Charles Leclerc claimed pole for the Hungarian Grand Prix with a stunning final lap of 1m 15.372s. McLaren's Piastri and Norris followed, while several drivers faced disappointing qualifying performances
Piastri dominated Sunday’s 56-lap race at the Shanghai International Circuit, maintaining flawless control from start to finish in a more composed second round of the season, where pit stop strategy—one or two stops—became the main talking point.
Mercedes' George Russell secured the final podium spot, while Williams' Alexander Albon finished fourth after a late five-second penalty pushed Mercedes' Andrea Kimi Antonelli down to fifth. Lando Norris now leads the world championship after winning the season-opening Australian GP for McLaren, a race marked by unpredictable rain and multiple crashes.
The McLaren driver entered a thrilling, wheel-to-wheel battle with Verstappen beginning at Turn 1 on the opening lap. Although Norris initially had the upper hand, Verstappen quickly countered using a different tire strategy, leading to an intense fight for the final podium position.
With the victory the reigning double world champion clinched his seventh straight victory and the Red Bull their 12th in a row – beating McLaren’s long-standing record.
