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Zak Brown opens up on Oscar Piastri’s immediate reaction after Hungarian Grand Prix

Originally posted on HITC | By Shay Rogers | Last updated Aug 4, 2025 9:28 AM ET

McLaren’s pair went head-to-head again at the Hungarian Grand Prix, mirroring their battle in the Drivers’ Championship standings.

This time, Lando Norris secured his third win in four races, using a one-stop strategy to beat teammate Oscar Piastri. Piastri attempted a late pass on the penultimate lap but locked up, narrowly avoiding contact.

The result narrows the gap at the top of the drivers’ championship to just nine points heading into the summer break.

Martin Brundle believes McLaren have made it clear to both Norris and Piastri that they’re expected to prioritise team interests this season. It’s still a learning process for both sides.

After struggling through several races at Red Bull, Oscar Piastri now shares Max Verstappen’s view that only two teams are truly in contention. McLaren simply look too strong right now.

Zak Brown highlights Oscar Piastri’s response after finishing second at the Hungarian Grand Prix

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Even with three wins in his last four races, Norris still hasn’t managed to move ahead in the championship standings.

Piastri’s best opportunity came when Norris held firm under pressure, leaving a mistake as the only real opening.

After the race, McLaren boss Zak Brown spoke about how Piastri reacted once he stepped out of his car following another second-place finish.

“I don’t think so. We were talking to him on the radio to kind of give him the choice. Do you want to race Lando or race Charles? He wanted to race Lando, which is understandable,” he told Sky Sports F1, (03/08, 4.08pm).

“You just had two different strategies there that converged, and it couldn’t have been closer, right? Oscar was faster there at the end, just couldn’t get by.

“I spoke with him as soon as he got out of the car, and unlike Silverstone when he was obviously disappointed that he didn’t win, I think here he knows that everyone gave it their best shot, and that’s just kind of how the chips fell.”

Lando Norris backed by Charles Leclerc to win the 2025 F1 title

We’re just 14 races into a packed 24-race Formula 1 season, and it’s already clear that there will be a new champion in 2025.

The crucial question is: which McLaren driver will emerge victorious? Piastri has consistently performed better throughout the season, which explains his current lead.

If it were not for his crash in Canada, Norris might be ahead. But that mistake was something he needed to learn from. It’s a long season.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc hasn’t ruled out a Norris victory, believing the title is attainable if Norris can consistently perform. However, the four-week August break for drivers to rest and reset could easily shift the championship momentum.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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