Piastri, Norris combine for 12-year first at Hungarian Grand Prix
Oscar Piastri, Australia’s McLaren driver, has promised to let personal ambition take second place to team priorities after a remarkable front-row lockout for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Piastri lines up alongside English-born teammate Lando Norris, who is on pole, after the British team dominated Saturday’s qualifying session.
“Of course when I miss out by two 100ths you think of all the little things you can do a bit better, but it’s an amazing result for the team,” Piastri said, before adding that the main goal was to keep both the papaya-coloured cars at the front come the race’s finish.
“Of course I want to get into the lead, but we have both cars on the front row and we are trying to win this championship as a team, and we will be smart,” the Australian said.
“We want to keep it one-two and we will fight it amongst ourselves to see who gets one.”
Piastri is fifth in the drivers’ standings, on 124 points, while second-placed Norris has 171. Max Verstappen is well clear on 255. Piastri has yet to win a grand prix, but has finished second in Canada and Austria this year.
Oscar Piastri will start from second on the grid.Credit: Getty Images
He saluted the achievement of becoming part of the first McLaren pairing to take out the front row since 2012, in Brazil. “It’s the first one-two in qualifying for McLaren for a very long time, so I’m very happy,” he said.
Referencing an awkward second practice session, when he finished down the standings in 13th, Piastri added: “A tricky day on my side yesterday so nice to bounce back.”
The Hungarian Grand Prix marks the start of the second half of the season, which looks set to be much more hotly contested than the opening races.
Verstappen, who will start from third on the grid, has won at the Hungaroring the past two years despite not starting from pole. He won 2022 from a 10th-place start.
But the Dutchman had no problem acknowledging McLaren is providing Red Bull with its stiffest test of the past three seasons. Norris topped practice on Friday and earlier Saturday before showing his dominance when it mattered.
“I tried. The whole weekend we have been a little bit behind and that was the case in qualifying. It just wasn’t enough, and it is difficult to pinpoint why,” Verstappen said. “I love competition, but I would like to be on top of the competition. But at the moment I feel we are chasing, and I don’t back out of a fight, but it’s trickier.”
AAP, AP
News, results and expert analysis from the Olympics sent daily throughout the Games. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.