An inspired strategy call set up Lewis Hamilton to win the Hungarian Grand Prix as he passed Max Verstappen for the lead four laps from the end. Verstappen had led throughout but Mercedes-GP's decision to put Hamilton on a two-stop tyre strategy paid off as he out-braked Verstappen on Lap 67 of the 70-lap race in Budapest to win. Hamilton had been unable to pass mid-race and Mercedes pitted him to give him clear air and the tactics paid off. Verstappen complained his "tyres are dead" as Hamilton cut a 20-second deficit down in just a few laps before quickly passing the Red Bull driver at Turn 1. Verstappen, with the race lost, pitted and had the consolation of gaining a point for the fastest lap as he finished second. The two were the class of the field as the Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc were third and fourth, both more than a minute behind Hamilton. It was a miserable day for Hamilton's teammate Valtteri Bottas, who finished a lap down in eighth. The Finn's front wing was damaged on the first lap in contact with Leclerc and he dropped to last after an early pit stop. He recovered to get back in the top 10 but he is now 62 points behind Hamilton in the title standings with nine races to go. Verstappen is third, but only seven points now behind Bottas.
