Piastri Blames Hamilton After Lost Hungarian GP Qualifying Lap

Piastri left frustrated after Q3 traffic

Oscar Piastri has accused Lewis Hamilton of “not looking in his mirrors” after being impeded by the seven-time champion during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Piastri finished almost half a second behind Norris, but suggested the gap did not fully reflect his potential. The late interruption meant he never had the opportunity to establish what his car could deliver on a clean final run.

The incident became one of the defining moments of a qualifying session in which McLaren emerged as the benchmark. Further reporting on the controversy is available in Hamilton’s Hungarian GP qualifying incident.

McLaren’s upgrade delivers an early performance signal

Piastri’s frustration was tempered by the wider evidence of a step forward from McLaren. The team arrived at the Hungaroring with a substantial upgrade package as development continues under the new regulations, and Norris’s pole provided the clearest possible indication that the changes have delivered immediate performance.

Piastri said the car had been difficult to extract the maximum from, but insisted its underlying speed was clear.

“Clearly the car has been quick today. I have certainly been chasing it, it has not been easy, but clearly there is performance there,” he said.

Assessing the upgrade, he added: “Clearly, they're pretty good. One car is on pole, so no, I think they've done a good job. This was the kind of step we've needed.”

The remaining question is whether McLaren’s gain will translate across different circuit characteristics. Piastri acknowledged that uncertainty, while stressing the immediate improvement was significant.

“We'll see if it's going to be enough to help us everywhere, but definitely, the car is quicker,” he said.

For Piastri, the qualifying result therefore carried two contrasting messages: fifth place after a compromised final lap, and confirmation that McLaren now possesses the pace to fight at the front.