Oscar Piastri had to settle for second place during the Hungarian Grand Prix. The McLaren driver engaged in a strategic duel with teammate Lando Norris, who took the victory in Budapest. In the final stages of the race, Piastri challenged the Brit for the lead, but he was unable to outmaneuver his teammate.
“Well, I pushed as hard as I could,” responded a – how could it be otherwise – relaxed Piastri after the race. “When I saw that Lando (Norris) was going for a one-stop strategy, I knew I had to overtake him on the track. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done here. I tried something, but it didn’t work out. The car really came to life in that second stint – we were actually blazingly fast all weekend. But now I’m mainly looking forward to taking a few weeks off,” he added with a grin.
In the Overtaking Attempt
In the final stages, Piastri made a desperate attempt to overtake his teammate, but to no avail. During one overtaking maneuver, he even locked his brakes, almost causing both McLarens to retire. “Actually, I needed a few tenths more,” Piastri admitted. “But I could at least try. To be honest, I only had a chance if Norris made a mistake. Waiting for the next lap is pointless here.”
Piastri retains the lead in the world championship, but sees his teammate closing in. In the run-up to the summer break, the difference between the two drivers is only 9 championship points. Will a real battle break out between the papayas in the second half of the season? Only time will tell.
