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.
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 second placed Sebastian Vettel.
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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.
OCON MISSES HIS MARK
Esteban Ocon apparently does not know where the winner’s spot in the pit lane is, and stops on track!
So do Sebastian Vettel and George Russell, evidently out of fuel…
WILLIAMS BAG SIX POINTS
SIX!
George Russell holds of Max Verstappen on the last lap to finish ninth, with Nicholas Latifi eighth.
And Pierre Gasly takes the fastest lap over a late pit stop.
WHAT A RACE!
That is Esteban Ocon’s first-ever Formula One Grand Prix victory!
Sebastian Vettel takes second before Lewis Hamilton third.
OCON WINS
A stunning drive, an epic! Esteban Ocon takes the chequered flag!
OCON HAS 1.5 SECONDS ON VETTEL
Can Alpine start to celebrate?!
FINAL LAP
Lewis Hamilton has four seconds to make up on the front two, that is probably too much for the Mercedes.
LEWIS GOES THIRD
Both racers have to go around Daniel Ricciardo to lap the McLaren at Turn 1 but Lewis Hamilton continues his fightback and is on the podium!
SAINZ IS NEXT
Lewis Hamilton pounces at Turn 2 of Lap 66 but the Ferrari holds onto third.
But his resistance may not last long…
HAMILTON GETS IT DONE!
Fernando Alonso locks up at Turn 1 and, with five laps to go, Lewis Hamilton goes fourth!
HAMILTON HELD OFF
Fernando Alonso is doing a stunning job!
Lewis Hamilton looks to have got the job done on Lap 63 but each time, at Turn 2 and 4, the Alpine is in the perfect position to hold onto fourth.
BOTTAS PENALTY
Stewards have handed Valtteri Bottas a five grid place penalty for the NEXT Grand Prix, at Spa after the summer break.
A POINT FOR MAX
Max Verstappen makes the move on Daniel Ricciardo, taking tenth place.
A pair of Williams are in front of the Red Bull on his recovery mission.
Credit: Getty LAP 60/70
It is the Alpines with it all to lose going into the final ten laps of this two-hour epic.
Esteban Ocon has a 1.3-second lead over Sebastian Vettel for the lead, with Fernando Alonso doing a top job of holding Lewis Hamilton in the battle for fourth.
Max Verstappen? Back in 11th.
GOOD LUCK WITH THAT, LEWIS…
Lewis Hamilton is finding that Fernando Alonso is basically the Giorgio Chiellini of F1 racing.
Overtaking the two-time world champion is an unenviable task – and the Merc star needs to do it soon or this race win will not be happening.
ALONSO HOLDS OFF HAMILTON
Proper racing between the two veterans and Fernando Alonso holds off the Mercedes as Lap 55 begins.
In seventh, Yuki Tsunoda complains of dirty air off the back of team-mate Pierre Gasly.
He tells team radio: “Tell Pierre to hurry the f*** up!”
Come on Yuki, you’re three seconds behind…
SAINZ DROPS BACK
There is now a seven-second gap between Carlos Sainz and the lead, have his tyres gone?
No such worry for Fernando Alonso, on quicker tyres and with the Ferrari right on his front bumper.
The Spaniard will need to do the job soon with Lewis Hamilton only a couple of seconds behind – and closing.
LAP 50/70
Sebastian Vettel is now having a proper go at Esteban Ocon, with DRS on his back.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton asks: “How many cars are you gonna make me overtake?”
The answer his engineer gives is: Four. Toto Wolff jumps in to tell him he ‘can win this’.
HAMILTON PITS
Lewis Hamilton drops on the Mediums for a fast finish.
In fifth, we could be about to witness a monumental final 22 laps from the seven-time world champion.
Or he could finish fifth, which today would actually be quite decent.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
