BUDAPEST — World champion
Max Verstappen took full advantage
of another Ferrari implosion on Sunday to increase his lead in this year’s
title race with a measured victory for Red Bull at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
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Just a week after his win at the
French Grand Prix,
the 24-year-old Dutchman grabbed his first success at the Hungaroring from 10th
on the grid to finish 7.8 seconds clear of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and George
Russell.
His win lifted him 80 points clear in the
championship as nearest rival Charles Leclerc, unexpectedly given hard compound
tires when he appeared to be the fastest driver, came home sixth behind Ferrari
team-mate Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull.
It was a crushing disappointment for Leclerc and
Ferrari after their recent resurgence as Verstappen took his eighth win of the
season and the 28th of his career.
“When we woke up this morning who would have thought
we would win this race?,” said Verstappen.
Lando Norris finished seventh for McLaren ahead of
two-time champion Fernando Alonso and his Alpine team-mate
Esteban Ocon and
retirement-bound four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Aston Martin.
Hamilton, who was bidding for an unprecedented ninth
victory in Hungary, praised his team for his fifth podium finish in succession.
“It’s special for us today and we are clearly
closing the gap. It’s great to go into the summer break with this performance.”
Russell, who led for 30 laps from pole position,
said: “I really struggled on the medium tires and in the latter stages, but
Lewis did a great job. I tried to eke it out and I’m pleased with a podium.”
The race began amid forecasts of intense rain, a few
spots creating apprehension on the grid.
But Russell made light of any worries, or nerves,
with a smooth start from his maiden pole position to lead into Turn One where
he resisted a forceful challenge from Sainz.
Behind them, Hamilton swept past both Alpines to
take fifth.
By lap five,
Russell led Sainz by two seconds with
Leclerc third ahead of Norris and Hamilton as Verstappen began to climb after
starting down in 10th.
By lap 10, the world champion was up to sixth behind
Hamilton, on mediums, and running 11 seconds off Russell, who was 2.2 seconds
clear of the Ferraris.
Ferrari questions
Hamilton swept inside Norris
on lap 12 at Turn One to take fourth with Verstappen following him at Turn Two,
both men using their Drag Reduction System (DRS).
Released into clear air, Hamilton pulled clear as
Verstappen reported engine issues and Leclerc asked Ferrari if Sainz could go
faster — a coded suggestion that he wanted to pass him.
Norris then pitted, re-joining 16th, before Russell
took mediums, re-joining sixth ahead of Alonso while Verstappen also pitted and
returned eighth. Sainz pitted a lap later, re-joining sixth after a slow stop.
All this allowed Leclerc to lead ahead of Hamilton
with Russell rising swiftly to third before inheriting second when he also
pitted, returning seventh.
Leclerc led by 19 seconds before he came in on lap
22 for more mediums and Russell led again with the Monegasque second, two
seconds adrift, but ahead of team-mate Sainz and the threatening Verstappen.
By lap 27, Leclerc was close enough to attack
Russell, which he did without success for four laps before passing on lap 32.
Russell had defended stoutly after leading more laps
for Mercedes in one race than the team had enjoyed all year, but by mid-race,
lap 35, Sainz had closed on him and Verstappen was on his tail before pitting
on lap 39.
Red Bull’s ‘under-cut’ caused both Leclerc,
unexpectedly taking hards, and Russell, mediums, to stop again, leaving Sainz
leading
Hamilton as Verstappen and Russell pursued Leclerc.
He passed him, spun at Turn 13, and fell to fourth
before regaining his composure to take advantage of Leclerc’s tyre disadvantage
on lap 45. Ferrari’s strategy for Leclerc was in question again.
Another slow Sainz stop on lap 48 lifted Hamilton to
lead, leaving the Spaniard fifth, on softs, with 22 laps to go and Verstappen
second.
Hamilton made his second stop, taking softs, on lap
52. He re-joined fifth, 9.6 behind Sainz as Verstappen led Leclerc.
Less than 10 seconds separated the top five with 16
laps remaining and Hamilton charging, taking Sainz for third on the straight to
set up a dramatic finale.
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