In one of the most intense intra-team battles of the 2025 Formula 1 season, Lando Norris held off persistent late pressure from his Oscar Piastri at the Hungarian Grand Prix to secure a narrow victory and add fresh drama to the title fight as the championship heads into its mid-season break. The result saw Norris triumph by less than a second after a strategic gamble and a race-long duel that captivated fans and reshaped the drivers’ standings.

The race at the Hungaroring began with Charles Leclerc on pole, but early strategy choices quickly shuffled the order as teams opted for differing tyre approaches. Norris, who started third on the grid, dropped several places at the first corner but soon began a measured climb through the field. McLaren elected to diverge from the two-stop strategies favoured by much of the pack, keeping Norris on a one-stop plan that gave him a crucial track-position advantage.

Piastri, meanwhile, adopted a two-stop strategy that saw him lead substantial portions of the race, showcasing his pace as he closed consistently on Norris in the final laps. Despite reducing the gap — at one stage getting within DRS range Piastri’s attempts to overtake were frustrated by track position and tyre wear, particularly when he locked up in a late overtaking attempt at Turn 1 and came perilously close to his teammate. That near-miss ultimately denied him a final assault on the lead.

Behind the McLaren duo, George Russell capitalised on his own strategy and race pace to secure third place, with Leclerc and Fernando Alonso rounding out the top five. The result marked McLaren’s 200th Grand Prix victory, a major milestone for the team, and highlighted its current strength across a variety of circuits.

The win also had significant championship implications. Piastri’s second-place finish narrowed his lead in the drivers’ standings to just nine points over Norris, ensuring that the title fight remains finely balanced as Formula 1 prepares to head into the second half of the season. With only a handful of points separating the top drivers, each strategic decision and on-track battle now carries heightened weight.

As teams regroup and prepare for the next round, the Hungarian Grand Prix will be remembered not just for its tactical intrigue but for reaffirming just how closely matched McLaren’s leading drivers are, setting the stage for an electrifying remainder of the 2025 championship.

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