P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren did not intend for Lando Norris to switch to a winning one-stop strategy in Formula 1’s Hungarian Grand Prix as it did not think it was possible pre-race and felt Oscar Piastri’s two-stop was going to be the “dominant” tactic
McLaren initially did not plan for Lando Norris to execute a one-stop strategy in the Hungarian Grand Prix, as they believed it was not feasible before the race and expected the two-stop strategy of Oscar Piastri to dominate.
Norris refrained from overtaking Piastri at the start, leading to him being overtaken by George Russell and Fernando Alonso, dropping to fifth place.
Despite being stuck behind Russell, McLaren decided to extend Norris’s first stint on older tires instead of pitting early.
As Piastri and Leclerc pursued a two-stop strategy, Norris’s strong performance on used tires prompted McLaren to consider a one-stop approach, which ultimately led to his victory.
McLaren’s team boss, Andrea Stella, explained that the team did not anticipate the one-stop strategy initially and credited Norris for delivering competitive lap times on worn tires.
In the end, McLaren’s decision to keep Norris out longer on his tires and opt for a one-stop strategy proved successful, securing his victory over Piastri.
