Piastri gives 'shoey' celebration the boot

BUDAPEST — Oscar Piastri followed in the footsteps of Daniel Ricciardo, becoming Australia's latest Formula One winner in Hungary on Sunday, but the McLaren driver changed lanes when it came to the celebration.

Ricciardo, who won in Hungary in 2014, and whose most recent triumph at Monza in 2021 was also a McLaren one-two, has had no occasion of late to perform his trademark podium swig from a sweaty shoe.

There will be no handover of the boot.

"The shoey is Danny Ric's thing," Piastri told reporters after the McLaren one-two.

"I mean, I'm going to get roped into it because I'm an Aussie, but I don't know. I'll try and think of something new. No, I think that's gone and done.

"I know we did one at Silverstone last week, but I think we were a bit upset after the race there, so we needed some cheering up. Maybe we'll do one on the plane on the way back. We can probably pay the cleaning fee now.

"But no, I'll leave that to Danny Ric and that can be his legacy. I'll create my own."

Sunday's win ticked another box for the 23-year-old, after his first race, first podium and a sprint race pole and win in Qatar as a rookie last year.

"It's something I've dreamed of since I was a kid. You know, we've had a couple of opportunities through the last few races where we've come very close. Now, to make it happen is an incredible feeling," he said.

"This is much more of a proud moment for me than winning the sprint. Of course, it was a special moment at the time, but now to have no question marks over whether I'm a race winner or not is a very nice feeling to have."

The win marked a huge step for the young driver, whose career could have taken a very different turn had he stayed at Renault-owned Alpine, the team who wanted him to replace Fernando Alonso for 2023, but lost out to McLaren.

Alpine are languishing in eighth place in the championship and have scored only nine points in 13 races — a fraction of Piastri's haul on Sunday alone.

The Australian paid tribute to mentor and manager Mark Webber, winner of nine races with Red Bull between 2009-12.

"His influence has been massive on so many levels," he said.

"I've said a few times, his hindsight of his career is my foresight.

"And he can keep me out of a few traps, a few holes that maybe he experienced in his career. His influence there is incredibly important."

Lewis Hamilton added to his Formula One milestones by becoming the only driver to stand on a winners' podium for the 200th time after his third-place finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The seven-time world champion extended his record podium haul following a classic Hamilton drive that featured a scintillating duel with rival Max Verstappen.

The jousting between the two best drivers of their generation ended with Verstappen's Red Bull momentarily airborne after the pair made contact late in the race. Verstappen had been battling for several laps to get into third position.

"The close battle we had at the end was a bit hair-raising, but that's motor racing," the 39-year-old Hamilton said.

"I saw him coming from a long way back and he was able to brake a lot later than me, but he sent it up the inside, I stayed still and he clipped the wheel and went over, so I think it's a racing incident."

Agencies