Piastri: « I pushed as hard as I could »

Oscar Piastri finished second in the Hungarian Grand Prix after a decisive comeback that brought him to the brink of victory. The Australian maintains the lead in the championship with a nine-point advantage over his teammate Lando Norris.

A two-stop strategy that didn’t pay off entirely

Unlike Norris, Piastri opted for the strategy initially planned by McLaren with two pit stops. This choice seemed coherent at the start, especially since he took the lead in the first laps, keeping Charles Leclerc at a respectable distance.

However, the evolution of the race quickly demonstrated that the situation was more complex than anticipated. The difference between driving in clean air or in the dirty air of a competitor also weighed in the balance, as Piastri highlighted after the finish: “Going into the race, we thought a two-stop strategy was the best thing to do, and in clean air, it potentially still was. Having a two-stop race in clean air versus dirty air is a different story.”

His first pit stop on the 19th lap, designed to perform an undercut on Leclerc, was countered by Ferrari’s quick response, trapping the Australian driver in the turbulence of the red car. This setup hindered his performance and weakened the effectiveness of the planned strategy.

A comeback restarted and a suspenseful end to the race

The second stop for Piastri on lap 46 gave him fresh tires, triggering a spectacular charge. He quickly passed Leclerc on lap 51 before setting off in pursuit of Norris, who was leading with his one-stop strategy: « I saw Lando go for a one-stop, so I knew I would have to overtake on track, which is easier said than done here. I tried a few things; it was a gamble either way, and unfortunately, we were just on the other side. »

Despite a significant deficit, Piastri gradually chipped away at the eight-second gap separating him from his teammate, managing to slip into his DRS zone during the final laps. However, the aerodynamic turbulence and the specifics of the Hungaroring complicated his attempts to attack.

« I think I needed to be a few tenths closer, and it would have required a mistake from Lando to get there. You never want to try to save it for the next lap and it never happens, so I thought I was at least going to try, but not quite », he explained. But in his pursuit, a maneuver in the penultimate lap ended with a wheel lock-up at the first corner, preventing him from capitalizing on his offensive.

Some positives nonetheless

Despite the disappointment of seeing the victory slip away, Oscar Piastri kept his composure. He admits that some strategic choices may have played a role: « At that moment, I didn’t have much to lose, so it wasn’t a huge surprise. I’m not sure if trying to get the undercut on Leclerc was the right choice in the end. » An uncertainty he accepts without regret, aware that the margin was slim in this high-risk scenario.

Beyond this episode, the Australian expresses his satisfaction regarding his performance and McLaren’s form: « The pace was very good. My race execution was good too, and it’s going to be a tight battle until the end. The car really came to life in the second half of the race – and it was terrific all weekend », he commented.

Buoyed by his nine-point lead over Norris, Piastri approaches the summer break with confidence, determined to continue the internal duel at McLaren.