F1 2016: Hamilton Takes the Championship Lead With Hungarian GP Victory
Sameer Contractor
1 min read
Jul 25, 2016, 02:38 AM
Claiming his fifth victory this season, Mercedes-AMG driver Lewis Hamilton secured the number one position at the Hungarian Grand Prix, also taking the lead in championship standings surpassing teammate Nico Rosberg (+1.977s). While Rosberg started at the pole, the race was pretty much decided at turn one when Hamilton passed the German driver and went on to lead the race for the remainder of the 69 laps. Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo finished a well-deserved yet distant third (+27.539s), fending off competition from the very aggressive Sebastian Vettel (+28.213s).
After claiming a podium at the British GP, Max Verstappen (+48.659) had to settle for fifth as both Red Bull cars were simply no match for the Mercedes W07s. Verstappen though managed to maintain his pace despite continued efforts from Kimi Raikkonen (+49.044) to overtake the Red Bull driver after the latter had the initial lead in the battle for the fifth place. Finishing seventh was Fernando Alonso (+1 lap), securing this season's best weekend, ahead of Carlo Seinz (+1 lap) of Torro Rosso. Valtteri Bottas of Williams and Nico Hulkenberg of Sahara Force India finished ninth and tenth respectively with teammate Sergio Perez (+1 lap) finishing 11th.
Most drivers opted for the two pitstop strategy running on softs and then supersofts with the sun shining brightly throughout the 70 laps, even though the qualifying sessions were more of a slush fest. Hamilton maintained his pace for most of the race with the gap extending to 4 seconds. The battle however, turned for the fifth place after Raikkonen tried to take the inside line and ended up damaging his front wing after making contact with Verstappen's Red Bull. Nevertheless, the Dutch driver maintained his lead.
The Hungary GP saw only one retirement occur, that of Jenson Button, who faced a stuck pedal as his car lost hydraulic pressure and was asked not to shift. The McLaren driver soon pitted but was put under investigation for breaching radio communication rules. He was handed a drive-through penalty later. Kvyat was also put under investigation for speeding in the pitlane and received a 5-second penalty.
It was Hamilton's fifth win at the Hungaroring, making him the most successful driver on the circuit beating Michael Schumacher's record. The Brit lad now stands on the top with a six-point advantage over Rosberg. With the half races for the season complete, the German GP is up next, which is Rosberg's home ground and will give the driver an opportunity for redemption. Things are certainly going to be more aggressive from here.
After claiming a podium at the British GP, Max Verstappen (+48.659) had to settle for fifth as both Red Bull cars were simply no match for the Mercedes W07s. Verstappen though managed to maintain his pace despite continued efforts from Kimi Raikkonen (+49.044) to overtake the Red Bull driver after the latter had the initial lead in the battle for the fifth place. Finishing seventh was Fernando Alonso (+1 lap), securing this season's best weekend, ahead of Carlo Seinz (+1 lap) of Torro Rosso. Valtteri Bottas of Williams and Nico Hulkenberg of Sahara Force India finished ninth and tenth respectively with teammate Sergio Perez (+1 lap) finishing 11th.
Lewis Hamilton at Hungary GP
The Hungary GP saw only one retirement occur, that of Jenson Button, who faced a stuck pedal as his car lost hydraulic pressure and was asked not to shift. The McLaren driver soon pitted but was put under investigation for breaching radio communication rules. He was handed a drive-through penalty later. Kvyat was also put under investigation for speeding in the pitlane and received a 5-second penalty.
Hungarian GP marks the half past marker for this F1 season
Related News
1 min read
10 Most Powerful Super SUVs In India
7 mins read
Top 10 Most Powerful Supercars in India
Popular Ferrari Models
Latest Cars
Upcoming Cars
Latest News
Jaiveer Mehra | Jan 17, 20262026 Tata Punch Facelift Price, Variants ExplainedUpdated Punch is available in 8 trim levels with naturally aspirated petrol, CNG and turbo-petrol engine options.3 mins read
car&bike Team | Jan 17, 2026Skoda Kushaq Facelift Teased Ahead of Launch In Coming WeeksMid-lifecycle update to bring with it styling updates as well as new features inside the cabin.1 min read
car&bike Team | Jan 16, 2026Pierer Mobility AG Rebranded as Bajaj Mobility AG Following KTM TakeoverThis marks a major shift in ownership and strategic direction in the global motorcycle industry.1 min read
Seshan Vijayraghvan | Jan 16, 2026Kia Syros Variant Line-Up Expanded With HTK (EX) Trim; Prices Start At Rs. 9.89 LakhPositioned between the HTK (O) and HTK+ trims, the new variant will be offered in both petrol and diesel options.2 mins read
car&bike Team | Jan 16, 2026MG Majestor India Launch On February 12Unveiled in India at the 2025 Bharat Mobility Expo, the Majestor is expected to be positioned as a more premium alternative to the Gloster.1 min read
Jaiveer Mehra | Jan 15, 2026Kia Carens Clavis Gets New Sunroof-Equipped HTE(EX) Trim; Prices Start From Rs 12.55 LakhNew lower mid-spec trim is positioned between the HTE(O) and HTK variants and gets some additional features.1 min read
Amaan Ahmed | Jan 17, 2026Bajaj Chetak C25 First Ride Review: Basic, Likeable E-Scooter For First-Time RidersThe Chetak C25, in quite a few ways, is poles apart from the larger and more powerful 30 and 35 Series models, but in its mannerisms, it is very much a Chetak.8 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | Jan 9, 2026Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder: 10,000 km Long-Term ReviewAfter spending over three months and 10,000 km with the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder Hybrid, we were impressed by its real-world mileage, seamless hybrid, practical comfort, and Toyota reliability. Is it the best C-SUV then?5 mins read
Seshan Vijayraghvan | Jan 8, 20262026 Mahindra XUV 7XO Review: Big On Tech, Bigger On ComfortThe new Mahindra XUV 7XO is flashier, feature packed, and comes with more advanced tech. But are the changes just incremental or actually substantial?1 min read
Preetam Bora | Jan 10, 2026Simple One Gen 2 First Ride Review: 265 km Claimed Range!The Gen 2 model of Simple Energy’s first electric scooter gets a fair few updates, including new features, tech, more range and lighter weight. We spent a couple of hours with the Simple One Gen 2 to find out if it manages to impress.6 mins read
Amaan Ahmed | Jan 3, 2026VLF Mobster 135 300 KM Review: Fun But FlawedA 125 cc scooter with Italian design and Chinese genes is a rare combination, and while some may be tempted to dismiss it because of its origins, the VLF Mobster shows 125s can also be exciting – but not without compromises.11 mins read