Oscar Piastri wins the Hungarian GP and thus achieves his first success in Formula 1. After coming close to winning yesterday Pole Positions, the Australian driver took the lead at the first corner, taking advantage of yet another bad start from Lando Norris. After a strategy that saw him as an underdog, the team order was fundamental for Oscar and allowed him to cross the finish line in first position.
Piastri wins the Hungarian GP: "I put myself in the right position at the start"
After Lewis Hamilton's return to victory in Formula 1, this week too F1 gives us another good story. Piastri had already demonstrated his class by triumphing in the sprint race at the Qatar GP last year. Today, however, it arrived for the pilot McLaren the very first and real victory in the top series of motorsport. The Hungarian GP saw the seventh different driver triumph this season and the first of the new millennium. The only two obstacles that stood between Piastri and his first triumph were strategy and teammate Norris. In fact, McLaren decided to call in the pits for the two stops firstly Norris, second in the race, and then Oscar Piastri who was leading the Hungarian GP.
Finally, after a long negotiation via radio between the team and the English driver, the latter decided to give the position back to his teammate. In the meantime, however, Piastri had moved almost six seconds away from Norris. McLaren's driver management is not very clear and risked losing further precious points for a constructors' championship that seems to have reopened.
Oscar Piastri thanks the team and is already thinking about SPA
"It was a great day, I dreamed of climbing on the top step of an F1 podium as a kid. Thanks to the team for the amazing car. We experienced many great races together and I will never thank them enough for letting me race with them in F1. To have achieved this victory after 18 months was truly fantastic”. A satisfied Piastri, but who showed limited happiness, both on the microphones and during the podium celebrations. Probably because of his character and, perhaps, also because of what happened in the last laps. “Obviously it was a little complicated in the end, but I put myself in the right position at the start. It was a particular situation and I had a bit of nerves. However, I think it was managed well by the team and I think it was the correct thing because I had put myself in the right position at the start".
Piastri then also added a criticism aimed at him. In fact, in the last stint Norris managed to outpace him by more than five seconds, only to overtake him towards the end. “My pace was probably not as fast as I expected in the last stint, but I was in the right position to make it happen. I think I have something to work on, but in the meantime I will enjoy this victory in the meantime. I will try to do the best job possible and continue to learn in every race. I hope there are many more victories for me".
During the interviews, Oscar Piastri thanked the team several times for providing him with the opportunity to race and, after today, to win in Formula 1, also dedicating a few words to next week's race in Belgium. “I think this year we showed that we can always stay ahead in any condition. We are always there in front. SPA hasn't seen us as favorites lately though I have faith that we will be strong because this car is truly complete in every situation".
