Oscar Piastri drama: Why Lando Norris let Australian win Hungarian F1 Grand Prix

Kieran Francis

Oscar Piastri drama: Why Lando Norris let Australian win Hungarian F1 Grand Prix image

Australian talent Oscar Piastri has won his first Formula 1 race at the Hungarian Grand Prix but only after an internal controversy with McLaren team-mate Lando Norris.

Despite Norris leading the race at the Hungaroring circuit with two laps to go, the Britain, despite being second in the F1 drivers' championship was forced by his team to let Piastri pass to win the race.

The Sporting News explains why McLaren's team rules allowed Piastri to clinch his first-ever F1 triumph.

MORE: Who won the F1 race today? Full results, standings from 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix

Why Lando Norris pulled over to let Oscar Piastri win Hungarian Grand Prix

In an unusual circumstance, Norris was forced by his team to pull over and let team-mate Piastri win the race - and he was not happy about it.

Piastri led for most of the race up to the final round of pit stops, but with Lewis Hamilton keen to undercut second-placed Norris, McLaren decided to pit the Brit first to avoid him being passed.

This move saw Piastri lose the race lead to Norris once he pitted two laps later.

The idea of McLaren's move was to keep both of their drivers in the first and second positions and they would restore Piastri to the lead if it worked out that Norris passed him.

However, Norris wasn't too happy to comply with team orders and was heard on team radio to dispute McLaren's decision.

Norris claimed they should have pitted Piastri first and then was told, "I know you'll do the right thing", by his team.

The Britain was also heard pleading that he was faster than Piastri and would have won the race even if he stopped after the Australian.

Despite the tension, Norris theatrically pulled aside on the penultimate lap and let Piastri through to win a maiden F1 race.

After the race, Norris was blunt in his assessment of what happened.

"The team asked me to do it, so I did it," he said post-race, without elaboration.

F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Race results, standings

 Driver
1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)11.Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
2.Lando Norris (McLaren)12.Daniel Ricciardo (RB)
3.Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)13.Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
4.Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)14.Alex Albon (Williams)
5.Max Verstappen (Red Bull)15.Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
6.Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)16.Valtteri Bottas (Kick Sauber)
7.Sergio Perez (Red Bull)17.Logan Sargeant (Williams)
8.George Russell (Mercedes)18.Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
9.Yuki Tsunoda (RB)19.Zhou Guanyu (Kick Sauber)
10.Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)DNFPierre Gasly (Alpine)

F1 Hungary: Pre-race grid order

1. Norris, 2. Piastri, 3. Verstappen, 4. Sainz, 5. Hamilton, 6. Leclerc, 7. Alonso, 8. Stroll, 9. Ricciardo, 10. Tsunoda

11. Hulkenberg, 12. Bottas, 13. Albon, 14. Sargeant, 15. Magnussen, 16. Perez, 17. Russell, 18. Zhou, 19. Ocon, 20. Gasly

F1 Drivers' World Championship 2024 updated standings, points

PositionDriverTeamPoints
1Max VerstappenRed Bull265
2Lando NorrisMcLaren189
3Charles LeclercFerrari162
4Carlos SainzFerrari154
5Oscar PiastriMcLaren149
6Lewis HamiltonMercedes125
7Sergio PerezRed Bull124
8George RussellMercedes115
9Fernando AlonsoAston Martin45
10Lance StrollAston Martin24
11Nico HulkenbergHaas22
12Yuki TsunodaRB22
13Daniel RicciardoRB11
14Oliver BearmanFerrari6
15Pierre GaslyAlpine6
16Kevin MagnussenHaas5
17Alexander AlbonWilliams4
18Esteban OconAlpine3
19Zhou GuanyuKick Sauber0
20Valtteri BottasKick Sauber0
21Logan SargeantWilliams0

F1 Constructors' Championship 2024 updated standings, points

PositionTeamPoints
1Red Bull389
2McLaren338
3Ferrari322
4Mercedes241
5Aston Martin69
6RB33
7Haas27
8Alpine9
9Williams4
10Kick Sauber0

F1 live stream, TV channel: How to watch races in 2024

CountryTV channelLive stream
USAFUBO, F1TV
CanadaTSN (English); RDS (French)TSN Direct
UKSky Sports F1SkyGo, NOW TV
AustraliaFox SportsFoxtel Go, Kayo Sports
IndiaF1 TV Pro

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.