Lewis Hamilton wins 2016 Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton wins the Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix as he takes championship lead while Daniel Ricciardo finishes in an impressive third place.

Lewis Hamilton has won the 2016 Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix

LEWIS Hamilton took a crucial win at Hungarian Grand Prix to take the Formula 1 championship lead for the first time this season.

The Mercedes driver led from lights to flag to finish ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg while Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo scored the final podium spot.

Hamilton’s win gives him a six point buffer over Rosberg going into next week’s German Grand Prix, after a mid-race scare where he lost pace to his teammate was overcome.

Hamilton passed Rosberg off the line, while Ricciardo made a bold move to jump from third to second place in the opening turns.

RESULTS: Click here for full results from the Hungarian Grand Prix.

“The start was everything,” Hamilton said. “I got a good start and I had one of the Red Bulls on the inside of me so I was pressured into Turn 1.

“The team did a fantastic job with the strategy preparing the car as always, the guys back at the factory are continuing to push flat out so a huge thank you to them.”

With the Hungaroring notoriously difficult to overtake on, Rosberg admitted his race was effectively lost at Turn 1.

“It was all down to the start in the end and I lost out a little bit and then into Turn 1 with Daniel on the outside and Lewis on the inside, I ran out of space and had to bail out a bit,” Rosberg said.

“That was it really. I was happy to take Daniel back in Turn 2 and from there I was trying to put all the pressure possible on Lewis, but of course, it’s impossible to pass on this track.”

The Red Bull driver held off a fast charging Sebastian Vettel over the line while teammate Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen were fifth and sixth.

The win marked Ricciardo’s third podium at the circuit after early pitstops compared to his rivals helped maintain his position over the Ferrari driver.

“It’s great to have another podium this year,” said Ricciardo. “The first one (Monaco), was bittersweet but this one I can definitely enjoy. For sure the smile is back and I’m super happy to be here today. It’s three years in a row I’ve been on the podium at this circuit.”

Yet again in 2016, Verstappen and Raikkonen were caught up in a fierce tussle, with Raikkonen remonstrating over his radio that the young Dutchman was blocking and weaving into the corners.

The Finn moved from 14th to sixth in one of the most impressive performances of the race.

McLaren’s Fernando Alonso finished seventh ahead of countryman Carlos Sainz. Valtteri Bottas and Nico Hulkenberg picked up the final points.

In a race of few overtakes, no Safety Car interventions and only one retirement from Jenson Button, Hamilton took what could be a decisive win on his way to his fifth World Championship.

Originally published as Lewis Hamilton wins 2016 Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix