off Oscar Piastri in thrilling finale to Hungarian Grand Prix
George Russell on finishing on the podium:
16:59 , Kieran Jackson"This whole weekend has been a bit surprising for everyone!" 😳
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) August 3, 2025
George on P3 in Hungary 🇭🇺 pic.twitter.com/fETdSbZ7mF
Lewis Hamilton after finishing 12th:
16:50 , Kieran JacksonOn Verstappen incident: “I don’t really remember it to be honest.
On his comments after qualifying, asked to expand: “Not particularly.
“When you have a feeling, you have a feeling. there’s a lot going on in the background which is not great.
Does he love racing anymore? “No, I still love racing.”
Charles Leclerc after a frustrating 4th-place finish from pole:
16:35 , Kieran Jackson“I spoke too quickly, I had a bit more details, I thought it was about something else. It was a problem on the chassis, there was an issue on that side... it doesn’t make me feel any better, when we’re fighting for a win, we need to make sure it never happens again, car is just undrivable.
“It’s something we need to look into.
“It’s very frustrating to have everything under control, to know the pace is in the car to win, and you end up being nowhere - even lost the podium so very disappointing.”
Russell on Piastri's-Norris' move!
16:20 , Kieran Jackson"Why didn't you just T-bone him?! That would have been great"
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) August 3, 2025
George 🫣😆 pic.twitter.com/KzyD985FMz
Time for the podium in Hungary!
15:59 , Kieran JacksonMcLaren’s 200th win in Formula 1 - and Lando Norris takes it ahead of Oscar Piastri!
Norris looks knackered up on the podium as he celebrates his ninth grand prix victory!
14 races down, 10 to go in this fascinating title race.
Oscar Piastri after finishing second:
15:59 , Kieran Jackson“I pushed as hard as I could. After Lando went for a one, I had to go for an overtake on track, much easier said then done. It was a gamble and we were on the wrong side of it, car has been great all weekend.
“He didn’t have much to lose, it wasn’t a huge surprise.”
Lando Norris after his victory:
15:53 , Kieran Jackson“I’m dead! It was tough, we weren’t really planning on the one-stop, but it was our only option. The final stint with Oscar catching, I was pushing flat out! The perfect result today.
“I thought the one-stop might get us into second, not the win. The pace was strong. It’s always a bit of a gamble but it also requires no mistakes, good laps, good strategy, that’s what we have today.
“We’re so tight, it’s hard to say momentum is on either side. Tough but fun racing with Oscar.”
TOP-10 IN HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX
15:48 , Kieran Jackson1. Lando Norris
2. Oscar Piastri
3. George Russell
4. Charles Leclerc
5. Fernando Alonso
6. Gabriel Bortoleto
7. Lance Stroll
8. Liam Lawson
9. Max Verstappen
10. Kimi Antonelli
Piastri's lead to Norris
15:41 , Kieran JacksonThe gap is now nine points between Piastri and Norris.
If he’d caught Norris, it would have been 23.
Key points swing back in Norris’ favour!
Lando Norris wins the Hungarian Grand Prix!
15:39 , Kieran JacksonWhat a drive from Lando Norris - he makes the one-stop strategy stick and wins in Budapest!
He holds off Oscar Piastri, who has to settle for second, with George Russell in third.
4-10: Leclerc, Alonso, Bortoleto, Stroll, Lawson, Verstappen, Antonelli
Lando Norris holds lead on last turn 1 (Lap 70/70)
15:38 , Kieran JacksonFinal lap - and Norris holds the lead at turn 1!
It’s edging closer for the Brit...
Piastri:
15:37 , Kieran JacksonPiastri’s engineer: “Reminder how we go racing, same reminder Oscar.”
Piastri locks up at turn 1 (Lap 69/70)
15:37 , Kieran JacksonPiastri dives down the inside and locks up!
Did he almost hit Norris?! Anyhow, Norris holds the lead with one more chance down into turn 1!
Piastri makes a move! (Lap 68/70)
15:35 , Kieran JacksonA late lunge from Piastri but Norris is JUST ahead enough to kepe the lead!
It’s so tight now! Three laps left...
Norris and Norris fighting for lead (Lap 67/70)
15:35 , Kieran JacksonJust 0.6 seconds now between Norris in first and Piastri in second!
How much will Piastri’s DRS extra speed benefit him? No more traffic now, so it’s just these two racing...
Top-10 with five laps to go (Lap 66/70)
15:33 , Kieran Jackson1. Norris
2. Piastri
3. Russell
4. Leclerc
5. Alonso
6. Bortoleto
7. Stroll
8. Lawson
9. Verstappen
10. Antonelli
Piastri within DRS range of Norris (Lap 65/70)
15:32 , Kieran JacksonHere we go then!
Can Norris hold on here? He may get some DRS from backmarkers down the main straight, but he’ll do well to hold him off here!
A big points swing depends on this...
Piastri now 1.5 seconds behind Norris (Lap 63/70)
15:30 , Kieran JacksonThis is going to be tough for Norris to hold on here, as he has Piastri breathing down his neck and he’s catching a gaggle of cars, who’re racing for 10th!
Norris: “The traffic is going to ruin my race.”
Gripping stuff this...
George Russell:
15:29 , Kieran Jackson“That’s a penalty. Turned in on me on braking.”
It was a late defence under braking from Leclerc. Hhhmmm..
Russell takes third place (Lap 62/70)
15:28 , Kieran JacksonThis time, Russell gets it done!
It was a very late defence from Leclerc at the inside of turn 1, but Russell gets it done nonetheless and holds the lead at turn 2!
Russell up to the podium places...
Piastri within three seconds of Norris (Lap 61/70)
15:27 , Kieran JacksonPiastri now trails by around 2.8 seconds, with the estimations showing that the McLaren pair will converge in the next five laps.
Meanwhile, Russell goes for a move on Leclerc at turn 1 but the Ferrari gets his elbows out!
Russell complains of “moving under braking.”
McLaren CEO Zak Brown:
15:25 , Kieran Jackson“We’re about to see a lot of excitement, these guys will converge shortly - we’ll see a bit of a race.
“They can race hard, race clean, go for it boys.”
Russell catching Leclerc (Lap 58/70)
15:23 , Kieran JacksonTrouble for Leclerc, as Russell closes in to within DRS-range of Leclerc in third.
Can the Ferrari hold him off?
All the frontrunners catching a lot of traffic now too, so having to negotiate that too...
Piastri chasing Norris (Lap 56/70)
15:20 , Kieran JacksonBy around half-a-second a lap, Piastri is catching Norris and with 14 laps left, the gap is 5.5 seconds.
This will be such an interesting finale!
Top-10: Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Russell, Alonso, Bortoleto, Stroll, Lawson, Verstappen, Antonelli
Charles Leclerc on team radio: (Lap 53/70)
15:16 , Kieran Jackson“This is so incredibly frustrating. We’ve lost all competitiveness. It will be a miracle if we finish on the podium.”
Ah dear. Russell is making time on Leclerc in third...
Piastri overtakes Leclerc (Lap 51/70)
15:13 , Kieran JacksonTerrific move from Piastri!
The Aussie takes second place, lurching down the outside of Leclerc at turn 1 and making it stick!
McLaren’s pace now coming to the fore! Down the road, 8.3 seconds, is his teammate Lando Norris....
Further back, Ollie Bearman has become the first car to retire from this race.
Max Verstappen pits (Lap 49/70)
15:12 , Kieran JacksonVerstappen comes in for his second stop and drops from fifth to ninth.
Out in front, Norris’ lead is now 8.8 seconds, with Piastri right on tail of Leclerc....
Oscar Piastri pits (Lap 46/70)
15:07 , Kieran JacksonAnother 1.9-second stop for McLaren, and Piastri rejoins in third.
OK, so Norris is now out in front with a seven-second lead - can he keep the lead until the end of the race?!
Top-5: Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Russell, Verstappen
Don’t go anywhere here!
Russell pits (Lap 44/70)
15:04 , Kieran JacksonRussell is not overtaken by Norris as Mercedes pit their driver. Russell comes out in fourth, 14 seconds off Leclerc in third.
Further down, Lewis Hamilton has come in for his first pit-stop and comes out in 16th.
Top-10: Piastri, Norris, Leclerc, Russell, Verstappen, Alonso, Bortoleto, Stroll, Lawson, Sainz
Norris right on Russell's tail (Lap 43/70)
15:02 , Kieran JacksonNorris is within DRS of Russell in second, can the McLaren overtake him?
Charles Leclerc pits (Lap 40/70)
15:00 , Kieran JacksonLeclerc pits, Piastri stays out!
Leclerc now in fourth, six seconds off Norris. Have Ferrari made the right call there?!
Lando Norris pits (Lap 31/70)
14:47 , Kieran JacksonHere we go then!
Norris pits onto hards, with a speedy 1.9-second stop, and comes out in fourth!
He will go to the end of the 70 laps then... and currently trails Russell in third by eight seconds...
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in combat! (Lap 30/70)
14:45 , Kieran JacksonIn a fight for 11th, Verstappen was right on the tail of Hamilton and the Ferrari went off-track, with the Dutchman taking the position!
Not proving to be a fruitful weekend for the seven-time world champion, it has to be said...
Lando Norris on one-stop (Lap 29/70)
14:42 , Kieran Jackson“Why not,” says Norris, when asked about the one-stop.
Nothing to lose for the Brit! His lead has now dropped to 5.6 seconds...
Top-10: Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Russell, Alonso, Bortoleto, Stroll, Lawson, Bearman, Hadjar
Piastri asking about one-stop (Lap 27/70)
14:40 , Kieran JacksonPiastri: “Do you think a one-stop could work?”
Engineer: “Difficult, Oscar.”
Piastri trails Leclerc by 1.9 seconds, with Norris out in front by eight seconds but losing a lot of lap time.
Meanwhile, Russell has finally got past Alonso for fourth place.
Norris stays out (Lap 22/70)
14:35 , Kieran JacksonIs Norris looking at doing a one-stop?!
Norris keeps the lead, with Leclerc and Piastri behind him. Alonso, in fourth, also yet to pit.
5-10: Russell, Bortoleto, Stroll, Lawson, Bearman, Hadjar
Charles Leclerc pits (Lap 19/70)
14:31 , Kieran JacksonA solid stop for Leclerc and the Ferrari driver keeps the lead!
Russell also pits, and drops five seconds off Piastri.
Norris now takes the lead, but will surely come in to the pits soon...
Oscar Piastri pits (Lap 18/70)
14:29 , Kieran JacksonPiastri is boxing “to overtake Leclerc”, hard tyres go on and it’s a quick 2-second stop.
Surely Leclerc will respond straight away?
Charles Leclerc has a three-second lead (Lap 14/70)
14:23 , Kieran JacksonThis is looking really good for Ferrari, as they hunt their first win of the season.
Leclerc has a three-second lead to Piastri, who is now three seconds ahead of Russell.
Meanwhile, Norris has dropped outside of DRS range to Russell. Not good for the McLaren driver.
5-10: Alonso, Bortoleto, Verstappen, Stroll, Lawson, Bearman
Leclerc moaning about 'cuts' (Lap 11/70)
14:19 , Kieran JacksonLeclerc: “What’s going on with these cuts?”
Unclear what that’s about. Let’s hope it’s nothing serious, given the Ferrari has a healthy 2.7-second lead at the moment.
Meanwhile, Norris is being told: “We need to get past Russell.” He’s within DRS...
Piastri in second (Lap 9/70)
14:16 , Kieran JacksonPiastri’s engineer: “Do you think a one-stop is possible?”
Piastri: “Tyres feel OK but it’s difficult to know, there’s so many laps left.”
The McLaren driver not making any inroads on Leclerc right now, with the gap now 2.8 seconds.
Top-10: Leclerc, Piastri, Russell, Norris, Alonso, Bortoleto, Verstappen, Stroll, Lawson, Bearman
Isack Hadjar in pain (Lap 7/70)
14:12 , Kieran JacksonThe RB driver, in 11th, complaining of hand pain caused by gravel.
Not ideal for the Frenchman...
Gabriel Bortoleto noted for potential false start (Lap 5/70)
14:10 , Kieran JacksonNightmare for the Brazilian in sixth, who may well have jumped the start.
If proven, it’ll be a penalty. And his teammate Nico Hulkenberg is also under investigation too!
Out in front, Leclerc already has a healthy 2.5-second lead to Piastri! Could Ferrari be on for a race win here?!
Norris takes fourth place back (Lap 3/70)
14:08 , Kieran JacksonNorris needed that!
More speed and a slipstream down the main straight makes it an easy move for the Brit, past the Aston Martin of Alonso!
Norris back up to fourth - but Russell is already two seconds down the road.
Top-10: Leclerc, Piastri, Russell, Norris, Alonso, Bortoleto, Verstappen, Stroll, Lawson, Bearman
Lewis Hamilton down two places (Lap 2/70)
14:06 , Kieran JacksonNot a good start for Hamilton - he’s dropped from 12th to 14th with Sainz and Antonelli getting ahead.
Verstappen also lost eighth to Liam Lawson but has since taken it back...
Lights out!
14:05 , Kieran JacksonGood start from Charles Leclerc who keeps first place at the start - but Lando Norris has dropped from third to fifth!
Norris got away well, swooped to the inside, but Piastri blocked him off and Russell and Alonso had superior speed to get ahead!
Russell right on the tail of Piastri in second!
Formation lap!
14:01 , Kieran JacksonCharles Leclerc leads the pack away then for the formation lap
The top-11 all start on medium tyres, with Lewis Hamilton in 12th on hard tyres.
Who will lead coming up to turn one now then?!
Time for the Hungarian Grand Prix!
13:56 , Kieran JacksonHere we go then - it’s round 14 of the 2025 season!
Charles Leclerc is a surprise pole-sitter but it’s a long run down to turn one at the Hungaroring, with Oscar Piastri in second and Lando Norris in third!
But with the likes of Max Verstappen down in 8th and Lewis Hamilton in 12th, it should be a fascinating race down the order too!
Oscar Piastri, who starts P2:
13:54 , Kieran Jackson“It should be a good day for us today, we'll see what we can do.
“If I can get the lead at turn one, that'd make my life significantly easier, but if not, strategy."
Odds for the Hungarian GP:
13:52 , Kieran JacksonF1 CEO Stefano Domenicali on Hungarian GP:
13:50 , Kieran Jackson“It’s going to be a good race, different grid to what we were expecting.
“Lewis is a jewel, no matter this difficult moment he will react...”
George Russell, who starts in fourth:
13:48 , Kieran Jackson“The start is also important but race-pace tends to favour the winner, it’s difficult to overtake, a lot of work in strategy.
“Sneak in there...”
Time for the Hungarian national anthem on the grid!
13:45 , Kieran JacksonPerformed by Veca Janicsak in Budapest...
Brundle on Hamilton's reaction to qualifying:
13:43 , Kieran Jackson"He wears his heart on his sleeve" ❤️🩹
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) August 3, 2025
Martin Brundle and Jamie Chadwick reflect on Lewis Hamilton's difficult qualifying in Hungary 👇 pic.twitter.com/1XBOB4jheu
How Lewis Hamilton is trying to revive Ferrari
13:40 , Kieran JacksonPrior to a Belgian Grand Prix weekend to forget for Lewis Hamilton, whose last F1 win came here a year ago with Mercedes, the question posed to the Ferrari driver without a podium to his name this year was an innocuous one. His answer, however, was an unyielding message to his beleaguered Ferrari team.
Asked whether he’d been at the Maranello factory in the last few weeks, Hamilton replied that he had. A “couple of days each week”, he detailed. Then, untriggered, the British driver, often so reluctant to reveal the inner workings of his mind, went into full disclosure mode.
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Secret documents and a rallying cry: How Lewis Hamilton is trying to revive Ferrari
HUNGARORING FACTFILE
13:34 , Kieran JacksonThe Hungaroring is a 4.381 km circuit that lies around 45 minutes away from Budapest, the capital of Hungary.
The track has hosted the Hungarian Grand Prix since 1986, and has proved popular among fans. It is known for its tight, winding nature and is both the second shortest and second slowest circuit in F1, having been compared to Monaco in the past.
Turn 1 is the main overtaking spot – although Turn 2 and the hill towards Turn 4 often throw together overtaking battles – while the middle sector focuses on grip and keeping the tyres alive.
While overtaking is notoriously difficult, there have been notable highlights over the years including Jenson Button's maiden victory in 2006, a superb strategic win from Michael Schumacher in 1998 and Esteban Ocon's victory for Alpine in 2021.
F1 constructor standings
13:30 , Kieran Jackson1. McLaren - 516 points
2. Ferrari - 248 points
3. Mercedes - 220 points
4. Red Bull - 192 points
5. Williams - 70 points
6. Sauber - 43 points
7. Racing Bulls - 41 points
8. Aston Martin - 36 points
9. Haas - 35 points
10. Alpine - 20 points
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko on chance meeting with Mercedes star Kimi Antonelli
13:27 , Jack Rathborn“I don’t want to make any outside comments on how things work for any other team. Antonelli is certainly very fast, but also a very young driver,” Helmut Marko said.
“Strangely enough, we spoke briefly in the hotel at Spa, and he said that he has no confidence in the car. As soon as he pushes, he no longer has control.
“It’s more of a mental thing, and it seems that [with] his car, like ours, it’s very critical to be in the working window. When it does work, it’s much more potent, and of course a driver like Russell does it much more easily. Mercedes, thank goodness, don’t have the luxury of a second team.”
Lewis Hamilton labels 12th place in qualifying 'useless'
13:22 , Kieran JacksonHamilton said on the radio “every time, every time” after he was knocked out in Q2, and did not mince his words in the media pen afterwards.
“It’s just me every time – I’m useless, absolutely useless,” a downbeat Hamilton told Sky Sports F1.
“The team has no problem, we’re on pole. They probably need to change driver.”
F1 driver standings
13:15 , Kieran Jackson1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 266 points
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 250 points
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 185 points
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 157 points
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 139 points
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 109 points
7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 63 points
8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 54 points
9. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) - 37 points
10. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 27 points
12. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 22 points
12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 20 points
13. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 20 points
14. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 16 points
15. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 16 points
16. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 16 points
17. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – 10 points
18. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 8 points
19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 6 points
20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 0 points
21. Jack Doohan (Alpine) – 0 points
Fernando Alonso after qualifying P5:
13:12 , Kieran Jackson“The car is much better this weekend. In Spa we were 19th and 20th, now fifth and sixth. This layout is better for our package, we need to maximise these weekends.
“This is down to the team and effort everyone’s doing. The front-wing is giving us that extra load in the corners, I think we are trying to understand all the tools.
“The car is better than my back!”
PREVIEW: F1’s return to Hungary serves as reminder of McLaren quarrel on the horizon
13:07 , Kieran JacksonThe Hungaroring, Budapest. Twelve months ago, as it became apparent that McLaren’s 2024 mid-season renaissance was more than just a temporary spike on the performance graph, this is where the first banging of heads occurred between the papaya drivers out on track. Two drivers desperate for victory, which made a quarrel, with neither defined as team No 1, quite the inevitability.
Eventually, Oscar Piastri claimed his first F1 race victory and almost looked embarrassed to celebrate. It only came after Lando Norrisreluctantly conceded the lead, as his engineer Will Joseph pleaded with the Brit to follow team orders.
“I know you’ll do the right thing,” Joseph told his driver. “Just remember every single Sunday morning meeting we have… I’m trying to protect you, mate… please do it now.” Eventually, the series of orders – teetering on the edge of successive guilt trips – triggered the most reluctant of acquiesces from Norris.
F1’s return to Hungary serves as reminder of McLaren quarrel on the horizon
QUALIFYING REPORT: Charles Leclerc stuns McLaren with shock pole position for Ferrari in Hungary
13:04 , Kieran JacksonFerrari’s Charles Leclerc took a surprise pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix – as team-mate Lewis Hamilton could manage only 12th.
Championship leader Oscar Piastri and title rival Lando Norris had been expected to fight for pole but the McLaren men were left to settle for second and third respectively.
Leclerc saw off Piastri by just 0.026 seconds with Norris only 0.015 sec behind the Australian. George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes.
Full report below:
Charles Leclerc stuns McLaren with shock F1 pole position for Ferrari in Hungary
Turkey joins host of countries eyeing F1 race – and could step-in as soon as 2026
12:55 , Chris WilsonTurkey is looking to claim a permanent spot back on the F1 calendar and has offered the services of Istanbul Park for 2026 should any country be unable to host their race.
The Turkish Grand Prix first appeared on the sport’s calendar in 2005 for seven iterations, before it was dropped in 2011. However, the race at the popular Istanbul circuit returned in the Covid-hit years of 2020 and 2021.
However, the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation (TOSFED) have made it known their desire to host a race again. While the 24-race 2026 calendar has already been published, Istanbul could step in if any race – such as the new street track in Madrid, with the race scheduled in September 2026 – is not ready in time.
Turkey joins host of countries eyeing F1 race – and could step-in as soon as 2026
Ferrari F1 boss Fred Vasseur signs new contract despite winless run
12:51 , Chris WilsonFerrari team principal Fred Vasseur has signed a new long-term contract despite the team’s winless run in Formula 1 this season.
Indeed, the last grand prix won by the Scuderia came in Mexico City last year when Carlos Sainz finished top of the podium, before he was replaced with Lewis Hamilton for the current campaign.
Neither Hamilton nor teammate Charles Leclerc has secured a win in 2025 and both have struggled to exert the maximum performance out of their cars.
Ferrari F1 boss Fred Vasseur signs new contract despite winless run
A reminder of the starting grid today in Hungary:
12:45 , Kieran Jackson1. Charles Leclerc
2. Oscar Piastri
3. Lando Norris
4. George Russell
5. Fernando Alonso
6. Lance Stroll
7. Gabriel Bortoleto
8. Max Verstappen
9. Liam Lawson
10. Isack Hadjar
11. Ollie Bearman
12. Lewis Hamilton
13. Carlos Sainz
14. Franco Colapinto
15. Kimi Antonelli
16. Yuki Tsunoda
17. Pierre Gasly
18. Esteban Ocon
19. Nico Hulkenberg
20. Alex Albon
Red Bull adviser reveals ‘primary’ reason Christian Horner was sacked
12:42 , Chris WilsonRed Bull adviser Helmut Marko has revealed that Christian Horner was primarily dismissed from his role as team principal due to performance reasons.
Horner was relieved of his duties as Red Bull F1 CEO and team principal three weeks ago after 20 years at the helm.
It brought to an end a tumultuous 18 months for the team, with a divide forming within the management structure despite Max Verstappen claiming his fourth world championship last year.
Red Bull adviser reveals ‘primary’ reason Christian Horner was sacked
A reminder of the starting grid in Hungary:
12:40 , Kieran Jackson1. Charles Leclerc
2. Oscar Piastri
3. Lando Norris
4. George Russell
5. Fernando Alonso
6. Lance Stroll
7. Gabriel Bortoleto
8. Max Verstappen
9. Liam Lawson
10. Isack Hadjar
11. Ollie Bearman
12. Lewis Hamilton
13. Carlos Sainz
14. Franco Colapinto
15. Kimi Antonelli
Pit lane. Yuki Tsunoda
17. Pierre Gasly
18. Esteban Ocon
19. Nico Hulkenberg
20. Alex Albon
Lewis Hamilton thinks about podium drought 'every day'
12:36 , Jack RathbornLewis Hamilton admits he thinks about the longest run of his career without a grand prix podium, currently at 15 races, “every day”.
Hamilton joked that the poor run does not bother, initially stating "no", but then admitted the lack of success aggravates him.
"Of course it does," he added. "I think about it every day."
F1 constructor standings
12:02 , Chris Wilson1. McLaren - 516 points
2. Ferrari - 248 points
3. Mercedes - 220 points
4. Red Bull - 192 points
5. Williams - 70 points
6. Sauber - 43 points
7. Racing Bulls - 41 points
8. Aston Martin - 36 points
9. Haas - 35 points
10. Alpine - 20 points
Gabriel Bortoleto after qualifying P7:
11:30 , Kieran Jackson“I’m incredibly happy with how qualifying unfolded today. After a challenging start to the weekend where we lacked pace and confidence in the car, we worked hard to address the issues causing that and made strong progress.
“Securing a spot in Q3 and finishing P7 - my best result so far in Formula 1 - is a great milestone for both the team and me. It’s been a season of learning, as expected in a rookie year. Every session is a chance to grow, and I couldn’t do it without the amazing team around me.
“They push me, support me, and we’re making steps forward together. Now the focus is on converting this into a strong result in the race.”
F1 driver standings
11:00 , Chris Wilson1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 266 points
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 250 points
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 185 points
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 157 points
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 139 points
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 109 points
7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 63 points
8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 54 points
9. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) - 37 points
10. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 27 points
12. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 22 points
12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 20 points
13. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 20 points
14. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 16 points
15. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 16 points
16. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 16 points
17. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – 10 points
18. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 8 points
19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 6 points
20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 0 points
21. Jack Doohan (Alpine) – 0 points
Charles Leclerc offers take on future Ferrari role after Lewis Hamilton provides team ‘documents’
10:00 , Jack RathbornCharles Leclerc has rejected suggestions he could be frozen out by Ferrari as Lewis Hamilton pushes for big improvements next year by delivering “documents” to the team to inform them on where to improve next season.
“I’m not creating documents on my side, but I’m definitely having meetings whenever I’m back in Maranello with the team in order to know what is the next thing we want to tackle as a team,” Leclerc said.
“But this has always been [the case], I think. Every single driver has their way of feeding back the team from what they think is right.
“I have my way, which is a different way compared to Lewis, but that doesn’t mean I’m left out and I’m definitely involved in the process.”
Lando Norris who qualifies P3:
09:00 , Kieran Jackson“Charles did a good job on the last lap, probably risked more. The wind punished us in a bigger way. No complaints, we thought we did some good laps but didn’t go quicker.
“It’s not an easy lap to put things together.
“I want to win, it will be an exciting race. I’d expect us to have more pace than Charles.”
Won’t matter once we’re all dead – Lando Norris plays down F1 title battle
07:00 , Chris WilsonLando Norris said it does not matter if he fails to beat Oscar Piastri to the world championship because “in 200 years we will all be dead”.
Norris arrives for the concluding round before Formula One’s three-week summer shutdown 16 points behind McLaren team-mate Piastri in the standings.
The title momentum swung back in Piastri’s favour at last weekend’s rain-hit round in Belgium. Norris started on pole position but allowed Piastri to swoop past in the treacherous conditions.
Won’t matter once we’re all dead – Lando Norris plays down F1 title battle
Lewis Hamilton says 'there will be tears' during F1 summer break
06:00 , Jack Rathborn"The last god knows how many seasons have been hard in their own way. This one has definitely been the most intense one, I would say, just from a work perspective,” Hamilton said.
"Integrating into a new culture and into a new team. It's not gone smoothly in all areas, and it's been a real battle.
"I definitely need to get away and recharge, be around the kids, laugh, let go. I'm sure there'll be some tears at some point and I think that's really healthy."
George Russell admits to risk of Mercedes exit
04:00 , Chris WilsonGeorge Russell’s wait for his Formula One future to be confirmed is set to extend until at least next month’s summer break, despite the confirmation that Max Verstappen will stay at Red Bull.
Russell said that “maybe the interests were not aligned for some time” between himself and the team, adding that “my whole career, until last year, the team have supported me so much and given me such amazing opportunities”.
“"I still trust in the team that they will always support me as long as I'm performing, so that's what I need to focus on," he added.
“But of course, these past months have not been the most assuring for our future, and that's just been a bit conflicting."
Nevertheless, reports suggest that Russell is closing in on a new deal that would run until 2027.
Here are the Drivers’ Championship standings ahead of the race:
Saturday 2 August 2025 23:00 , Kieran Jackson1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 266 points
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 250 points
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 185 points
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 157 points
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 139 points
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 109 points
7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 63 points
8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 54 points
9. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) - 37 points
10. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 27 points
12. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 22 points
12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 20 points
13. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 20 points
14. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 16 points
15. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 16 points
16. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 16 points
17. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – 10 points
18. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 8 points
19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 6 points
20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 0 points
21. Jack Doohan (Alpine) – 0 points
Max Verstappen commits future to Red Bull for 2026 F1 season
Saturday 2 August 2025 22:00 , Jack RathbornMax Verstappen has ended speculation over his short-term future by insisting he will stay at Red Bull for the 2026 F1 season.
Four-time F1 world champion Verstappen, who has a £50m-a-deal until the end of the 2028 season, has been strongly linked with Mercedes in recent months ahead of a new set of F1 regulations next year, with the Silver Arrows the rumoured frontrunners. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has previously declared his interest in signing one of the sport’s generational talents.
Verstappen has also only won two races this year in a car which is the fourth-quickest on the grid and, as detailed by The Independent on Tuesday, the Dutchman has an exit clause allowing him to leave if he is lower than third in the drivers’ standings by the summer break.
Max Verstappen commits future to Red Bull for 2026 F1 season
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella:
Saturday 2 August 2025 19:59 , Kieran Jackson“Today’s Qualifying was an interesting session. We saw competitive, good lap times from both Oscar and Lando in Q1 and Q2. While the performance of the car looked like we were in a strong position to challenge for Pole, the variable conditions with a change of wind and a drop in temperature meant that we couldn't replicate that pace in Q3.
“Well done to Ferrari and Charles Leclerc for adapting to the changing conditions and managing to go a little bit faster in Q3, securing Pole position. We now have a bit more work to do than anticipated in tomorrow’s race, but we can be confident in the challenge ahead as the car's race pace is competitive."
Carlos Sainz after qualifying 13th:
Saturday 2 August 2025 18:47 , Kieran Jackson“After our struggles all weekend, I’ll take P13 today although it’s not ideal. We found some grip and put good laps in when it mattered, but it hurts to see we were less than a tenth from Q3.
“The lap was good, but a bit of traffic and dirty air in sector two probably cost us that extra bit. Anyways, I prefer to keep the positives from today and fully focus on tomorrow.
“There might be surprises with the weather, so we need to make sure we are ready to take any opportunity.”
George Russell, who qualified P4:
Saturday 2 August 2025 17:59 , Kieran Jackson“Mixed feelings. I’m kicking myself, we were the team who lose the least amount of time in the wind. I’m trying to see the positives of it but a small missed opportunity.”
Full starting grid in Hungary:
Saturday 2 August 2025 17:31 , Kieran Jackson1. Charles Leclerc
2. Oscar Piastri
3. Lando Norris
4. George Russell
5. Fernando Alonso
6. Lance Stroll
7. Gabriel Bortoleto
8. Max Verstappen
9. Liam Lawson
10. Isack Hadjar
11. Ollie Bearman
12. Lewis Hamilton
13. Carlos Sainz
14. Franco Colapinto
15. Kimi Antonelli
16. Yuki Tsunoda
17. Pierre Gasly
18. Esteban Ocon
19. Nico Hulkenberg
20. Alex Albon
Oscar Piastri after qualifying P2:
Saturday 2 August 2025 16:33 , Kieran Jackson“The wind changed a lot, always sounds so pathetic, just meant a lot of the corners felt a little different.
“Difficult to judge in those conditions, bit surprised we couldn’t go quicker.
“It’ll be a fun race with a few more involved.”
Charles Leclerc after claiming pole:
Saturday 2 August 2025 16:26 , Kieran JacksonOn his 27th career pole: “I don’t understand anything in Formula 1! The whole qualifying was extremely difficult. Q3, everything became a lot trickier, I just knew it had to be a clean lap. I definitely did not expect that.
“We are on pole position, I have no words, probably one of the best I’ve ever had, the most unexpected for sure.
“Turn 1 will be key.”
TOP-10 IN QUALIFYING
Saturday 2 August 2025 16:20 , Kieran Jackson1. Charles Leclerc
2. Oscar Piastri
3. Lando Norris
4. George Russell
5. Fernando Alonso
6. Lance Stroll
7. Gabriel Bortoleto
8. Max Verstappen
9. Liam Lawson
10. Isack Hadjar
Charles Leclerc on team radio:
Saturday 2 August 2025 16:08 , Kieran Jackson“WHAT?! Momma mia, oh my god!”
Hungarian GP start time:
Saturday 2 August 2025 16:07 , Kieran JacksonThe race on Sunday in Budapest starts at 2pm (BST).
Charles Leclerc takes pole position in Hungary!
Saturday 2 August 2025 16:04 , Kieran JacksonWhat a shock here! Ferrari’s Leclerc takes pole by 0.026 secs!
Piastri in second did not improve, while Norris did - but he is only P3!
4-10: Russell, Alonso, Stroll, Bortoleto, Verstappen, Lawson, Hadjar
That’s Ferrari’s first pole of 2025!
Alonso goes P2!
Saturday 2 August 2025 16:01 , Kieran JacksonWith both Aston Martin cars out there on their own, Alonso goes P2, splitting the Mclarens!
Stroll up to P4 too!
Final laps coming up though - 2:00 to go in Q3...
Max Verstappen:
Saturday 2 August 2025 15:58 , Kieran Jackson“It’s like driving on ice!”
Verstappen not happy...
Oscar Piastri on provisional pole!
Saturday 2 August 2025 15:57 , Kieran JacksonPiastri a smidge ahead after the first runs with a 1:15:398, 0.096 secs quicker than Norris in second!
Norris made a few errors in the final sector, while Russell was looking good until a snap in the final corner! There’s time there for both of them...
3-10: Russell, Alonso, Verstappen, Leclerc, Lawson, Bortoleto, Stroll, Hadjar
5:00 to go in Q2...
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website
