"I was hoping to be able to get closer to a podium, but we had a very good strategy, we were really reactive. Even with the 360 ​​(he lost control of his single-seater for a moment, editor's note), we won the race" , reacted the winner on arrival who signed on the Hungaroring route, near Budapest, his 8th success of the season in 13 races.

This victory was indeed not a foregone conclusion for the reigning world champion, who started in the middle of the grid after suffering a mechanical problem the day before at the very end of qualifying.

Lap after lap, the Dutchman gradually recovered to win ahead of the Mercedes of Britons Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who started from pole position for the first time in his F1 career.

This second consecutive double podium for Mercedes - after France last weekend - offers a new breath of fresh air to the German manufacturer.

After a complicated start to the year for the reigning world champion team, it is now only looking for a first victory in 2022.

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Since the start of the season, the German manufacturer has been struggling to get rid of the problems that prevent it from competing with Red Bull and Ferrari.

"We are clearly closing the gap, hopefully we can bring a little more in the second half of the season and start to fight" with the competition, now hopes Hamilton, seven-time world champion in the category , who signed her 5th podium in a row in Hungary.

Strategic error for Leclerc

Under a threatening sky, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), already the victim of the failing strategy of his team which had cost him victory in Monaco, was again the victim on Sunday of a strategic error linked to his tires.

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Shortly after halfway, Verstappen, then on intermediate tyres, took advantage of the slower hard tires shod by Leclerc to take the race lead from him.

The Scuderia driver was then forced to return to the pits to put on soft tyres, leaving the competition to slip away.

"I said that I wanted to stay with the intermediate tires as long as possible, so I don't understand why we finally put on the hard ones..." lamented the Monegasque shortly after the finish.

Leclerc is now 80 points behind Verstappen in the championship.

The other Ferrari, that of the Spaniard Carlos Sainz, fails at the foot of the podium despite a 2nd place in qualifying.

Follows the Mexican Sergio Pérez, 5th.

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Behind Leclerc, the Briton Lando Norris (McLaren), 7th, the Alpines of Spaniard Fernando Alonso and French Esteban Ocon – victorious last year at the Hungaroring – and German Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) complete the top 10 .

The fastest lap point went to Hamilton.

The other Frenchman on the grid, Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), qualified 19th, had to start from the pit lane after changing the engine of his single-seater beyond the authorized quota per season, without the approval of the technical director of the FIA.

He finally ranks 12th on Sunday.

© 2022 AFP