Start crash, Hungaroring, 2021

Hungarian Grand Prix stopped as first-corner crash puts five drivers out

2021 Hungarian Grand Prix

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The Hungarian Grand Prix has been red-flagged after a multi-car crash at the first corner put one-quarter of the field out of the race.

Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Charles Leclerc, Lance Stroll and Lando Norris were eliminated in a pair of incidents at the first corner. Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo also sustained damage in the carnage.

The race began on a wet circuit. The 19 drivers on the grid started on intermediates tyres, while Antonio Giovinazzi pitted on the formation lap to fit slicks.

While Hamilton led the field down to turn one from pole position, team mate Bottas got away poorly and was passed by the Red Bull drivers and Norris, who started sixth. Bottas ran into the back of Norris at the first corner, knocking the McLaren into Verstappen, while Bottas ricocheted off the other Red Bull of Perez.

A further incident unfolded behind them as Stroll also arrived at the first corner too quickly. He took to the grass on the inside of the corner but was unable to avoid Leclerc’s Ferrari, which in turn hit Ricciardo.

“Nice bowling game,” fumed Leclerc in a post on social media. “So frustrating.”

The Safety Car was initially deployed to deal with the situation, but on the second lap the red flag was thrown and the race suspended. It is due to restart at 3:32pm local time.

Hamilton will lead the restarted race followed by Esteban Ocon and Sebastian Vettel. Verstappen will restart in 13th place.

Gallery: Turn one crash

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2021 Hungarian Grand Prix

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Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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25 comments on “Hungarian Grand Prix stopped as first-corner crash puts five drivers out”

  1. Good puppy Valtteri! :)

    1. very suss
      but miight’ve been the move that get his seat next year.

  2. Lady Luck loves Lewis

    1. Maybe not. This was bizarre

      1. He’s probably still gonna win it.

    2. You think it’s luck? How delusional

    3. @hahostolze

      Last weekend many people were complaining that Hamilton shouldn’t been allowed to repair his damage.

      This weekend the The red flag was only to clean the track up. They were not fixing barriers. Yet 15 minutes was given which was enough time to make substantial repairs to the Red Bull.

      It also allowed the track to dry up. This made it harder for Mercedes and Hamilton to make the right tire call. Well I think this was one of Hamilton’s worst decisions in years, as rosberg explained in the commentary, he had the hardest choice to make. Had they resumed racing after only 5 minutes then track conditions might have favored Hamilton.

  3. Right decision?

    1. So the last two races have shown the mercedes is the fastest when they eliminate the red bull on the first lap

  4. I know it’s easy for me to say, sitting here with a beer on a balcony in Greece, but that was absolutely atrocious driving from Valtteri and Stroll.

    1. I have no beer, but I agree.

    2. What the hell were they doing…

      1. P.S.: Not the right way to use the word “atrocious”…I use that aiming at off-track behaviors.

        1. It is the right way to use it, thanks!

          1. Yeah…for you. But I wouldn’t, by the way.

          2. You’re free to do whatever you like but I don’t think you can police other users’ comments. Especially when you’re wrong.

            The word atrocious is used to describe anything which is bad, a piece of art, a bit of driving, a poorly cooked meal. Any one of those things would be an “atrocity”, which is where term comes from!

          3. I’m gonna step back and say that you said it the right way regarding Lance and Valtteri. And you’re right when you said that I can’t police others’ comments, nothing wrong with that. I aimed this once at two Red Bull people!

  5. The moment I saw it’s wet, I expected Bottas to struggle. And boy, he did not disappoint. Sorry, but this is just pathetic and unworthy of a Mercedes cockpit.

  6. I thought this was more billiards than bowling.

    Feel sorry for Charles, Lando, Checo.

  7. Amateur driving of Bottas but hey hé has earned his seat for net year. If you are ging to fail then best do it this way.

    1. Fix your “he”

  8. Valterri ? What did you do?
    Oh, man!

  9. Hamilton is the luckiest man ever. Bottas wiping out both Red Bulls in one move.

    1. So the man who lead before the carnage is luckier than Ocon and Seb? OK

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