Oscar Piastri believes McLaren's chances of overtaking Charles Leclerc at the Hungarian Grand Prix are limited to Turn 1 or the pit lane, highlighting the challenging nature of the Hungaroring for passing.
Why it matters
Despite McLaren's strong performance in practice sessions, Charles Leclerc secured pole position, giving Ferrari a crucial advantage on a track where qualifying is key.
The details
- Overtaking Difficulty: Piastri humorously suggested the "pit lane" as an overtaking opportunity beyond Turn 1, indicating the extreme difficulty of passing at the Hungaroring.
- Confidence vs. Reality: While confident based on his 2023 victory from P2, Piastri acknowledged Leclerc's consistent speed throughout the weekend.
- Team-mate's View: Lando Norris echoed Piastri's concerns, identifying Leclerc and Ferrari as McLaren's primary rivals in recent races.
- Rain Factor: All three drivers — Piastri, Norris, and Leclerc — acknowledged the potential for rain to make the race more unpredictable and offer more overtaking opportunities.
What's next
With qualifying position being paramount and overtaking challenging, the potential for rain looms as a critical factor that could shake up the race dynamics and create chances for McLaren to challenge Leclerc.