There is disclosed a method of manufacturing a hot-rolled steel product, such as a hot-rolled steel strip or plate product, wherein the microstructure of the steel product is martensitic, having Brinell hardness of at least 450 HBW. The method comprises the following steps in given sequence: a step of providing a steel slab containing, in terms of weight percentages, C: 0.25-0.45%, Si: 0.01-1.5%, Mn: 0.4-3.0%, Ni: 0.5-4.0%, Al: 0.01-1.2%, Cr: less than 2.0%, Mo: less than 1.0%, Cu: less than 1.5%, V: less than 0.5%, Nb: less than 0.2%, Ti: less than 0.2%, B: less than 0.01%, Ca: less than 0.01%, the balance being iron, residual contents and unavoidable impurities; a heating step of heating the steel slab to a temperature Theat in the range 950-1350° C.; a temperature equalizing step; a hot-rolling step in a temperature range of Ar3 to 1300° C. to obtain a hot-rolled steel material; and a step of direct quenching the hot-rolled steel material from the hot-rolling heat to a temperature of less than Ms. The prior austenite grain structure of the obtained steel product is elongated in the rolling direction so that the aspect ratio is greater than or equal to 1.2.