LEWIS HAMILTON has fallen just short in his bid to win the Hungarian Grand Prix from last place.
The Brit ended up in third after being held up by a stubborn Fernando Alonso for eight long laps but has now been bumped up to SECOND following Sebastian Vettel’s disqualification.
Hamilton started alone on intermediates after Valtteri Bottas took out Lando Norris and two Red Bulls to get the race red flagged.
And that decision cost him dear as he was forced all the way to the back of the grid, with every other driver on slicks.
Esteban Ocon took his first ever chequered flag after heroically holding off Vettel.
Stay up to date with all the action from Hungaroring in our live blog…
UPDATED DRIVER’S STANDING
This means that now Hamilton is EIGHT points above Verstappen, with the Brit gaining an additional three points.
1 Hamilton (Mercedes) 195
2 Verstappen (Red Bull) 187
3 Norris (McLaren) 113
HAMILTON MOVED UP TO SECOND
Sebastian Vettel, who finished in second has been DISQUALIFIED.
Hamilton has now been moved up to second place behind Ocon.
LEW JOKING
Johnny Herbert was left red-faced after congratulating Lewis Hamilton on his ‘victory’ in the Hungarian GP – despite the Brit finishing THIRD.
The former F1 driver was conducting the post-race interviews after Esteban Ocon had taken the chequered flag at the Hungaroring.
Herbert turned to Hamilton and said: “What a race!
“The 100th F1 win for you, the ninth race win here in Hungary, history being made by you but a frustrating day as well.”
Having been told about his error, he then corrected himself, saying: “I jumped ahead of myself with that 100th win and ninth obviously here in Hungary.”
LONG COVID FEARS
Hamilton was visibly struggling on the podium, and Mercedes team doctors confirmed after he was being treated for ‘fatigue and mild dizziness.”
The Brit has since said he fears he is suffering from long Covid, after testing positive with Covid last year.
HAMILTON ON LONG COVID
Lewis Hamilton fears he is suffering from long Covid after being left dizzy and suffering from exhaustion.
The F1 champ produced a herculean drive to go from last-place to third in a crazy Hungarian GP to regain top spot in the championship.
However, the 36-year-old, who tested positive for Covid 19 and was forced to miss the Sakhir GP in Bahrain last December, is still struggling.
Hamilton was left hunched over on the podium and barely had enough energy to lift up his trophy after a heroic drive, also saw the team’s doctor after crossing the line.
He said: “I just gave it absolutely everything right until that last lap. I am so exhausted afterwards. One of the weirdest experiences I’ve had on the podium.
“I think [the Covid] is lingering there. I remember the effects of when I had it and training has been different ever since then.
“The level of fatigue that you get is different and it’s a real challenge. I’m trying to keep training and preparing as best I can.
“Who knows what it is? Maybe hydration. I don’t know but it was definitely different. I had something similar at Silverstone but this was way worse.
“I was having real dizziness and everything got a bit blurry on the podium. I have been fighting all year to stay healthy and what happened at the end of last year [with the positive covid test] but still it’s a battle.”
‘FIGHTING ALL YEAR’
Lewis Hamilton has given an update on his condition in his post-race press-conference.
He said: “I’m OK. I’m had real big dizziness and then got a bit blurry on the podium.
“I’ve been fighting all year really with staying healthy after what happened at the end of last year [when he had Covid].
“It’s still, it’s a battle.”
Some fans have since suggested that Hamilton may be suffering from Long Covid.
‘I’D DO IT AGAIN’
Sebastian Vettel has reportedly been called to the stewards room for wearing a rainbow shirt in support of the LGBT community during the Hungarian national anthem.
And he said of the decision: “I heard it’s because I left a shirt on for the national anthem…They can do what they want to me, I don’t care. I’d do it again.”
Vettel was protesting against a proposed law in Hungary to ban the teaching of homosexuality to under-18s.
VAL GUY
Valtteri Bottas accepted criticism coming his way after crashing into Lando Norris.
He said: “I think it’s fair enough. I had a bad start and I got a wheelspin off the line, so I lost the momentum.
“Lando got ahead of me and I was right behind him breaking into turn one and I think I misjudged the breaking point.
“I wasn’t expecting to lock the wheels and they breaked quite early but I was behind so in the end I was responsible for hitting Lando and that resulted in other people going off.
“What can I do? What can I say? I was behind and I locked the wheels and that’s it. It’s not like I did it on purpose.”
CHRIS-IS, WHAT CRISIS?
Christian Horner joked about Toto Wolff’s apology to him: “Is he going to pay the bill?
But he then added: “It’s racing. Toto wasn’t driving the car. I’m sure he didn’t tell them ‘crash into Red Bull’.
“I’m sure he wasn’t that sorry to see the result but I’m sure he didn’t tell Valtteri to do that.
“The consequence for us is brutal. In a cost cap environment that needs looking at. It needs looking at by the FIA.
“We’ve had six Grand Prix victories. The races we’ve lost were a tire explosion, we were taken out at Silverstone and this race this weekend.
“So I think we’ve got a lot to be positive about and the whole team is fully motivated.
“It’s all to play for. I think it’s going to be epic the second half of this year and we’re not giving up anything.
IN NEED OF A BREAK
Lewis Hamilton has been taken to the team medical centre after suffering from fatigue and dizziness.
The Brit looked out of sorts and dehydrated on the podium and it has been revealed that he had no water in his car throughout the race.
Fortunately he will have a three week break to refresh after today.
BULL-ISH MOOD
Christian Horner struck a more conciliatory tone after his outburst against McLaren after the British Grand Prix.
He said of Bottas’ crash into Max Verstappen: “Valtteri obviously made a bad start. It looked like he misjudged his breaking point at the first corner.
“It’s sort of a karting error where they try to take too much back and unfortunately the result for us. He eliminated both of our cars.
“The cost of the damage – it looks like an engine on Sergio’s car. For Max, the mechanics worked wonders to even get the car running.
“He’s run with half a car. The entire right hand side of the barge board was missing. He probably had less downforce than Mick Schumacher today.
“Max fought for that one point and in the end it could prove vital.”
HOLD THE LINE
Toto Wolff has defended his team’s decision to start Lewis Hamilton alone on intermediates while every other driver pitted and changed to slicks after the red flag.
He said: “I think we did absolutely the right thing. There is nobody in the team who would have done otherwise.
“As a leading car it is always difficult to take the decision and if you’re the only one pitting then you come out last and there is the difficulty of getting out of the pit stand because everybody is pitting.
“How it looked like, we were a little bit lonely there on the grid and obviously it played against us.”
WOLFF NOT AT THE DOOR
Toto Wolff has said he will not be speaking to Christian Horner in person about Valtteri Bottas’ crash into both Red Bull drivers on the opening lap.
When asked if he would apologise directly to Red Bull, he said: “I will do it in public like I am doing it here, with you.
“I’m sorry for that.”
‘COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND’
Toto Wolff has apologised to Red Bull after Valtteri Bottas crashed into both Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen.
He said: “I completely understand the feelings. All I can do is to take it on us.
“It was a small mistake being too late on the race and took out Lando and the two Red Bulls.
“It’s not how things should go but in the rain it can be quite tricky.
“It was a small mistake that cost them a lot of points and possibly two places on the podium, so sorry for that.”
‘COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND’
Toto Wolff has apologised to Red Bull after Valtteri Bottas crashed into both Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen.
He said: “I completely understand the feelings. All I can do is to take it on us.
“It was a small mistake being too late on the race and took out Lando and the two Red Bulls.
“It’s not how things should go but in the rain it can be quite tricky.
“It was a small mistake that cost them a lot of points and possibly two places on the podium, so sorry for that.”
MAX-ED OUT
Max Verstappen was fuming after being crashed into by a Mercedes on the opening lap for the second race running.
This time it was Valtteri Bottas, who took out both the Dutchman and his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.
Verstappen said: “Again taken out by a Mercedes, so that’s not what you want.
“From there onwards I was missing my whole side of the car, and the floor was damaged as well.
“It was almost impossible to drive to be honest.
“I still tried my very best and I scored one point, so it’s at least something but it’s not what you want.”
TEAM EFFORT
Fernando Alonso is heaping pressure on the whole Alpine team after Esteban Ocon won the Hungarian Grand Prix and he finished fifth.
Alonso said: “I am super super happy. Not just for Esteban because it’s a day he will never forget, but for the guys.
“They are working flat out and the results are not easy to come.
“You know we are in a very very tough and competitive environment in Formula One and to have these kind of results is a motivation for everybody.”
LEW BLEW IT
Fernando Alonso offered a scathing assessment of Lewis Hamilton’s drive after he held the Mercedes off for eight laps.
The Brit’s former McLaren team-mate said: “I think Lewis was making small mistakes in the last two corners, that’s my honest opinion.
“He had so much pace and you cannot take eight laps to pass with that kind of pace advantage.
“And in fact, after changing a few lines, he could pass Carlos [Sainz] immediately. One lap after.
“It was not difficult to pass in my opinion, but he took four or five laps to figure it out.”
CALL A VET
A lovely gesture from Sebastian Vettel as he calls on Alpine team principal Laurent de Rossi onto the podium for the photos.
De Rossi would have been over the moon with the incredible defensive display both his drivers, winner Esteban Ocon and fifth placed Fernando Alonso, put on today.
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
Esteban Ocon was full of praise for Fernando Alonso after his team-mate held Lewis Hamilton up.
WHAT AN EPIC
This may take a bit of time to sink in for Esteban Ocon…
Credit: Reuters Credit: Reuters
OCON REACTION
He says: “We had some difficult moments this season, we overcame them.
“What can I say? It’s fantastic.
“Sebastian was mega quick the whole race but we managed to hold him off.”
HAMILTON LEADS THE CHAMPIONSHIP
He said: “Yeah, we came in this weekend not knowing how it would go.
“Considering the circumstances today, I’ll take it.”
BIG HUGS
Esteban Ocon is greeted by some ecstatic team staff, and a lovely hand shake from Sebastian Vettel.
IT’S A MARATHON
Literally! The top two are both having to RUN to the podium after running out of fuel on track.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
