The race began with drama on a damp track when Valtteri Bottas locked up going into the first corner, bumped into the rear of the fast starting Lando Norris, who subsequently went into Max Verstappen, with Sergio Perez also being caught up in the wreck. Whilst Lance Stroll and Charles Leclerc collided in sympathy. Max Verstappen was the only driver to continue, albeit way down the order with massive bargeboard damage. The incident scattered cars and jumbled up the entire field.
This gave Lewis Hamilton the lead, but after the ensuing red flag, the team made a massive mistake to not pit him on the formation lap. In an incredibly odd scene, Lewis was the only driver on the grid as everyone else pitted for slicks, which dropped the Mercedes to the rear of the field. This promoted Esteban Ocon to first and Sebastian Vettel to second and Nicholas Latifi to third. The latter doing the leading pair a huge favour as he held back the likes of Carlos Sainz, who may have challenged the leaders.
Esteban was kept honest by Sebastian all race, but Lewis Hamilton was charging. He did a 2 stop strategy and having fought his way through the field and looked like he was in race winning position. But he faced a very tricky customer in the form of Fernando Alonso. The pair treated us to a thrilling battle, showing why they are two of the best drivers ever to race in F1. Lewis eventually got through and eventually dispatched off Carlos Sainz but too late to challenge the leading pair.
Esteban Ocon took his maiden victory, becoming the first French driver in a French car to win since Alain Prost in 1983. Sebastian Vettel finished in second, with an exhausted Lewis Hamilton finishing in third and retaking the lead of the drivers standings.
Carlos Sainz finished in fourth ahead of Fernando Alonso in fifth. Pierre Gasly was caught up in the first corner malay but fought back to finish in sixth and stealing fastest lap from Lewis Hamilton. Seventh went to Yuki Tsunoda, whilst it was celebrations at Williams. Nicholas Latifi finished in eighth ahead of George Russell in ninth, taking their first points of the season and moving them up to eighth in the constructors, ahead of Alfa Romeo and Haas. On the other hand it was a bad day for Max Verstappen, who as a result of his damage was unable to fight back.
Kimi Raikkonen finished in eleventh ahead of Daniel Ricciardo in twelfth, who was also nursing floor damage having been caught up in the Leclerc/Stroll malay. Thirteenth went to Mick Schumacher who put up some entertaining defence, with Antonio Giovinazzi completing the finishers.
6 drivers failed to finish the race. Nikita Mazepin was taken out by an unsafe release from Kimi Raikkonen, whilst Lando Norris, Sergio Perez, Charles Leclerc, Lance Stroll and Valtteri Bottas were all taken out in the first corner carnage.
Here is the result of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
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