Hungarian Grand Prix: Hamilton takes championship lead

A fifth Hungarian Grand Prix win was enough to move Lewis Hamilton to the top of the drivers championship on Sunday.

Hamilton looked sure to take pole position in qualifying on Saturday but had to settle for a 2nd on the grid after yellow flags stopped the Brit from improving his time, allowing Rosberg to claim pole position.

When you take the lead in the world championship standings for the first time in 2016#HungarianGP #Dab ? #F1 pic.twitter.com/Bv3rYkvGy7
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 24, 2016

It was Hamilton that got the better start out of the Mercedes pair and took the lead into Turn 1 and was relatively untroubled in what was a lackluster race.

Nico Rosberg, who last week signed a new contract with Mercedes, finished just under two seconds behind Hamilton who has managed to turn a 43 point lead deposit into a six-point lead.

The Mercedes pair were joined on the podium by Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo who pipped Sebastian Vettel to third place.

Ricciardo looked to have the lead on the run down to the first corner but he could not stop a charging Lewis Hamilton from claiming the lead. Ricciardo did manage to take second place but was quickly passed by Nico Rosberg at the very next corner.

LAP 1/70: After a tussle with the Red Bulls after Turn 1, HAM claims the lead with ROS in P2 #HungarianGP pic.twitter.com/PPkXPKQ9MS
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 24, 2016

Max Verstappen was eager to get passed Ricciardo but the first round of pit stops did not work in the favour of the teenager. The Dutchman exited the pits behind Kimi Raikkonen who was on the soft tyre and going longer which ruined the Red Bull driver’s race.

Raikkonen himself had quite the afternoon. After starting in 14th place, the Finn managed to make up eight positions from where he started in what was an impressive showing from the 2007 champion.

With the pace of Hamilton slowing, Rosberg was closing in on Hamilton and was forced to pick up the pace otherwise the team would the team would give Rosberg first service at the final stop.

? Mercedes: “Just need to pick the pace up a bit”
? HAM: “Yeah I’m working on it”#HungarianGP #F1 ?? pic.twitter.com/AjjNib37vq
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 24, 2016

Just as Rosberg was edging closer and closer, Hamilton found just enough pace to keep ahead and clinch an all important victory.

Fernando Alonso kept up McLaren’s impressive run with a seventh place finish, however, the same could not be said for teammate Jenson Button. The Brit, who is a two-time winner in Hungary had a torrid afternoon. Button retired with a hydraulic problem after a drive-through penalty due to a radio infringement.

Jolyon Palmer threw away his best shot at championship points with a late spin at Turn 4.

Classification:

1. Lewis Hamilton

2. Nico Rosberg

3. Daniel Ricciardo

4. Sebastian Vettel

5. Max Verstapenn

6. Kimi Raikkonen

7. Fernando Alonso

8. Carlos Sainz

9. Valterri Bottas

10. Nico Hulkenberg