How Lewis Hamilton gave Piastri massive helping hand against Norris at Hungarian GP

Lewis Hamilton unintentionally turned into a major ally for Oscar Piastri at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

According to Lando Norris, he received a double whammy in the process of both McLarens lapping Hamilton’s Ferrari. As Norris was cost four-tenths, and Piastri armed with DRS, Hamilton apparently had quite the part to play in a thrilling battle between Norris and Piastri for the Hungarian Grand Prix win.

Did Lewis Hamilton accidentally help Oscar Piastri in Hungary?

Norris and Piastri went down different strategy routes at the Hungaroring, Norris looking to hold on with a one-stop, while Piastri went with a two-stopper. The end result, once Piastri had cleared Hamilton’s Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, was a dash to the chequered flag between the McLaren team-mates and title rivals.

Despite being on older tyres, Norris would hold off Piastri to take a fifth win of the season. There was one heart-in-mouth moment en route to that achievement, as Piastri braked very late into Turn 1, locked-up and narrowly evaded the back of the sister McLaren.

No harm done in the end, and Norris kept his nerve to race on to victory, though he claimed that Hamilton had made life a little harder in that quest.

It was a bruising Hungarian Grand Prix for Hamilton, one which saw him cross the line twelfth, one lap down. His blunt comments have led to speculation over his future with Ferrari.

Speaking with Channel 4, it was pointed out to Norris that he got frustrated over the radio with traffic on several occasions. When asked if he was always hindered, or if it actually helped him versus Piastri sometimes, that was when Norris shared the Hamilton story.

He said: “I don’t know. I mean, I think the time Oscar caught the most, was Lewis let me past into the last corner, so I didn’t have DRS, but had to go tight in, so I lost like four-tenths on my delta, and then Oscar had DRS all the way down to Turn 1.

“And I was like, ‘Mint. Thank you very much!’ [Laughs].

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“So I mean, there were some moments, maybe, it might have helped me. The thing is, when you’re on an older tyre, it’s a lot more punishing than on the newer tyre.

“Even at three seconds, doesn’t look good on TV, but when you’re trying to be on like that balance and the fine limit, it just gets a lot trickier.

“So yeah, I’m complaining, but I’m complaining because I want to win a race, not because of anything else.

“So tricky, tricky moments. Like the last 10 laps were stressful, mistakeless, which was the most important thing today, and that’s what I’m probably most proud about.”

After that win, Norris will return from the summer break nine points behind Piastri at the top of the Drivers’ Championship, with 10 rounds to go.

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