The outcome of today's Hungarian Grand Prix wasn't entirely satisfactory, but it was a good race nonetheless.
McLaren continued their recent good form by locking out the front row of the grid, with Lando Norris starting on pole ahead of team mate Oscar Piastri. Max Verstappen was third, but his team mate, Sergio Perez, crashed in qualifying and started near the back. Despite signing a contract extension, Perez is under mounting pressure to retain his drive after several disappointing races. Mercedes driver George Russell also started near the back after not taking enough fuel to make the best of the changing weather conditions in qualifying.
Piastri got the better start, and Norris found himself in third after Max Verstappen also moved up a place, but he did so by going of the track so his Red Bull team advised him to give the place back in case they got a penalty. This was the first of several team decisions that annoyed Verstappen today. Lewis Hamilton jumped Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr at the start, and undercut Verstappen at the first pit stops. We were then treated to a good fight between Hamilton and Verstappen.
McLaren were well ahead by the second pit stops, but chose to pit second placed Norris first, putting him in the lead after Piastri stopped a couple of laps later. The team told Norris to give the lead back to his team mate (F1 is very much a team sport with a constructors' as well as drivers' championship), but Norris was reluctant as he was clearly faster and only has one victory to his name. In the end, he relented with three laps to go, giving up a six second lead to let Piastri take his maiden win and give McLaren a 1-2 finish. Hamilton resumed his battle with Verstappen after their second pit stops, which ended with collision that sent Verstappen's car into the air. He carried on to finish fifth. Hamilton suffered less from the collision, and finished third to take a record-breaking 200th podium.
At halfway through the season, we've already had seven different winners, which is much healthier for the sport than recent years.
You can watch the 8-minute highlights here.
Next week is the Belgian Grand Prix from Spa - one of my favorite circuits. I hope the close competition continues there.