Race Notes - Hamilton comes from behind to win seventh Hungarian GP

By Mark Karp

Lewsi Hamilton in his Mercedes GP had a tremendous come-from-behind run to beat Max Verstappen to win his seventh career Hungarian win.

Verstappen finsihed in second place in his Red Bull-Honda by 17.796 seconds, followed by Sebastian Vetel in his Ferrari in third,1m01.433 seconds behind the winner.

The win is Hamilton’s eighth of the 12 rounds of the 2019 season and his 81st career victory.

Charles Leclerc (1m05.250s) in the second Ferrari was fourth. followed by Carlos Sainz (1 lap) in his McLaren-Renault in fifth, Pierre Gasly in the second Red Bull in sixth, Kimi Raikkonen in the Alfa Romeo-Ferrari in seventh, Valtteri Bottas in the Mercedes in eighth, Lando Norris in the second McLaren in ninth and Alex Albon in the Toro Rosso-Honda in tenth place.

At the start Verstappen takes the lead from pole. At turn 3 Hamilton passes Bottas for second place, Botttas’ front wing is damaged with contact with Leclerc. Further through the lap Vettel and Leclerc both pass Bottas.

At the end of lap 5 Bottas pits to change his front wing and he switches to hard tyres and comes out last.

On lap 8 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m21.293s.

At lap 10 Verstappen leads Hamilton by 2.2 seconds, followed by Leclerc, Vettel. Saomz. Norris, Raikkoen, Gasly, Grosjean and Hulkenberg in tenth place.

Bottas is in 20th, 48 seconds behind the leader.

On lap 10 Ricciardo passes Stroll for 16th place.

Ferrari tells Vettel that they are on plan ‘B’.

Magnussen passes Russell for 14th place.

On lap 14 Bottas is up to 18th place running the hard tyres.

Hulkenberg tells Renault that he is suffering power issues.

Bottas passes Stroll and Russell and is up to 16th place.

On lap 19 Albon and Kvyat battle, and Kvyat takes 12th place. Perez pits.

At lap 20 Verstappen leads Hamilton by 1.2, followed a further 15 seconds back by Leclerc, Vettel, Sainz, Norris, Raikkonen, Gasly, Hulkenberg and Kvyat in tenth place.

On lap 22 Kvyat pits from tenth and rejoins 16th.

Verstappen tells the team he is losing a lot of grip.

Hamilton has closed to under a second behind.

Hamilton tells the team that his tyres feel good, and that he can keep running for a while.

On lap 25 Verstappen pits fron the lead for hard tyres, and rejoins in second place ahead of the Ferraris.

At lap 27 Hamilton leads Verstappen, Leclerc, Vettel, Sainz, Norris, Raikkonen. Gasly. Hulkenberg and Albon in tenth place.

On lap 27 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m20.928s.

On lap 28 Leclerc pits for hard tyres.

Hamilton says he locked up under braking.

On lap 20 Albon pits and rejoins 15th.

Norris pits for hard tyres and rejoins in 11th.

On lap 32 Hamilton pits from the lead, and rejoins in second place.

Gasly passes Hulkenberg for sixth place.

Bottas passes Ricciardo for 11th place

On lap 34 Hamilton sets fast lap. Norris passes Magnussen for ninth.

Bottas passes Magnussen for tenth place.

On lap 35 Hamilton sets another fast lap at 1m19.331s.

Hamilton followe\s the leader by under one second.

Ferrari tells Vettel that they need three more lap untill they can e

On lap 39 Ricciardo is in front of Verstappen. Hamilton batlles side-by-side, but runs wide and Verstappen stays in the lead. Hamilton backs off to cool his car and clean his tyres and runs 1.7 seconds behind. Hamilton asks the team, “what can I do?”

On lap 40 Vettel pits for soft tyres and rejoins still in fourth.

At lap 42 Verstappen leads Hamilton, Leclerc, Vettel, Sainz, Gasly, Raikkonen, Norris, Bottas and Ricciardo, yet to pit in tenth.

Verstappen tells the team, “you need to give me full power.”, and the respond, “you have full power”.

Mercedes tells Hamilton that his temps are getting better, he trails Verstappen by one second.

On lap 48 Bottas pits for medium tyres and rejoins in 12th.

On lO 49 Hamilton pits for medium tyres as well, and rejoins still in second place, 21 seconds behind the leader.

On lap 51 Bottas passes vyat for tenth.

Verstappen is questioning the team that he should have pitted - the team tells him that Hamilton would have gotten by them.

Grosjean retires in the pits.

On lap 52 Bottas passes Perez for ninth place.

Hamilton has closed to 15 seconds behind the leader.

Ricciardo is battling mag

On lap 59 Hamlton sets fast lap at 1m18.668s and trils Verstappen by 13 seconds.

On lap 60, with 10 laps to go, Verstappen leads Hamilton by 12 seconds, followed by Leclerc, Vettel, Sainz. Gasly, Raikkonen, Norris, Bottas amd Perez in tenth.

Mercedes is predicting that Verstappen’s tyres will be worn out at the finish.

On lap 61 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m18.528s, and trails Verstappen by 10.1 seconds.

On lap 63 the gap is down to 7.7 seconds.

Verstappen tells the team that his tyres are “dead”.

On lap 65 Hamilton is 3.2 seconds behind Verstappen.

Bottas passes Norris for eighth place.

On lap 65 Hamilton is now down to a 1 second gap, and is closing fast.

On lap 67 Hamilton passes Verstappnen for the lead into the first corner.

The next lap Verstappen pits for soft tyres, rejoining still in second place.

Albon passes Perez for tenth place. Bottas is closing on Raikkonen in seventh.

On lap 69 Vettel passes his team mate for third place.

On lap 70 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m17.103s.

On the final lap Hamilton cruises to the win ahead of Vertstappen and Vettel to take his seventh Hungarian GP win.