Lando Norris makes ‘tough’ Oscar Piastri remark immediately after epic Hungarian Grand Prix battle

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The Formula 1 summer break will begin with McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri separated by just a handful of points after the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Although Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was on pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix, it became clear halfway through the race that he was going to be unlikely to hold onto the lead.

McLaren have such a large pace advantage over the field that as soon as Oscar Piastri closed up to the back of Leclerc, it only took him one attempt for him to get past.

However, Lando Norris’ far-from-ideal start eventually led him to win the race.

He was forced onto the one-stop strategy to try and have any hope of winning the Grand Prix, with the British driver stuck behind fellow countryman George Russell until the Mercedes driver changed his tyres for the first time.

For a while, it appeared as though Norris was a sitting duck and that finishing on the podium was going to be a real challenge.

The Hungaroring is notorious for being difficult to overtake at, and it took Piastri far longer to catch up to the back of his teammate than many would have expected.

Norris might have slipped up to lose out on pole position, but he made sure that the fast-charging Australian, despite two desperate lunges, wasn’t going to extend his lead in the drivers’ championship even further.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration

Lando Norris lauds Oscar Piastri’s ‘great charge’ after winning the Hungarian Grand Prix

Norris was taking part in his post-race interview after the race and said: “It was tough. We weren’t really planning on the one-stop at the beginning, but after the first lap, it was kind of our option to get back into things.

“But it was tough, the final stint with Oscar catching was…I was pushing flat out.

“My voice has gone a little bit! But good, rewarding, even more because of that, but the perfect result today.”

When asked about the one-stop strategy, Norris admitted that he ‘didn’t think it would get us the win,’ but hoped it would secure second.

However, he knew that even stuck behind Russell that he had the pace to ‘make things work’.

Finally, Norris was asked about his late battle with Piastri and explained: “I mean, I think we’re so tightly fought that it’s hard to say whether momentum is on anyone’s side!

“But, we’re fighting hard, I think both of us, it’s fun, it’s tough but fun racing with Oscar and great for us as a team.

“Another one-two, our 200th win in Formula 1, so. So, credit to Oscar, he put on a great charge and I just about held on, so I look forward to plenty more of these.”

READ MORE: McLaren driver Oscar Piastri’s life outside F1 from height to girlfriend

James Allen says Lando Norris got ‘payback’ on Oscar Piastri at the Hungarian Grand Prix

Posting on social media after the race, commentator and journalist James Allen said: “Lando really deserved the win.

“Hung on with a one-stop strategy to hold off @OscarPiastri.

“Great racing between the pair. Payback for Norris for losing out to Piastri here last year.”

For neutral fans, it’s the perfect result with 10 Grand Prix weekends remaining.

Piastri only has a nine-point lead over his teammate, and Max Verstappen finishing ninth only extends their lead over the rest of the championship even further.

Speaking before the event, Piastri admitted that he expected the title fight to be a two-horse race, and Norris’ victory has only cemented that view.