Oscar Piastri Wins Hungarian Grand Prix Amidst McLaren Drama, Max Holds P1 Ranking

21 July 2024
By Bob Francis, Managing Editor
Go Full Throttle Racing News

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY — It was an epic 70 laps of the 4.381-kilometre Hungaroring in Budapest on Sunday, July 21. Oscar Piastri secured his first-ever Formula 1 victory, navigating through intra-team drama and strategic challenges. The race began with Piastri taking the lead into Turn 1, but a pit stop strategy saw his McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, emerge ahead. Despite several team orders, Norris was reluctant to relinquish the lead, only complying on Lap 68 of 70. Piastri ultimately crossed the finish line two seconds ahead of Norris, marking a memorable debut win.

Oscar Piastri has taken his first Grand Prix win at the Hungaroring (Image Credit: formula1.com)

Race Highlights:

• Piastri’s Strong Start: Piastri led much of the race after a strong start, showcasing his skill and determination.
• Team Orders and Strategy: McLaren’s pit stop strategy and subsequent team orders played a crucial role in the race dynamics.
• Podium Finishers: Lewis Hamilton secured third place for Mercedes, while Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen rounded out the top five1.
• Notable Performances: Sergio Perez and George Russell made significant gains from their low starting positions, finishing seventh and eighth respectively.

Piastri’s victory is a testament to his talent and the support of the McLaren team. As he stood on the top step of the podium, Piastri reflected on his journey and the incredible feeling of achieving his childhood dream.

GFT F1 AI Driver Rankings after the Hungarian GP

Go Full Throttle Formula 1 AI Driver Rankings following the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix on July 21 at the Hungaroring Circuit in Budapest (Image Credit: GFT Digital)

Verstappen retains the points lead and top ranking in our GFT F1 Driver Ranking models with a 5th-place finish. Lewis Hamilton jumps 2 spots with his 3rd place finish. Sergio Perez falls 2 spots with a 7th place finish.

Winners quote

“[It’s] very, very special,” said Piastri. “This is really the day I dreamed of as a kid, standing on the top step of an F1 podium. Obviously a bit complicated at the end but I put myself in the right position at the start, and thank you to the team for an amazing effort, and amazing car. It’s a hell of a lot of fun racing for McLaren so I can’t thank them enough for giving me the opportunity to be in F1, and to be able to win together 18 months in is an incredible feeling.”

Next Race

The next race on the 2024 F1 calendar is the Belgian Grand Prix on July 26–28 at the famed Spa-Francorchamps circuit.