McLaren’s 1-2 in Hungary wasn’t just a win, it was the culmination of sharp strategy, flawless pit work, and Ferrari self-destructing in real time. It was also a race that put emotions on full display, from Leclerc’s furious radio to Toto’s tear-jerking Hamilton tribute. Hungary delivered its usual dose of tire strategy chaos, sarcastic radio chatter, and some very pointed driver decisions.
Ferrari: From Pole to Purgatory
Charles Leclerc’s pole lap felt like a statement. By Lap 20, it felt more like a curse. The Ferrari ran low to maximize qualifying, but their entire race unraveled as higher tire pressures and reduced engine deployment crippled race pace. In a twist that felt all too familiar, the car became undriveable in the final stint. The team suspects potential chassis or plank issues, but never told Charles mid-race.
He cracked.
On the radio, Leclerc delivered a now-iconic, paragraph-long meltdown that felt like Ferrari had just rolled out an ancient scroll of suffering. His driving reflected the frustration: a near collision with George Russell under braking resulted in a 5-second penalty and one of the first license points he’s received in years. For a driver known for clean racing, this felt like a breaking point.
Meanwhile, George calmly swept past to take third. As one observer aptly put it: “Even the machinery is conspiring against Charles.”
Russell: Quiet Climb, Loud Statement
Russell’s pass on Leclerc wasn’t just opportunistic, it was strategic vindication. Mercedes made the right calls, and George delivered cleanly while others flailed. His calm radio demeanor had people comparing him to a schoolteacher or exasperated parent, but the result was pure effectiveness. With this podium, Russell surpasses Verstappen in 2025 podium count.
And yet, Hungary always finds a way to spark emotional instability on the radio. Maybe it’s the lack of overtaking paired with real racing stakes, unlike Monaco, where no one expects to pass, Hungary teases the possibility and then withholds it.
McLaren: 200 Wins, Zero Mistakes
When Lando Norris opted for a one-stop strategy, it looked like desperation. He said so himself. But thanks to sharp tire management and some help from the Alonso DRS train, it worked. The team didn’t think the one-stop would be possible. Norris just made it so.
McLaren celebrated their 200th GP win with the fastest pit stops of the season, 1.94s for both Lando and Oscar. Identical times. No favoritism, just perfection. In fact, Norris was so careful during the podium celebrations that he moved both trophies aside before uncorking his champagne, a nod to last year’s shattered ceramic incident.
The team’s transformation over the last two years is nothing short of incredible. What was once a midfield struggle is now a title-contending operation. McLaren’s execution has been on point all season, and Hungary showcased that again.
Red Bull: From Data Gathering to Damage Control
Yuki started from the pit lane with a revised setup purely for data-gathering purposes. They wrote off this race before it started. And during his second stint? Putting him on softs mid-race felt like performance art, a baffling decision unless you’re purely experimenting or rolling the dice for a SC/VSC. Turns out, it was both.
Softs haven’t been useful in years. On a good day, they might get you some early overtakes. But putting them on 20 laps into a race? The gamble didn’t pay off. Red Bull seems to be at that phase of the season where they’re more interested in 2026 setups than 2025 points.
Hamilton: The Ferrari Stint That Keeps Getting Worse
Lewis Hamilton looks like a man questioning his choices. The Ferrari had no race pace, and Lewis lacked the straight-line speed to make anything happen. While Toto Wolff delivered the most heartfelt tribute yet, “You’ll always be the GOAT,” Hamilton looked detached and disappointed.
This stint with Ferrari might be his lowest. And it doesn’t help that Leclerc, with all his chaos, still finished ahead. Ferrari is breaking both of its drivers, just in different ways.
Tires, DRS Trains & Strategy Roulette
The race was heavily shaped by the Alonso DRS train. Like clockwork, it returned and bottled up the midfield, giving the frontrunners just enough space to make two-stoppers viable.
Pirelli’s tires continue to frustrate. They degrade early, then plateau. Drivers can go 25 laps beyond their life without catastrophic failure, and that removes the drama of strategy entirely. We saw in Lando’s case, what should have been a desperation one-stop became a race-winning move.
Fans want tire cliff, not tire drift. But Pirelli is understandably cautious after 2020’s explosive failures. Still, some kind of designed falloff or performance dropoff feels necessary. As it stands, pushing tires isn’t punished enough to matter.
Kimi Antonelli: Speed Without Support
Antonelli had top-6 pace. Free practice looked strong. But Mercedes got too cute in Q2, sending him out on used softs and saving a set for later. It backfired. A bad out-lap and messy second push lap ended his quali.
In the race, his aggressive move on Sainz showed guts, but his day had already been compromised. Mercedes needs to simplify things for Kimi, get him into Q3 first, then think about strategy.
The Takeaway
Hungary continues to be the spiritual successor to Monaco, but with real racing consequences. It teases overtakes, triggers emotional radio rants, and rewards strategy in wildly unpredictable ways.
McLaren walks away as the sport’s new benchmark. Ferrari leaves with another broken driver. And Russell, quietly, might be launching a serious championship bid.
2025 just keeps getting better.