Formula One: Shock win for Ocon in Hungary on unforgettable day

First Corner carnage caused by Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas, involving Perez, Verstappen & Norris. . Photo / Supplied

Winning his first grand prix is a moment French Alpine driver Esteban Ocon will never forget at the Hungarian GP.

In a race initially rain-affected, a massive first corner pile up, triggered by Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas, changed the fortunes of a number of drivers, not the least being championship leader Max Verstappen, who had led Lewis Hamilton in the championship by eight points coming to the Hungaroring.

For the second time in consecutive races Verstappen was taken out by a Mercedes driver, a moment he will want to quickly forget. But unfortunately for the Red Bull driver, losing the championship lead to Hamilton in the title race means he won't be allowed to forget what happened.

Bottas missed his braking point in the wet for the first corner, resulting in him rear-ending Lando Norris in the McLaren, who in turn ricocheted onto Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez.

In a separate incident at the same corner at about the same time, Lance Stroll in the Aston Martin crashed into the Ferrari driven by Charles Leclerc, ending the race, which was red-flagged, for both of them.

Vestappen had considerable damage to the bargeboards on his car and floor damage. He would resume and eventually cross the line in 10th place, while Hamilton finished third. Ocon and Sebastian Vettel were probably the only two drivers, apart from pole-sitter Hamilton, not caught up in the first corner melee, which Leclerc likened to being a "nice bowling game".

It was of course anything but nice for the likes of Perez, Norris, Bottas, Leclerc and Stroll, who all saw their race ended prematurely.

But there was more drama to come with the race resumption after a 20-minute break, because as the drivers took the formation lap, it was evident the track was dry and slick tyres were preferable to intermediates.

So, who would come into change tyres before the restart? As it transpired, everyone, except race-leader Hamilton. By the time he took the restart, with all the others in pitlane, it was apparent he would have to pit again and drop to 14th, which was last place of those left in the race. It looked like a big mistake by Mercedes, who usually get the strategy right, and initially it was. But as the race panned out, it set Hamilton a clear target and that was at least the podium, if not trying to secure his 100th grand prix victory.

But Ocon's Alpine teammate, Fernando Alonso, who turned 40 during the race weekend, had other ideas as he successfully held Hamilton up for 10 laps while Hamilton moaned on his car radio that "at this speed" Alonso's driving was "dangerous".

Hungary was the venue for Alonso's first grand prix victory back in 2003 in the Renault, so it was fitting and appropriate that Ocon should take his maiden F1 victory at the same venue, in a Renault-powered car, aided by Alonso, who was voted driver of the race by Sky F1 viewers. Alonso would later dismiss Hamilton's complaint.

"Lewis always complains," Alonso said. "I didn't hear anything from the FIA so I guess it's okay."

Ocon was so overwhelmed by his change in fortunes which enabled the 24-year-old to win his first race after 78 starts, that he missed parce ferme in pitlane for the podium finishes, and had to park at the end of the pitlane and then run back towards his team to celebrate the team's first victory since returning to F1 as a works team in 2016.

Renault left F1 in 2011, but then enjoyed considerable success as an engine supplier to Red Bull, who won four consecutive titles from 2010 to 2013.

Ocon was greeted and warmly embraced in pitlane by Alonso, who had finished fifth and was genuinely thrilled for Ocon and the Alpine team.

"I'm super, super happy," Alonso said.

"Not only for Esteban, because it is a day that he will never forget, the first victory. But for all the guys, all the people in Enstone, in Viry, they're working flat-out and the results are not easy to come by."

"What a moment, it feels so good," Ocon told former F1 driver Johnny Herbert, who conducted the interviews for Sky F1.

"It's the first victory obviously since Renault came back into Formula 1. We had some difficult moments this season that we overcame together with the team. We came back to a fantastic pace at Silverstone and victory today, what can I say? Fantastic.

"Congrats to Fernando as well because I think the win is also thanks to him with the fight he did, his teamwork on that, so it's been a fantastic day."

Ocon also put to bed any suggestion that Alonso's reputation as a difficult driver to work with has carried over to the Alpine team, by stating "it has been awesome to work with Fernando since the beginning of the year".

"We are forming a real shock duo, I would say. We are working together, pushing the team to try and improve and get closer to the pack in front. Everyone told me a lot of things about Fernando, but everything is wrong. I can tell you he's a fantastic guy inside working and I'm really enjoying the collaboration we have together."

Ocon was joined on the podium by Vettel, who admitted he couldn't challenge Ocon for the lead, and Hamilton, who had quickly got past Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari after finally clearing Alonso after 10 laps of trying and was rapidly gaining on the front two.

But the time spent behind Alonso proved crucial and cost him the win. He looked exhausted on the podium, and it was later confirmed he had visited the team doctor before continuing with his media duties. He has since claimed that he is still suffering from the effects of the coronavirus he contracted in November last year.

While Hamilton looked out of puff, Vettel's car had run out of gas, before he could get back to the pitlane.

It transpired there wasn't enough fuel left for the mandatory one litre sample required by the technical regulations. As a result Vettel was disqualified, but was provisionally re-instated when the team said it would appeal, with team principal Otmar Szafnauer convinced that by their calculations there should have been 1.44 litres in the car. But later the FIA reversed the reinstatement, so for now Hamilton is second and Sainz third.

Ocon beating Hamilton and Vettel's likely disqualification will not help Red Bull come to terms with Verstappen now trailing Hamilton in the drivers' championship by 10 points, if the Aston Martin's appeal fails, while Mercedes now lead Red Bull in the constructors' race, also by 10 points.

Verstappen remarked: "Again taken out by a Mercedes and from there onwards I was missing my whole side of the car - the whole bargeboard area. And the floor was damaged as well.

"It was impossible to drive to be honest. There are a lot of freak moments at this time which has cost us a lot of points. Of course, Mercedes are very quick, but we will never give up."

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff apologised to Red Bull, not directly, but during his Sky F1 interview.

"I can completely understand the feelings, all I can do is to take it on us," he said.

"It was a small mistake being too late on the brakes, and took out Lando and the two Red Bulls. It's not how things should go, but in the rain it can be quite tricky."

Bottas was given a 5-place grid penalty for the next race, as was Stroll, for the Belgian GP at Spa on August 29. Bottas' "small mistake" had enormous consequences for the championship, but as we know, the FIA don't punish drivers on the basis of the damage caused.

"I think it's fair enough," he told Sky F1. "I think I misjudged the braking points, I wasn't expecting to lock the wheels. It also felt like they braked quite early, but I was the one behind and I was responsible for in the end hitting Lando and that meant that he took a lot of people off in front of him. So, it's not great for me and not great for others."

Red Bull boss Christian Horner was not in a forgiving mood even after hearing Wolff was apologetic.

"Is he going to pay the bill? It's racing. Toto wasn't driving the car, his driver was driving the car. I'm sure he didn't tell them 'crash into Red Bull'. I'm sure he wasn't that sorry to see the result, but I'm sure he didn't tell Valtteri to do that. But the consequence for us is brutal and in a cost-cap environment that needs looking at by the FIA."

Hamilton punting Verstappen off at the British GP has literally been a turning point in the championship. In two races Verstappen has gone from being 32 points ahead of Hamilton to 10 behind. The championship is only at the halfway point, with 12 races to go, but the pressure is now back on Red Bull even though Horner says they will not give up.

"There's only a difference between a first and second between the two guys. I think it will be epic, the second half of the year, and we're not giving up anything."