McLaren had a proper tactical chess match on their hands at the Hungarian Grand Prix, and Martin Brundle reckons they got it spot on. Lando Norris was clearly feeling quick and wanted to break the rules during his battle with teammate Oscar Piastri, but the team's pit wall held firm. Brundle thinks that was the absolutely right call, and his reasoning makes total sense when you break down how the race actually unfolded.

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So here's what happened. Norris nabbed pole position on Saturday but then ran wide at Turn 2 early on, which handed the lead to Piastri. The Australian had only qualified fifth but got bumped up thanks to Lewis Hamilton's grid penalty and some other shuffles. Over the radio, Norris started making noises about being faster than the guy in front, and he specifically asked if he could pit before Piastri to undercut him. McLaren said no, and Brundle's absolutely right that they had to stick to protocol. If Piastri's leading the race, he gets first dibs on his pit stop, simple as that.

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What really proved Norris' point came later in the race during the second round of pit stops. That's when the difference in pace became obvious. Piastri pitted on Lap 33, but Norris waited until Lap 39, meaning he jumped out with fresher rubber and the clear track he needed to show his speed. He then absolutely flew, putting over 12 seconds on his teammate before Piastri retired with gearbox trouble. Norris cruised to his first win of the season from there, and honestly, the result vindicated exactly what he'd been trying to tell his team.

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Brundle told Sky Sports that McLaren did the right thing by rejecting the undercut request early on. The team protocol is straightforward, the one leading stops first, and you can't just bend those rules because a driver thinks he's faster. Norris proved his pace fairly when he got his chance in clean air, and that's the way it should work. McLaren kept things professional and let the racing sort itself out, which ultimately delivered them a victory.

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