Lando Norris beats Oscar Piastri to win thrilling Hungarian Grand Prix
McLaren driver Lando Norris has won an enthralling Hungarian Grand Prix to secure victory ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri in the final Formula 1 race before the summer break.
The British racer started from pole position but lost the lead to the young Australian at the second corner of the opening lap.
Despite falling behind early, the 26-year-old displayed relentless pace to claw his way back into contention.
McLaren strategy proves decisive
Team protocol dictated that the leading driver received priority during the first round of pit stops.
Piastri came in on lap 16 to cover off chasing rivals, while his title-chasing stablemate followed a lap later.
However, the decisive moment arrived during the second stint on a circuit renowned for high tyre degradation.
The Melbourne-born driver pitted again on lap 33, allowing the sister car to run in clean air and extend its stint.
Stopping six laps later gave the British contender a crucial tyre life advantage to reclaim the lead in the closing stages.
Hamilton penalised in podium battle
Elsewhere, Lewis Hamilton was denied a podium finish following a pit-lane speeding infringement.
The seven-time world champion was caught exceeding the limit by just 0.1kph in his Ferrari.
He had released his speed limiter a fraction early in a desperate bid to beat Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli to the safety car line.
Race officials deemed that the Italian teenager reached the critical line first, forcing the veteran to yield position.
The resulting penalty dropped the 41-year-old down the order, promoting his Monegasque team-mate Charles Leclerc into fourth place.
Malaysia returns to the calendar
In further major news for the sport, it has been confirmed that Malaysia will return to the Formula 1 schedule.
The Asian venue is set to host an early October event as the 2026 season gears up for a dramatic conclusion.