Verstappen wins in Hungary as Leclerc misses out again

Red Bull's Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen won the Hungarian Grand Prix from 10th on the starting grid on Sunday (Jul 31) as Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc suffered another strategy nightmare.

Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton finished second for Mercedes with team mate George Russell, on pole position for the first time, third in a repeat of the previous race in France.

Reigning champion Verstappen now has a massive 80-point lead - more than three race wins - over Leclerc after 13 of 22 races.

The Ferrari driver led for a while but ended up sixth as his tyre strategy unravelled.

"Amazing result. Who would have thought when we woke up that we were going to win the race," Verstappen said over the team radio after taking the chequered flag in tricky conditions at the Hungaroring.

"That is right up there with your best," said team boss Christian Horner.

"Unbelievable. Best way to go into the summer break and it doesn't feel anything like summer today, I tell you," he added, with raindrops falling as the race ended.

The win was Verstappen's eighth of the season and 28th of his career. He now has 258 points to Leclerc's 178.

Hamilton, winner a record eight times in Hungary but starting from seventh, felt he might have won had his drag reduction system (DRS) not failed in Saturday's qualifying.

"We would have had the pace to win if we hadn't had that DRS issue," the Briton told his team over the radio after taking the chequered flag and banking an extra point for fastest lap.

Hamilton had bolted on a set of softs for the last 18 laps and passed Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Russell before setting off in pursuit of Verstappen, who was ultimately too far down the road.

Leclerc was left wondering, not for the first time