The Japan Times - Verstappen exploits Ferrari flop to hammer home title advantage

Just a week after his crushing win at the French Grand Prix, where Leclerc crashed out of the lead, the 24-year-old Dutchman scored his first win at the Hungaroring, his eighth this year and the 28th of his career.

Starting from 10th on the grid, after engine problems in qualifying on Saturday required a new power unit, he sliced through the field to finish 7.8 seconds ahead of Mercedes' seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who had started from his maiden pole position.

"When we woke up this morning who would have thought we would win this race?" said the Dutchman.

With Russell on pole and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Leclerc second and third on the grid, pre-race forecasts made the Italian team favourites to control and win with some ease as the Red Bulls were 10th and 11th.

But a combination of poor tyre management, slow pit-stops and questionable strategy saw them finish fifth and sixth, behind Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull, who started 11th, after looking likely winners.

"I was hoping I could get close to a podium, but it was very tricky out there," said Verstappen.

"But we had a really good strategy, we were really reactive, always pitting at the right time."

Hamilton, who started seventh was seeking to increase his record haul of eight Hungarian wins, registered his fifth consecutive podium and a successive second position.

"I was definitely struggling at the beginning, but bit by bit I got more comfortable with the balance," he said.

"I had a really good start so I want to acknowledge my team. We've had a tough year and for both cars to be on the podium is an amazing way to go into the summer break.

"The other guys have an edge, but we are clearly closing the gap. Hopefully, we can bring some more into the second half of the season and start fighting with them."

- 'I was confused' -

Russell, who led for 30 laps, said he had a strong first stint, but that he struggled on the medium compound tyres and lost temperature in the closing laps.

"But it's been an amazing job by the team to have pole position and a double podium – we are definitely making progress. I am really proud of the work everyone has done."

Both Sainz and Leclerc were dismayed by their results.

"I felt very strong and very comfortable on the mediums," said Leclerc who led the race and looked likely to win before a pit-stop to switch unexpectedly to hard tyres.

"I wanted to stay out and I don't know why I was called in. I was confused by that.

"I lost the race on the hard tyres and I don't know why. We need to speak about this inside the team."

Sainz said he felt he was slower than expected.

"It is what it is," he said. "We struggled as a team and in the lower temperatures the track changed and the car and the tyres did not perform.

"We need to analyse this to see what we did wrong and, after the summer break, come back with a better package. We have to speak about it inside the team to get to do this better."

Ferrari team chief Mattia Binotto defended the team’s decisions.

"We didn't have the performance we expected and the car was not performing well in the cooler conditions," he said. "It's the first time this season.

"We did not have the edge today. We believed we could do it, but it did not work out as we were expecting. Sometimes, we can make mistakes, but I fully support the team."

Lando Norris finished seventh for McLaren ahead of two-time champion Fernando Alonso and his Alpine team-mate Esteban Ocon and retirement-bound four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Aston Martin.

str/dj

M.Matsumoto--JT