.png "os2 trasparenza (1)")
On Sunday, July 21, 2024, the Hungarian Grand Prix will take place at the Hungaroring circuit in Budapest, representing the thirteenth race of the Formula 1 World Championship. For this Grand Prix, Pirelli, the sole tire supplier, offers a choice of C3, C4, and C5 compounds, the softest in the range provided by the tire supplier. The FIA, for its part, confirms the two traditional Drag Reduction System zones used since the 2013 edition, to facilitate overtaking. Drivers can activate the rear movable wing on the main pit straight and between Turn 1 and Turn 2, the latter being a new section added subsequently. For both activation zones, there is a single detection point for the gap between drivers, located before Turn 14. Compared to the 2023 edition, the circuit features some modifications. The paddock has been rebuilt. The guardrail at Turn 2 on the right side has been replaced with concrete walls and debris fencing. Tire barriers at Turns 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 12, and the exits of Turns 13 and 14 have been replaced with new coverings. New temporary concrete walls with debris fencing have been installed on the left side of Turns 13 and 14 around the temporary pedestrian bridge. A 2.5-meter-wide grass verge has been installed behind the curb at the exit of Turn 5 on the left side. A 2.5-meter-wide gravel strip has been added to the exit of Turn 12 on the left side. A 14-meter-wide strip of asphalt has been added to the main straight at the race direction control and pit lane exit, covering the entire width of the track and pit lane. The white line at Turn 4 on the right side and at Turn 11 on the left side have been moved further to the right and left, respectively, to reduce the distance between them and the end of the curb. Light panel number 10, located on the left before Turn 6, has been moved forward. Light panel number 13, located on the left at Turn 10, has been moved back. Light panel number 14, located on the right before Turn 11, and light panel number 19, located on the left after Turn 14, have been moved forward. For this Grand Prix, the FIA stipulates that any driver who does not correctly navigate the exit of Turn 14 will have their lap time and the immediately following lap time invalidated by the race stewards. In the interval between the two World Championship events, the day after the previous British Grand Prix, precisely on Monday, July 8, 2024, Scuderia Ferrari announced the resignation of the team's technical director, Enrico Cardile. The following day, Tuesday, July 9, 2024, Aston Martin announced that they had hired the Italian engineer, appointing him as Chief Technical Officer starting next season. Lawrence Stroll, Executive Chairman Aston Martin, says:
"I would like to welcome Enrico to Aston Martin Aramco as we look to reinforce the technical leadership team ahead of significant regulation changes in 2026. I am thrilled that we continue to attract world-class talent to our team. Enrico shares my motivation to be successful in F1 and will have all the resources available to him to realise that ambition. Together with Andy Cowell joining as Group CEO in October and our existing leaders we are creating a formidable team".
Mike Krack, Team Principal Aston Martin, adds:
"I am delighted to welcome Enrico to Aston Martin Aramco. Enrico has nearly 20 years of experience at Ferrari and will offer a fresh perspective to our technical strategy. This is a key appointment for the team as we build towards the new 2026 regulations - an important next step on our journey".
And Enrico Cardile concludes:
"I'm looking forward to joining Aston Martin Aramco. The ambition and desire are clear and it is a unique opportunity to be part of that journey. This is a personal and professional challenge and I look forward to working with the team to bring success to this iconic brand".
A few days later, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, Haas confirmed the three-year extension of their agreement with Scuderia Ferrari for the supply of power units, until 2028. The renewal of the contract means that Haas will begin the new era of power units with Ferrari in 2026, ensuring continuity from the past. On this matter, Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu says:
"I am thrilled to extend our relationship with Scuderia Ferrari until 2028. As a team, we have always raced with Ferrari power units, and having this stability ahead of the new power unit regulations is a crucial part of our development. Our relationship with Scuderia has always been special for us: Ferrari has been instrumental in the genesis of our program from the early days and has continued to be a valuable technical partner for us over the past nine seasons. I am pleased that we now have more seasons ahead of us, and I thank Fred Vasseur and many others at Scuderia Ferrari for continuing to show confidence in our project. This announcement is just another example of Haas' long-term ambition: our investments and growth in this sport continue".
And two days later, on Thursday, July 18, 2024, the American team can confirm Kevin Magnussen will depart his race seat upon the conclusion of his current contract at the end of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. Magnussen is the longest tenured driver in MoneyGram Haas F1 Team history with the 2024 season marking his seventh season competing for the American outfit across two spells (2017-2020, 2022-2024). With 135 starts to-date for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, from a career total of 175 Formula 1 starts - Magnussen, who has also competed for McLaren and Renault, is set for 12 more races for the team through to the completion of the 2024 season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December. The Danish racer scored a career-high ninth place finish in the Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship with MoneyGram Haas F1 Team in 2018 - scoring top 10 finishes in 11 out of 21 races - assisting the team on its way to its best-ever finish of fifth in the Constructors’ Championship that season. MoneyGram Haas F1 Team looks forward to working with the Dane for the remainder of the 2024 season in his racing capacity and adding to his top 10 results from Australia and Austria earlier this year. Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal of Haas F1 Team says:
"I’d like to thank Kevin for everything he’s given us as a team - both on and off the track. He’s truly been a bedrock of our driver line-up over the years. Nobody’s driven more races for us and we’ve had some memorable highlights together - not least a remarkable fifth place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2022 when Kevin returned to start his second spell with the team. He wasn’t expecting to be driving a Formula 1 car that weekend, but he put in a remarkable performance that was a tremendous boost to the entire organization and once again showcased his own talents behind the wheel. There’s plenty of racing to go this year so I’m looking forward to seeing what else we can achieve with Kevin as we push together in the championship. Beyond that, and with Kevin’s special relationship with the team, I’m hoping we can find a way to keep working together in some capacity. We can hopefully define that in the near future, but his extensive experience in Formula 1 and knowledge of our working operations are undoubtedly of value in our on-going growth and development".
And Kevin Magnussen states:
"I’d like to extend my thanks to everyone at MoneyGram Haas F1 Team - I’m proud to have raced for such a great team of people these last few years. In particular I’d like to thank Gene Haas for his commitment to me, notably in bringing me back once again in 2022 when I thought, at that time at least, my time in Formula 1 had ended. I’ve enjoyed some great moments with this team - memories I’ll never forget. While I’m looking forward to the next chapter of my racing career, I remain fully focused on giving everything I’ve got for the rest of 2024 with MoneyGram Haas F1 Team".
On the eve of the Hungarian Grand Prix, one of the main topics is the current mental and performance state of Lando Norris, who has become a prime target for the press and critics. Too many missed victory opportunities and too little aggression displayed in duels against his friend-rival Max Verstappen. Even the self-criticism by the Englishman after the incident at the Red Bull Ring, where he was up against the Dutch driver, was negatively judged by a certain part of the media. In this regard, the British McLaren driver responded that he is not interested in this type of criticism:
"I am happy with my balance. I respect and welcome what people say, but I know what I think and I know how to do [this job] which I believe I do better than 99% of other people. I always try to absorb and improve my way of working, my way of thinking, my way of speaking, but I can say and think what I want and I can do it for myself better than anyone else. So I don't care who speaks negatively about me in this respect".
Regarding the duels he increasingly faces with Max Verstappen, Lando Norris reiterated that he wants to tackle this challenge in his own way without acting like an idiot:
"I don't care what people say. I am a nice guy and I try to be respectful in every possible way. But that has no relevance to what happens on track. What happened ten, fifteen, or twenty years ago is completely different from today. If I wanted, I could be much more of a jerk and act like an idiot and play that kind of character. But I don't need to, I don't want to".
While the British driver has to face the accusations from the press, Max Verstappen is forced to deal with a significant performance crisis with his car. On the eve of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Dutch driver said bluntly:
"At the beginning of the year, I felt really good with the car. It came even more naturally than the previous year to drive the car, which was positive. But then I'd say after a few races, with the competition getting closer, the car had some messy weekends and it became harder to make it work".
The World Champion, however, does not want his team to give up in this battle for developments that in recent months have partially changed the power dynamics on the grid:
"If you look at the situation realistically, other teams have made bigger steps forward. This is very clear. But I know my team is pushing to the maximum to find performance. These cars are very complicated, but we need to find more performance. Naturally, being the team leader, we have less time to spend in the wind tunnel and the rest. I'm not using it as an excuse because I don't want to think that way. But it’s the reality that we have less time. We're trying to do our best".
Meanwhile, the courtship from Toto Wolff, Mercedes team principal, to the Dutch driver continues. This, to the detriment of Carlos Sainz Jr., who will be released from Scuderia Ferrari at the end of the season and is still waiting to understand with which team he will face the 2025 season:
"Surely, with each passing week or day, I am closer to making a decision. I was busy watching the European Championships and didn't make it, I'm sorry. I am aware that the future of some drivers also depends on my decision, but at the same time, I don't think things will change. It's just the timing that is changing, but probably all the teams now have their priorities and their decisions based on every scenario. This sport has taught me to be a bit more selfish, to look out for myself, and to make decisions that suit me when I have all the options on the table and am ready to make them, without rushing things if it's not necessary. The teams have been very patient, and I thank them for that, but I also had to be patient; I’m not the only one who has to decide. I don’t quite understand why the market is moving so early this year, why everyone is in such a hurry when I remember how it used to be in the summer break of September, July when all these situations started to occur".
For the future of Carlos Sainz Jr., there are no updates, unlike the news that Scuderia Ferrari will bring to the Hungarian weekend with a confirmed modification to the car’s floor, as stated by the Spanish driver:
"Already for the Hungaroring, we have a small update that we hope will improve things. Silverstone was a kind of investment, with the hope of improving the car in the medium and long term. Our simulations suggest that with our updates, there should be less bouncing, so I am confident that our tools are getting us back on the right track. I think there is a chance this year; we need two or three tenths, at the moment we are too far from fighting for victories. However, I think we will bring two or three tenths to the car over the next six or seven races, where we will have the chance to get back to fighting for wins towards the end of the year or in the second half, but we need them soon because otherwise our wins will depend on others' mistakes rather than our good performances on weekends like in Australia and Monaco. It’s about two or three tenths, but nowadays they are very difficult to find for any team, and that's why you see all the teams around the paddock fighting so hard to find that performance and get it with their compromises".
After a trio of nightmare races, with just 12 points earned, Charles Leclerc hopes to improve in these next two consecutive races he must face before the summer break, in Hungary and Belgium. Two tracks with opposing technical characteristics are very important for Scuderia Ferrari to try to understand if the problems that emerged after the introduction of the Barcelona updates are finally being resolved.
"The package we will use in Budapest? I don't want to go into too much detail; you will see it tomorrow, but yes, we have done our homework quite well. Having gone to a very extreme setup in the last few races, we have learned a lot, and with the week off between races, we were able to draw conclusions and make our choice for this weekend, but you will see it tomorrow".
The Monegasque driver then delves into the specifics regarding Ferrari's problems, mainly due to pronounced bouncing that then causes a series of other issues. Charles Leclerc, however, rules out that the floor issue could be resolved by using different types depending on the various tracks:
"No, for now, I don't imagine such a situation, and it’s certainly not one of our goals to have different floors for different types of tracks. The problems are mainly related to bouncing, not speed peaks. The peak has never been a problem; of course, you reach the limiter sooner when you have a lot of bouncing because you’re jumping everywhere. But the problem is not the speed peak; it’s just the bouncing".
Undoubtedly, Charles Leclerc has achieved incredible milestones over the years, such as the 24 pole positions he has claimed so far, but these results are countered by numerous errors due to overdriving. For this reason, the Monegasque driver admits that the contribution of Scuderia Ferrari's Team Principal, Frédéric Vasseur, can be helpful:
"Being self-critical in Formula 1 is very important because you find yourself in a situation and a position where people tend to agree with you most of the time. In a team like ours, the passion is so high that in happy moments there is overwhelming emotion, but also very intense feelings in a negative way when we are going through difficult times. In F1, it is necessary to be as emotionally calm as possible, and Fred tries to give us balance. Every time we have very difficult moments, he helps us get back to a reasonable level and not be too disappointed. And so when we win, he helps us not to get too high and brings us back down to earth. I have a great relationship with Fred, and he certainly isn’t afraid to tell me when I’m doing something wrong or when he thinks I’m doing or saying something wrong. I consider him a very important person to have by my side".
Unlike what is happening for Scuderia Ferrari, the last two races of the 2024 season have represented the most glorious moment for Mercedes. Therefore, for George Russell, the Hungarian Grand Prix represents a rather important event not only for the developments of the World Championship but also for the confirmations that could emerge after the recent Grand Prix results.
"This championship is already well advanced, and Norris is in a rather solid second position. But I think the goal for the rest of the year is simply to try to win as many races as possible. Naturally, we have massively closed this gap. We’ve had two great races in the last four, but looking closely, Verstappen still won two of these races, finished second in another, and should have finished second in Austria. So, it hasn't been a bad period of form for them either, meaning we are undoubtedly closer than ever. We just have to see here at Spa, but I believe that if we are fast in these two weekends, we will be fast everywhere".
The British driver will be racing in the Hungarian Grand Prix with the same power unit used at Silverstone, saved after a mid-race retirement:
"This weekend, we will use the same engine. It was just a water loss issue, with the engine not receiving enough. We figured it out; I believe the team noticed from the second or third lap of the race that temperatures were getting higher and we were losing power. It was a real shame, but as Lewis said, we are in a fantastic position now. We will fight again, and I am confident that we will have the opportunity to do so once again".
From 2025 onwards, Mercedes will no longer have Lewis Hamilton in their lineup. Beyond this, George Russell expresses his positive judgment on the team and Toto Wolff’s work in keeping the same people in the team for the coming years:
"There haven’t been any major changes in Mercedes' organization, and credit must be given to Toto for believing in his colleagues and giving them the opportunity to do what they do best. I believe this is something that sets this team apart from many others. So far, it seems we’ve done a great job in this regard. So, we just hope to continue this journey".
The Hungarian Grand Prix arrives at a special moment in Lewis Hamilton's career, who returned to victory for the first time in the last race at Silverstone after being absent from the top step of the podium since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix:
"Compared to last year, we have a much better car, so I don’t know exactly where we will be compared to everyone else this weekend. We will be stronger than last year, but I think the situation is still very close between us and Red Bull. They will still have a slight advantage over us, but we will find out, I believe, tomorrow. We still have better race pace compared to the past. After the victory, I am still myself, but it shows that everything is possible. Just keep pushing, keep going".
The British Grand Prix brought a joy that Hamilton, shortly after the podium, compared to that of winning his world titles. But does the Hungarian Grand Prix represent the definitive test to understand if Mercedes can still fight for victory in the upcoming races?
"I don’t think it does; we absolutely don’t want to overreach, but I believe this is the key point of our approach. I think the game is open, and we will try to win as many races as possible or compete for as many victories as possible. Maybe this weekend we will find out that Red Bull is still ahead, or McLaren, who knows, but what we have shown in the last races is that with determination, focus, and the continuous search for perfection and improvement, you can make a difference. We are united as a team and will try to finish the season in the best way. If we can climb up in the Constructors' standings, if we can progress and not stray too far from the drivers ahead of us, then that would be fantastic".
Amidst the topics concerning the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix, the British driver also touches on extra-sporting elements such as Ralf Schumacher's recent coming out, publicly revealing his homosexuality:
"I have great respect for Ralf's courage and honesty in coming out. It's important that our sport reflects the diversity and inclusiveness that we want to see in the world. Ralf's openness sets a powerful example and shows that being true to oneself is something to be celebrated. Everyone should feel free to be who they are, both on and off the track".
"I think there is still a long way to go in sports. It’s one thing to say it’s inclusive, it’s another to make sure people feel comfortable in the environment. This is a male-dominated space and, as far as I know, he is one of the first to be publicly respected at least. We are very inclusive within our team, but I believe that the sport must continue to do more to make people feel more comfortable, or to make women feel more welcome in this space, because I know they have not always been treated well, and so we need to do more. I don’t have the solutions, but I know that most of the time it’s about conversing, dialoguing with key stakeholders, analyzing how accessibility gathers information from people who feel or don’t feel included or involving the community. You could do a questionnaire for every single person present here and ask some questions and ask them honestly how they feel and what they think could be done. There are many things that could be done, but first and foremost talk about it and not ignore that it is a problem or put it at the bottom of the list of priorities. Raise the issue and assign someone the task of figuring out how to make people feel".
A problem, that of feeling free to openly express one’s sexual orientation without fear of being judged, which is added to others noted by the same English driver:
"I remember, crossing the bridge, meeting a poor guy with a disability similar to my brother’s. He really needed a bathroom and there was a police officer standing next to this bathroom, but he was telling him he couldn’t use it. I remember stopping, I was on the phone as I was arriving and I stopped to argue with the police officer. I told him: Please, this guy has a long way to go. But first of all this guy shouldn’t be crossing the bridge on foot, there needs to be more accessibility for people with disabilities. At the moment of frustration, I couldn’t do much to talk to that police officer, who still didn’t allow him to use the bathroom. But then I spoke to Stefano Domenicali and told him: We need to talk to the organizers of this event and ask them how to improve accessibility for people in wheelchairs. Because since Frank (Williams) has been here have you seen any progress in this regard? I don’t think so. So there are many areas and different obstacles that we need to overcome".
The races held in Budapest and Spa-Francorchamps will determine the future of Sergio Perez at Red Bull Racing, who is far from secure in continuing his career despite the two-year renewal signed at the start of the season. The Mexican driver has a performance-related option, which obliges him to keep the gap to Max Verstappen within 100 points to avoid triggering the termination clause. Perez is now 137 points behind his teammate and will urgently need to show signs of improvement, to dissuade the team from the idea of rescinding the agreement. In this regard, Red Bull Racing’s external consultant, Helmut Marko, says:
"It’s clear that what he’s doing is not enough. The next two races will be crucial, we’ll see if he can find his form. A contract is useless if the performances are not up to standard. Every F1 contract has performance clauses. The bonuses paid to employees are based on the position in the constructors’ championship and this could cause internal unrest in the workforce".
In the event of Sergio Perez’s replacement at the end of the year, the Austrian manager does not seem interested in the Carlos Sainz Jr. hypothesis:
"I assume we will go with our current drivers. We have three young drivers ready for Formula 1, at the top of the list is Liam Lawson, followed by Ayumu Iwasa and Isack Hadjar".
On the eve of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen does not hide his hope that the package of updates brought by the team will work. But in this regard, the Austrian manager is not confident:
"I hope that in Budapest the old adage that our car works better in hot temperatures will hold true. But I am rather skeptical. We have problems with the balance of the car and getting the tires into the right operating window. McLaren manages to do this immediately, we only get there in FP3 or qualifying. We hope that the updates will work well, because we aim to get back to winning on our own merits. We cannot hope that McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari will continue to alternate in the long term".
And knowing Helmut Marko’s attitude, it is not surprising the witty remark dedicated to Scuderia Ferrari:
"McLaren has the fastest package, but they haven’t brought home the races due to driving or strategy errors. Mercedes has shown something more solid than a simple flash in the last two races, and Ferrari is also coming back - although after Monaco it is joked that since they dived into the port after the victory, they have not resurfaced".
On Friday, July 19, 2024, just before the start of the first free practice session, the race direction announces that, for safety reasons, drivers must keep to the right of the barrier at the entrance of the pit lane. The first free practice session is characterized by an air temperature of 31 °C, while the asphalt temperature reaches 60 °C. In this first hour, Carlos Sainz Jr. sets the fastest time. The Spanish driver from Scuderia Ferrari leads Max Verstappen and his teammate, Charles Leclerc. The World Champion is almost 0.3 seconds behind, but it should be noted that this time was set during the early phase of the session when the track was less rubbered in. Max Verstappen then focused on comparative tests, as did the other Red Bull Racing driver, Sergio Pérez. Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, after encountering traffic on his flying lap, completed a second quick lap but made a mistake at turn 12, going wide. Behind the Monegasque driver is George Russell, while Lewis Hamilton, using only Medium tires, is further down the classification. In the afternoon, conditions change, with the asphalt temperature being 10°C lower than in the morning. In this session, it is Lando Norris who sets the fastest time, while Max Verstappen remains in second place. The Dutch driver is forced to use Soft tires for a second consecutive lap after his first attempt was disrupted by slower cars on the track. Carlos Sainz Jr., who is ahead of Sergio Pérez, finishes 0.4 seconds behind the leader of the timesheets. The Mexican driver conducts a race simulation with good pace and avoids an incident with Guanyu Zhou, who spun at turn 4. Charles Leclerc, however, loses control of his car again, this time at turn 4, ending up first spinning and then hitting the barriers. The car is damaged, but the driver is unharmed. The race direction is nonetheless forced to stop the session with the red flag, both to recover the car and to repair the guardrail. Charles Leclerc's difficult run continues as he faces a performance and concentration crisis on track, following yet another mistake due to overdriving:
"The feeling is improving a bit; we had a more consistent day compared to the last three or four weekends, so that’s positive. Unfortunately, due to a mistake, our mileage was reduced, but we hope to make up for it soon".
Despite what happened during FP2, the Monegasque driver's day had started well for both him and the team, but the results are still not sufficient to draw definitive conclusions:
"I wouldn’t get carried away too quickly, but the feeling is good. I think we’re still a bit behind McLaren, who seem very strong this weekend. However, as I said, the feeling is good, and that’s always a positive sign. Now we need to put everything together tomorrow, and I hope we can do that. The day didn’t end positively, even though it started quite well; we fitted new parts on the car that seem to be doing what we want, so that’s always positive. Unfortunately, I made a mistake at turn 4 in FP2, which reduced the amount of running we did in the session. We did fewer laps than we would have liked, but there’s still tomorrow, and the feeling with the car is quite good. I hope this will reflect in the race".
With Charles Leclerc becoming a negative protagonist due to the incident he was involved in during FP2, the only positive notes for Scuderia Ferrari primarily depend on Carlos Sainz Jr.'s performance. The Spanish driver has managed to gather important information for the rest of what could turn out to be a crucial weekend for Scuderia Ferrari, especially considering the new updates brought to the floor in an attempt to address the chronic bouncing issue.
"Overall, we had a positive day, which is always important here because this is a very tricky track to set up the car. Additionally, due to the high temperatures, it was important to see how all three compounds reacted to the extreme heat on track. We gathered some useful information, and it looks like we are in better shape this weekend. However, it’s only Friday, so let’s see tomorrow".
As mentioned, Scuderia Ferrari’s practice sessions were inevitably impacted by the incident involving Charles Leclerc at the start of FP2. This mistake is doubly significant: both due to the Monegasque driver’s ongoing negative run in terms of results and because of the team’s approach to the race. The early end to the session prevented Scuderia Ferrari from obtaining data from both drivers on long-run simulations. However, Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur defended his driver:
"We performed well in the morning in terms of single-lap pace, but in the afternoon long runs, we struggled more because we only had one car and couldn’t make comparisons. As for Leclerc, he knows he made a small mistake, but he was already going very fast into turn 4 from the beginning. Unfortunately, he went a bit too fast. He’ll reset completely, and it won’t have any impact on qualifying. The main issue is not having completed a long-run simulation. The last races have been difficult for the entire team, not just for Charles. There have been some technical problems, and he sometimes pushed too hard. But it’s pointless to point fingers; we win and lose together".
When asked specifically about the upgrades shown by rival teams, the French manager chose not to focus too much on the development strategies of competitors:
"I haven’t focused on Red Bull, but not being able to test between races makes it difficult to bring updates. You have to sacrifice a session to understand and develop the car. I believe they’ve done here what we did at Silverstone".
Lando Norris started the Hungarian Grand Prix on a high note, setting the fastest time in FP2 and sending a significant signal to the competition-although he was aided by using Soft tires compared to the Mediums of his direct rivals. This performance confirms that the English driver and McLaren are still fully capable of fighting for victory after several missed opportunities in recent weekends. However, Norris believes that all drivers from McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes will be in contention for pole position during qualifying:
"I think the battle is really close between us, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull. I believe there will be eight cars fighting for pole position, and other cars also look very fast, like Haas. Today was quite a good day. I had a good lap and we managed to achieve a good result, but tomorrow is another day. There’s definitely still a bit of work to do if we want to be more comfortable".
Analyzing the first two practice sessions, McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella also believes that the performance of the top four teams remains extremely tight:
"I think we’re going to have another exciting race because I’d say that Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes, the usual suspects, look very close".
Beyond the overall performance, McLaren took advantage of FP1 to study tire management, a crucial factor given the high temperatures in Hungary at this time of year:
"It’s really hot. It’s a challenge to cool the car and the drivers, and it’s a challenge to keep the tires within a reasonable operating range. There are also some issues with car balance, particularly because the rear tires tend to overheat in these conditions. Friday’s practice at the Hungaroring was useful, with extremely hot conditions in the first session followed by a cooler FP2. We were able to work on our test elements all day, which helped us understand the car setup. We also examined the different tires and their behavior in these hot conditions, providing the team with important data on which compound is best suited for the race. Overall, we can see that the car is performing well. Lando had good pace throughout".
The only negative note from FP2 is Oscar Piastri’s P13, a result on which Andrea Stella reflects ahead of a highly competitive qualifying session, not only for the top positions:
"There are some things we need to check overnight to be in a position to compete for the top positions on the grid in a very tight field, not only with the usual competitors but it seems that some midfield teams have also made significant progress. In any case, it looks like it will be an exciting weekend for the fans".
At the end of the first day of practice, Max Verstappen seems to view positively the upgrades brought to Hungary by Red Bull Racing, directly confirming the positive sentiments expressed earlier by Helmut Marko after FP1 ("We’re already satisfied. In general, the upgrades worked, but Ferrari is making a comeback. It also depends on the type of circuit, which seems to suit them well. We still need to fine-tune a few things, but the encouraging thing is that we’re only two-tenths behind Sainz. And we lose that time mostly in one corner, the last one before the straight. This is purely related to the car’s behavior, which is something we don’t normally have. So, overall, we’re happy") and Pierre Waché ("Max's balance issue doesn’t stem from the package, but is intrinsic to the car and how the tires work at temperature. FP1 alone is not enough to draw conclusions, but it seems like we’re heading in the right direction. There have been no alarms").
"I think we had a good day with the updates we brought for this race. Of course, there’s still a lot to do to optimize the car, but I believe it was a good start to the weekend. It’s important to examine all the details and work to ensure we have the best setup possible for qualifying. Naturally, FP2 was somewhat interrupted by the red flag, so we didn’t manage to complete all the long runs we wanted, but it was the same for everyone. We’ll review everything, but overall, it was a good start to the weekend".
Optimism reigns inside the Mercedes box after seeing the times in the long runs. And even Lewis Hamilton, who in the past had often expressed exaggerated pessimism after the first free practice, believes that the Anglo-German team can give him a competitive car for qualifying:
"It is definitely very hot here this weekend. It typically is here in beautiful Budapest at this time of year! Today wasn't our best day of the season so far. The car set-up didn't feel great, and we weren't on our best form. We made a few small tweaks between the sessions but nothing major. We've got some ideas as to why the car wasn't at its best though so we will work hard on it overnight, looking to make improvements ahead of tomorrow. The competitive order is very close once again out there. Whilst our single lap pace wasn't the best, our long run was decent. We are still a step behind the ultimate pace at the front but will do what we can to close as much of that gap as possible for Saturday".
A confidence that George Russell also shows he has, who adds:
"It was a very hot day out there today! It wasn't quite as bad in the car as I was expecting it to be, but I am sure that will change during the race on Sunday. Everyone in the garage is doing a great job working in such challenging conditions, with temperatures upwards of 35 °C in there. We got a lot of laps in today on the long run. That is really useful data for us to go through tonight. It will help dictate our strategy for the rest of the weekend and inform any improvements we can make to the car ahead of tomorrow. The McLarens and Red Bulls looked very quick today, so we know we've got some ground to make up. We don't seem to be quite as competitive in these very hot conditions so that is something we need to understand. We're excited to see what we can do tomorrow and hopefully we will be in the mix in the top-five".
On the night between Friday, July 19, 2024, and Saturday, July 20, 2024, Mercedes uses one of the two curfew allowances permitted during the season to work on their cars. A few hours later, during the third and final free practice session, marked by a significant drop in track temperature, McLaren drivers record the two fastest times, although the results confirm a great balance, with the top sixteen drivers within one second. Lando Norris is the fastest, with a time even better than the one that secured pole position in the 2023 season. Max Verstappen finishes in third place, over 0.2s behind the British driver's time. The Dutch driver is still interested in assessing his car's performance with a long run on Hard tires. Lewis Hamilton, still lagging behind, spins off. When the race control gives the green light for the start of the qualifying session, the track is damp, and light rain is wetting the surface. The drivers, however, complete their first laps on slick tires, despite concerns that the intensity of the rain might increase during Q1. This pushes drivers to complete lap after lap in an attempt to take advantage of any potential improvements in track conditions. Kevin Magnussen sets the first valid time, improved by Yuki Tsunoda. Daniel Ricciardo moves into second place, then the two Williams drivers alternate at the top. Shortly after, Oscar Piastri takes the lead in the time standings with a lap time of 1'17"504. Carlos Sainz Jr. then improves on the Australian's time. Max Verstappen is fifth, while Lewis Hamilton, improving the limit to 1'17"087, performs better. Sergio Pérez is behind his teammate. George Russell only manages the eleventh-best time, worse than Alex Albon, who is eighth, and Fernando Alonso, who is fourth. Charles Leclerc also struggles with the ninth time. Max Verstappen, with the best second sector overall, is third. With about 6 minutes left in the session, Sergio Pérez loses control of his car on a curb and crashes into the barriers. His Red Bull RB20 is irreparably damaged, and the marshals suspend the session to retrieve it. The session resumes, with Daniel Ricciardo, Lance Stroll, Kevin Magnussen, Guanyu Zhou, and Nico Hülkenberg at risk of elimination, and the rain beginning to wet the track during the break. As he is in P14, George Russell is also at risk of exclusion, so he returns to the track with dry tires. In fact, all drivers decide to use the final minutes of the session to try to improve, except for the Alpine drivers. Max Verstappen sets a time, to the thousandth, equal to that of Lewis Hamilton.
Charles Leclerc recovers and moves up to fourth place, then surpassed by Lance Stroll. However, it is Daniel Ricciardo who sets the fastest time of the session. Meanwhile, Alex Albon and Nico Hülkenberg move into qualifying positions, as do Valtteri Bottas and Kevin Magnussen, while Guanyu Zhou can only place ahead of the two Alpine drivers. George Russell cannot improve his position and remains out of Q2. It later emerges that the British Mercedes driver did not have enough fuel for a final attempt. Besides George Russell and Sergio Pérez, Guanyu Zhou, Esteban Ocon, and Pierre Gasly do not advance to the next round. At the start of Q2, Carlos Sainz Jr. sets the first reference time. Many drivers wait in the early minutes for the rain to stop. However, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen take to the track, though they use used tires. Lewis Hamilton improves on Carlos Sainz Jr.'s time, with a lap of 1'16”544, and is then surpassed by Max Verstappen, who sets a time of 1'15"770. Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas moves up to fourth place, followed by Nico Hülkenberg. Shortly after, Oscar Piastri moves into second place, just 0.015s behind Max Verstappen. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll then move into third and fourth places, respectively, while Yuki Tsunoda is seventh. As time progresses, Lando Norris moves into fourth place, ahead of Charles Leclerc, while Carlos Sainz Jr. subsequently rises to third. At the end of the session, Lewis Hamilton climbs to sixth place, about 0.5s behind Max Verstappen; Lance Stroll moves into fourth position, and Alex Albon improves to a provisional Q3 spot. Daniel Ricciardo, on the last lap, moves into sixth place, Charles Leclerc into fourth, and Fernando Alonso back into sixth. With one final effort, Lando Norris sets the fastest time in Q2 with a lap of 1'15"540. The last drivers seem to threaten Lewis Hamilton's qualification, with Valtteri Bottas closing just 0.077s behind the British driver, and Nico Hülkenberg just 0.010s. Besides these two drivers, Alex Albon, Logan Sargeant, and Kevin Magnussen also fail to advance to the final phase. At the start of Q3, weather forecasts also predict possible rain. Max Verstappen finishes his first attempt with a time of 1'15"555, followed by Oscar Piastri with a time of 1’15"863. Carlos Sainz Jr. trails behind, while Lewis Hamilton places third. Fernando Alonso sets the fifth-best time, before Lando Norris, with a time of 1'15"227, manages to surpass Max Verstappen. The warm asphalt at the Hungaroring prevents the rain from affecting the track, but everyone immediately seeks a second fast lap, anticipating stronger precipitation. Thus, Oscar Piastri finishes just 0.022s behind Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz Jr. remains in fourth place, while Max Verstappen finishes his lap 0.046s from pole position. With just over two minutes remaining in qualifying, the session is interrupted for the second time with red flags as Yuki Tsunoda goes off track and heavily damages his Racing Bulls. Upon resuming, many drivers scramble to complete a final attempt before the checkered flag: however, only Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, Oscar Piastri, Daniel Ricciardo, Lance Stroll, and Charles Leclerc manage to start their fast laps; Max Verstappen decides not to complete any more laps. The track, however, does not improve, and no one is able to better Lando Norris’s time, who thus secures pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix. And of course, at the end of qualifying, the British McLaren driver can only be satisfied:
"I’m very happy. It wasn’t an easy qualifying session. We were always at the front, especially at the most crucial moment. It’s a great result for the team with a double top position. We already have a lot of confidence; we were happy and confident in the last few weekends. Here, we knew we could fight for pole and that’s what we did. We are improving every weekend. The race in hot conditions? We are in the best position in any condition. We have two cars at the front and will be able to control the race. As long as we stay where we are, we will be happy. If I don’t win, it won’t be a good day".
McLaren continues to be the car to beat at the moment, securing the front row of the starting grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix. For the British team, this is their first double top position in qualifying since 2012. Joining Lando Norris on the front row is Oscar Piastri:
"It’s great to get a result like this. For McLaren, it’s the first double top position in qualifying for a long time. I’m a bit disappointed because when you’re just two hundredths off pole, you think about where you could have done better, but the result is fantastic for the team. Yesterday was a tough day for me, but we reacted well. Qualifying wasn’t easy, but we ended up with two cars at the front. My second lap was very good; maybe I could have done better in some points, but I’m happy with the work I did. Battling with Lando? I’d like to be at the front, but we have a goal: to win the Constructors’ title. So, we’ll be smart. If it’s possible, we’ll fight among ourselves for first place".
Starting from the second row will be the World Championship leader, Max Verstappen, who was beaten by a few thousandths by the two McLaren drivers:
"I tried. Throughout the weekend, we were behind, and that continued into qualifying. I tried to get as close as possible, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. I would have liked more grip, but I didn’t have it. Anyway, we are third and very close; I hope the car performs well tomorrow so we can follow the McLarens and see what can be done. I like competition, but I would prefer to be in front. Instead, we are now chasing and coming off a difficult period. I’m not shying away from the battle, but the situation is complicated. In recent races, McLaren has been strong in the race, more than in qualifying. Tomorrow will be a different day; I hope this helps us".
The Dutch driver expected much more from the important updates brought by Red Bull Racing in Hungary, having previously talked about a crucial development that could influence his team's season:
"The updates work, but they didn’t bring the step forward we hoped for. McLaren did first and second, and their car is like a missile. For us, it’s different; we’re struggling to find a good balance. And Lando had only one set of new tires, and the gap is actually larger and will be a problem even for the race. It’s not like I go back to my motorhome, put my feet up on the table, and everything is okay. I’m frustrated and not happy with how things are going. I’m aware there could be another 12 long races like this. McLaren has always been fast, in the heat, in the cold, and on any track. They’ve beaten us every time on pure speed".
Thus, the World Champion also contradicts the positive comments made by Helmut Marko regarding the technical updates:
"Since Friday, I didn’t think they were optimal; maybe we have a different opinion on this. Not everyone understood the situation, I believe. I’m not making excuses and I’m always very concrete. But maybe not everyone is on the same wavelength, and some need to wake up a bit. It’s not all negative, but to become world champions, we need to do better than this".
In summary, the important updates brought to the Hungarian Grand Prix by Red Bull Racing did not deliver the expected results in qualifying. In this regard, Red Bull Racing’s external consultant, Helmut Marko, says:
"We didn’t have the balance that Max needed. But 0.046s is not a lot, and he found a car in front of him in the last corner, so it could have been better. However, our long run makes us optimistic, even if McLaren has two cars and if they play their strategy well, it will be difficult".
The Austrian manager also comments on the possible future of Sergio Pérez, who was once again disappointing in qualifying:
"Everything is based on performance, especially in Formula 1. I don’t want to go into details about contracts or anything else, but there will be a meeting after Spa. We will sit down and analyze the problem. But it is a problem. The Constructors’ Championship is important to us".
Regarding the position of Liam Lawson, who seems to be a potential substitute for the Mexican driver, Helmut Marko says:
"Liam has not limited himself to the Silverstone test. He has also spent a lot of time in the simulator, so he is definitely a candidate if needed".
The Austrian manager also makes some observations about both the additional checks for flexible wings that will be seen at Spa and the McLaren brake duct holes, which were later closed by the FIA:
"I don’t think there will be consequences for the wings; the FIA is already doing tests, and if they pass, it doesn’t matter what happens on track. The McLaren holes? If they gained an advantage, it should be asked to the FIA. I’m not an engineer, but that hole was clearly strange".
Sergio Pérez continues to struggle in the negative spiral he has been in for a few months: the Mexican driver was also involved in an incident during Q1 in Hungary, which ended his qualifying session and heavily damaged his car. On the eve of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner had expressed support for his driver, telling journalists that he had welcomed him to his home to understand the reasons behind his performance being far from ideal. But this further incident is starting to raise concerns about the team’s ability to defend their lead in the Constructors’ Championship:
"I believe I have shown great patience with Pérez. But what happened was really the last thing both he and the team needed. Now we need to fix the car and see what we can achieve in the race. Any discussions we have with him will be internal to the team and not in front of the media. But obviously, we cannot race with just one leg".
Behind the two McLarens and Max Verstappen, whose potential was known from the start of the weekend, is Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr.: in this way, the Maranello team wins the first round of the challenge against Mercedes. However, this is not the reason why Frédéric Vasseur is pleased. Instead, the reason lies in the resolution of the bouncing issue, although it remains to be seen how much is due to the technical adjustments and how much to the track:
"We have fixed most of the bouncing problem, and it’s easier for the drivers to feel the car and manage it. We are in a better position than Silverstone: we need to catch up in terms of development, push harder, and grow also in aerodynamic load, but at least the bouncing is under control this weekend. It wasn’t an easy session, but I believe it wasn’t easy for anyone, except for McLaren, which did a great job and deserved the front row. We did all the practice sessions with the track temperature at 60 °C, while in qualifying it was 20 °C cooler, and managing this was not easy for the team and the drivers. I think the temperature tomorrow will be much higher, and we will have to try to manage it, which will be an opportunity for us because with higher degradation there will be more chances to overtake and recover. However, we’ll see because yesterday we didn’t try the race simulation with Charles, and we only did one stint with Carlos, but overall, from the beginning of the year, we’ve done quite well in that regard".
Throughout the weekend, Carlos Sainz Jr. has been ahead of Charles Leclerc, and the qualifying session was no exception:
"We were very close in terms of setup with both cars, and I don’t think this made a difference. Then there’s the drivers’ style, which requires marginal adjustments. I believe it was more the mistake from yesterday that probably put Charles in a position where he had to catch up from this morning".
Carlos Sainz Jr. did well to keep Lewis Hamilton behind him in qualifying. Therefore, it’s natural that the Spanish driver is happy after a weekend where he consistently managed to stay ahead of Charles Leclerc, continuing the trend seen at the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone.
"In terms of position, getting fourth today was certainly the maximum possible. Except for FP1, we were three to four tenths behind Red Bull and McLaren throughout the weekend. And yes, getting fourth place on a difficult track like Hungary is always good. I think it’s now fair to say that the top three positions are more or less locked, and that it’s almost impossible to beat them in terms of pace. Behind them, there’s a good fight for fourth position that could become a podium or a P2 or P1 if something happens in front, and we’ll be ready to take advantage of the opportunities. The gap? There are things that have improved a bit, but the gap to Red Bull and McLaren is still three to four tenths, meaning there’s still work to be done. We need to make much faster progress. Considering where we are, I think we’re aiming for fourth position tomorrow if nothing happens in front; if something does happen, I’ll be the first to try to win or get a podium".
He adds:
"People think Hungary is a track like Monaco: it’s not; it’s more like Barcelona than Monaco because it has all medium to high-speed corners. I don’t know why people think it’s a slow track, but for us, all the corners are at 160-180 km/h, which is high speed. So I know it’s not an easy track for us; even last year, we struggled here, but I’m optimistic because we’ve had a good weekend so far. Even if we don’t have the fastest car, we’re maximizing what can be done. In terms of pace, we’re more or less at the level of qualifying: let’s see if something happens in front, if the temperatures rise a bit more, which might help us. If nothing happens, it’s tough because they have three to four tenths of pace".
On Friday, Charles Leclerc’s practice sessions at the Hungaroring ended against the barriers at Turn 4, while in qualifying, the Monegasque driver set the sixth-fastest time, securing the third row on the grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix. A decent result, but certainly not a positive one:
"Am I happy today? No. The feeling was better this weekend, but the performance still isn’t there. The lap in Q3 wasn’t bad; unfortunately, there was something similar to what happened in Qatar in the last corner, where I downshifted when I didn’t want to, but that’s something related to the steering wheel that we’ll look into. The lap could have at best been a P4-P5, nothing more. Those were the positions of the team today; there wasn’t much more we could have done".
After two wins in the last two Grands Prix, the Mercedes team has made some major mistakes and has not shown a good level of performance. Lewis Hamilton managed to limit the damage on a difficult day, barely avoiding elimination in Q2 by just 0.010s, and still managed to secure fifth position in qualifying. However, the real nightmare was experienced by George Russell, who was shockingly eliminated in Q1. To explain the failure to progress to Q2, Mercedes Team Principal and CEO Toto Wolff includes the British driver among those responsible for the day's flop, calling what happened unacceptable.
"This was a completely insufficient performance from everyone involved. Losing a car in Q1 is unacceptable. And in the final part, we simply didn’t have the pace. It was a really disappointing day. George should have set a good lap time when Lewis went P1. Instead, he probably took it too calmly. In the end, we put fuel in to execute a different plan, fast-slow-fast, and instead, he decided to do three fast laps. But overall, I believe it’s a 70% team error for not putting in an extra lap of fuel".
Regarding Lewis Hamilton's inability to qualify higher than fifth place, on the third row, the Austrian manager talks about the issues with temperature management encountered by the British driver:
"I think the car could have been two tenths faster, but we were going up and down with tire temperatures, and it was difficult to find the balance to have a car with grip".
Problems confirmed by the British driver, Lewis Hamilton, at the end of the practice:
"It's been very difficult to find a balance with the car this weekend where it's not snappy. That has likely been exacerbated by the heat but, even in the cooler conditions today, we still struggled. It was a real challenge to get the tyres working and we couldn't quite get them to where we wanted. If we had optimised everything, we could have likely gone one tenth or two quicker, but we didn't have enough to challenge for pole position today. Tomorrow is forecast to be, like Friday, very warm. That will make it a challenge, but everyone is in the same boat. It will be interesting to see where our speed is relative to those around us. Our long run pace in practice was solid but we will have to wait and see where we fall out tomorrow".
From his side, George Russell says:
"We didn't do a good enough job today. I was unable to put a lap together earlier in Q1 and that had left us vulnerable near the cut-off. After the red flag, we were on track at its most damp and then we didn't have enough fuel complete a push lap as it was at its most dry. We should have been comfortably through and that is frustrating. We shouldn't have been in that position though in the first place and that's on me. We will go through it tonight to understand what happened, what went wrong, and how to ensure it doesn't happen again. P17 is clearly not where we should be qualifying. We should have a car to battle back into the points tomorrow though. We have shown good speed throughout practice and our long run pace was encouraging. Tomorrow is a new day, and we will see what we can achieve".
The driver himself, Sergio Pérez, commenting on the events on track, hints that the team might have already made some decisions. It is no secret that after the Belgian Grand Prix, when the summer break begins, a meeting is expected among the top executives of Red Bull Racing regarding the future of the Mexican driver.
"This day is very hard to digest. I know I’ve disappointed my team once again, and the most important thing now is to recover quickly. There are no more words to say, but we need to stay positive. I’m doing my best to get through this tough time: there are things I can control and things I can’t. I made mistakes, but tomorrow is a new day and presents a new opportunity. The positive thing is the pace we had: we were the fastest in the long run on Friday. This makes it even more painful because the weekend had been going well until now, but I am more determined than ever to bounce back to the top".
On Sunday, July 21, 2024, before the race, during the Drivers' Parade, while chatting with Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen makes a confession. The Dutch driver talks about how his car behaves on the track:
"The corners could be better, but the car's characteristics are always the same. Very slow on entry, uncontrollable rear, and a lot of understeer in the corners. I think we've overdone it".
Could this be a prelude to a less rosy future for the World Champion? At the start of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri gets off the line better than Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, taking the lead. The three are on the same trajectory at the first corner. Verstappen goes off track and re-enters the race in second, but after a few laps, he is ordered by his team to yield the position to Norris.
Frustrated, the Dutch driver vents to his race engineer, Giampiero Lambiase, saying:
"Okay, so now you can push people off the track? Can you tell the FIA that this is how we’re going to drive from now on?"
After 13 laps, Oscar Piastri leads the pack with a 3.3s advantage over Lando Norris, 6s over Max Verstappen, and Lewis Hamilton closing in behind him. They are followed by the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr., and the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll. Four laps later, Lewis Hamilton is the first to pit, switching to Hard tires. Over the next two laps, the two McLaren drivers, first Lando Norris then Oscar Piastri, pit for tire changes. This allows Max Verstappen to take the lead, followed by the two Ferrari drivers. The Dutch driver waits until lap 22 to pit, but when he returns to the track, he finds himself behind Lewis Hamilton. The standings reset after the two Ferrari drivers pit: Oscar Piastri is back in first, ahead of Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, and Max Verstappen. On lap 25, Carlos Sainz Jr. passes George Russell to move into seventh, and on the next lap, he passes Yuki Tsunoda to take sixth. Both drivers who were overtaken had not yet pitted. In the following laps, a battle ignites between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton: on lap 37, the Red Bull Racing driver gets alongside the British driver at the first corner but goes wide at the third corner, allowing the Mercedes driver to retain third position. This close battle allows Charles Leclerc to close in on the two drivers engaged in the fight: the Monegasque driver, after pitting, is the fastest on track with new Hard tires. On lap 41, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc pit for the second time. The British Mercedes driver's car is fitted with Hard tires, while the Monegasque driver uses Medium tires. Lando Norris, meanwhile, closes the gap on Oscar Piastri and waits until lap 46 to pit. However, upon exiting the pit lane, the British McLaren driver locks up his tires to avoid hitting a lapped car. Oscar Piastri pits two laps later than his teammate, allowing Lando Norris to take the lead. Max Verstappen, now in first position, pits on lap 50 to fit Medium tires. The Dutch Red Bull Racing driver returns to the track in fifth position, behind not only the two McLaren drivers but also Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. When Giampiero Lambiase asks Max Verstappen to gently manage the new tires, the World Champion snaps and says over the radio:
"Now, don’t tell me this crap, you gave me this damn strategy, okay? I'm trying to save what's left, for God's sake".
The Dutch driver takes seven laps to overtake Charles Leclerc. After that, the World Champion engages in a long duel with Lewis Hamilton. At this stage of the race, Max Verstappen complains about an alleged movement under braking by the British Mercedes driver, but Giampiero Lambiase silences him with calm but sharp words:
"I’m not going to argue over the radio with the other teams, Max. We’ll let the stewards do their job. It’s childish to do so over the radio, childish".
The duel continues, and on lap 63, the cars of the two rivals make contact at the first braking zone after Max Verstappen tries to take advantage of a lapped car by Lewis Hamilton but goes wide at the first braking, locking both front wheels. The Dutch driver's car lifts off the ground after hitting the right front tire of Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes. Max Verstappen can continue but has to give a position back to Charles Leclerc. Meanwhile, the McLaren team instructs Lando Norris to give back the first position to Oscar Piastri, having favored him by pitting him earlier than the Australian driver. Lando Norris relinquishes the lead to his teammate on lap 68. Thus, Oscar Piastri wins the Hungarian Grand Prix, his first career win, in his 35th Formula 1 race, becoming the seventh different winner in this World Championship, in thirteen races so far. Meanwhile, after finishing the race, Max Verstappen cannot contain his frustration and responds to Giampiero Lambiase, who tells him:
"I heard the medical delegate will come to check you in the parc fermé".
Once again, the Dutch driver loses his cool and says:
"We can send the medical delegate to the stewards’ office so he can take a look at them. I’m fine".
At the end of an unforgettable race, Oscar Piastri wins the Hungarian Grand Prix, securing his first Formula 1 victory, ahead of his teammate Lando Norris, after an incredible negotiation with the team. Norris, having lost his position at the start, found himself leading after the second stop due to a particular team strategy aimed at covering Hamilton. The Englishman, after a series of endless radio exchanges with the team, accepted to let the Australian driver pass. For McLaren, it's their first one-two finish since the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.
"Today is a special day. As a kid, I dreamed of standing on the top step of an F1 podium. Obviously, it was complicated in the end, but I put myself in the right position at the start. I thank the team for the fantastic car. We've had many great races together with McLaren, and I can't thank them enough for being with them in F1. Achieving this victory after 18 months is incredible. The car is a beast. We are fast in every condition. We had everything under control. Managing such a race is fantastic. The last one-two was a long time ago, I’m incredibly happy for the team and for myself, for my first victory. Lando? The situation at the end was peculiar, I was a bit tense, but the team made the right call. I started well, and we had two different strategies. My pace in the last stint wasn't as fast as I wanted, but I put myself in the right position to capitalize. First of many? Hopefully. I believe I still have things to work on, but I’m enjoying the victory for now. Will we be ahead at Spa too? I think so, we’ve shown we can be fast everywhere".
The Australian driver managed to win because the team asserted themselves over Lando Norris. If they hadn’t, the British driver would have created a very dangerous precedent and risked ruining the team’s atmosphere. That’s why Piastri has no doubts about the correctness of his team’s decision:
"I had a lot of trust in my team and Lando. We had examined the various strategies and said from the moment we returned that we should switch positions or at least sort out the positions after the stop. I’m enjoying this victory 100%. The last laps were tough to manage, especially since I was a bit disappointed not to be faster. I did everything right up to that point, put myself in a position to win, and I don’t think the ending takes anything away from my victory. Sure, I would have liked it better if there wasn’t that situation, but we tried to secure the one-two in the best way possible by covering everyone’s strategies with both cars, and I’m very happy".
And he adds:
"From my perspective, I would have preferred to be faster in the last stint, unfortunately, I couldn't manage that, but when you re-enter the pits that way, I think it’s very hard to manage. When you try to cover other teams' strategies, sometimes you put yourself in a slightly uncomfortable situation, but I think the team did a great job managing it. It’s very pleasant to drive this car, and having a team result like this shows that the car was the fastest on the track, and when you have the fastest car, it’s a fantastic feeling, it’s probably the best feeling you can have: it’s a joy to drive it, and full credit goes to McLaren for the enormous work over the last 18 months. It’s remarkable, considering where we started last year in Bahrain, to achieve a one-two finish with a 15-second lead".
If Lando Norris doesn't win the Drivers' World Championship by seven points, it will be very easy to criticize the McLaren Racing team for the position swap they requested between the two drivers. However, the English driver candidly says:
"It wasn't easy, but I put myself in Oscar's shoes. He has done a lot for me in the past too, obviously not comparable to yesterday's situation, and as a driver, you have to be selfish, so it's not easy to give up a victory. But I put myself in his shoes and understood that what I did was the right thing to do".
And he adds:
"Fantastic day for us as a team. I’m very happy. The journey has been long but led us to this result deservedly, and that’s what we did today. Oscar started well, passed me at the start, and controlled the race. We knew he would reach victory sooner or later, and today he deserved it. What happened at the end? The team asked me to let him pass, and I did. That’s it. Championship? Of course, I believe in it. Certainly in the Constructors'. We have a fast car and a great team. The championship is still long, and Spa can completely change the standings. We believe in it".
Despite a somewhat peculiar strategy, McLaren secured an important one-two finish and victory with Oscar Piastri, who had taken the lead at the start and maintained it until the second stop. On this, McLaren Racing Team Principal Andrea Stella says:
"Our patience is forged by champions, at least during my career, and I know how champions think. Obviously, if they see the opportunity to win the race, they think of winning it, but then the reality is that the sequence of pit stops was such that we wanted to avoid at all costs, even in case of a problem during the stops, ending up behind Ferrari and Mercedes. We know how hard it is to overtake on this circuit, so in the interest of the team and the drivers, a cautious approach was necessary, and that’s what we had. Obviously, when the undercut is so powerful, positions end up being swapped, but I think the result is fair. Oscar drove very well all weekend and in the race. We enjoy this one-two finish, which is the most important thing, and also some very important points for the championship".
Among the most discussed topics is undoubtedly the tone and manner in which Lando Norris was asked to let Oscar Piastri pass, through a discussion that extended intensely for many laps, with the English driver meanwhile doing everything to widen the gap with his teammate.
"This is our communication style, and I must say that Will (William Joseph, Norris's race engineer) did a great job using this style, but if I were in the car, I would need someone to tell me 'you’ve proven what you wanted, now let’s do what’s right for you and your championship,' and that’s what we did. I think Lando got the message, and we like a champion like that, who is eager to win and in that sense, turns a deaf ear. We are comfortable, and I’m sure Lando is too. We enjoy this day with McLaren’s first two positions in qualifying and the race, besides Oscar’s first victory, but there will certainly be discussions".
Third place and career podium number 200 for Lewis Hamilton, protagonist of a splendid race and emerged victorious from a spectacular duel with Max Verstappen, in which the Englishman also managed to escape unscathed from a hard contact caused by the Dutch driver:
"Big thanks to this fantastic crowd and many congratulations to McLaren for the one-two. They are my old family, and I’m very happy to see all the guys from my old team back at the front. The team did a great job today, continuing to improve this car".
So he adds:
"We didn’t have the pace of the McLarens, and maybe not even the Red Bulls, but we endured to make the tires last, even though it was tough. Then there was the tough and thorny battle with Max, but that’s racing. Verstappen? In the car, I almost felt like laughing because it was impossible to think of keeping them behind with the pace they had. I saw him coming from afar. He braked very late and dived inside, and I stayed put, and he hit my tire. I think it was a racing incident. Oscar? Fantastic, congratulations. He has always been consistent, and it was only a matter of time before he won. His pace was fantastic from the start; I’m very happy for him".
From his side, Lewis Hamilton claims to have buried any grudges against Max Verstappen, but believes the Dutch driver does not feel the same:
"I moved to defend myself, but I left enough space on the inside. He was following a different trajectory from mine. I was heading towards the corner and he got sideways and locked up. It seemed like a racing incident to me. It's easy to make such mistakes: I don't think there should be any hostility. But obviously, on his part, there always will be. Unfortunately, we are still unable to keep up with Norris and Piastri, especially in scorching conditions, as seen in Austria and here. In the first stint, I was really surprised to see how I was able to keep up with Max. I didn't even have to push too hard to stay within a second of him. At that point, I thought maybe I had a chance to fight for the podium, but then the second stint was a disaster: the real pace of the car started to show, I think, on those tires (the Hard, ed.). However, we did an undercut on Max and track position is clearly crucial on this track. And I think in the end, that made the difference. Sometimes it was a challenge to keep Verstappen behind and at the same time make the tires last. Our battle in the end was a bit exciting, but that's motorsport. I'm really happy to be back on the podium and to have secured another solid haul of points".
The Grand Prix was not as exciting for George Russell, who was forced to climb back from the last positions after a rather unexceptional qualifying. Nevertheless, the British driver finished the race in P8:
"We knew after yesterday's issues in qualifying that we were likely aiming for 'best of the rest' today. We struggle a little more in these very hot conditions, so we weren't quite able to achieve that. The Red Bull of Sergio Perez was quicker than we expected but we gave it a good go to get ahead of him. Getting P8 and fastest lap was still a solid recovery. We can also take the positives of the team being on the podium five races in a row. We have made consistent steps forward and the car has been performing much better in recent Grands Prix. Lewis drove a great race today and showed what the car was capable of. It is very close at the front between several teams now. We know we need to maximise every opportunity we have and execute clean weekends to score good points. We will be looking to do that starting next week in Spa".
Among the thousand emotions provided by the Hungarian Grand Prix, there couldn’t be another clash between Hamilton and Verstappen, who were the protagonists of a spectacular duel for third position. In the end, the British driver managed to resist his rival’s comeback, who certainly wasn’t happy with how the event ended:
"At the moment we need to do everything perfectly, we could have finished in third place today".
Max Verstappen particularly dislikes having suffered two undercuts strategically. On Hard tires, the Dutch driver had a good pace, but it was unexpressed because he got stuck behind Lewis Hamilton, who had overtaken him with an undercut on the first pit stop.
In the second instance, Charles Leclerc managed an undercut. Max Verstappen overtook the Monegasque driver but then overdid it trying to pass Lewis Hamilton. The two collided, and the Dutch driver’s Red Bull Racing car even took off, managing to finish in fifth position. The two then cleared things up in the interview ring before heading to the stewards after both were called to answer for what happened on track. Meanwhile, the Dutch driver says:
"We’ll see what the stewards’ judgment will be; it was a move that I think was fair from my point of view".
Moreover, Max Verstappen - probably referring to Gianpiero Lambiase - comments on his radio outbursts, adding that anyone who thinks he was disrespectful can go f**k themselves.
"I don’t understand why I can’t be explicit on the radio. If someone doesn’t like it, they can stay home".
Smiles are few and far between inside the Red Bull Racing garage, and it couldn't be otherwise. Max Verstappen has words for everyone and doesn't hold back, for example, his engineers handling race strategy, including Hannah Schmitz:
"They can't tell me these stupid things after what they've done. The strategists might not have been present today. They have all the data available. Maybe I should have it put in the car (the data) to be able to do the strategy myself".
At the end of the race, Red Bull Racing's external consultant, Helmut Marko, admitted that the Anglo-Austrian team owes Max Verstappen an apology:
"We completely misjudged everything. We underestimated how problematic it was to chase in dirty air and generally made serious strategic errors. Every discussion will take place behind closed doors".
Meanwhile, Red Bull Racing Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner tries to bring some order at the end of a very difficult Sunday:
"I don't think Lambiase's judgment was directed at Verstappen, but rather at the fact that drivers constantly complain over the radio to get decisions in their favor from the stewards. Max and Giampiero have been working together for eight years. There are things we could have done better as a team, and we will discuss them behind closed doors".
Although they didn't secure a podium finish, Scuderia Ferrari still managed to achieve a good result at the end of the Hungarian Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc, for example, was able to battle with Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen, showing incredibly fast pace - at times even stronger than McLaren's - in the stint with Hard tires. Therefore, Scuderia Ferrari HP Team Principal, Frédéric Vasseur, doesn't hide a slight satisfaction with how the race concluded:
"It went pretty well, but first of all, congratulations to McLaren. I think we had a very strong weekend, with a good fight in the race behind them with Red Bull and Mercedes, and overall, we probably got the most out of what we could achieve this weekend. Charles started well, was quite fast, and had a particularly strong pace in the middle stint with the hard tires. He had a bit more difficulty at the end with the mediums, but that's how it went. We still need to make another step forward in terms of performance. Last year we finished 65 seconds behind Red Bull, this year 20 seconds behind McLaren. It's not enough, but it means we are on the right track".
And he adds:
"Charles did 13 laps on the hard tires because if you're out with the same tire, even the fastest driver can't overtake, and if you copy the strategy of the car in front of you, you have no chance. We tried to undercut Verstappen, but Hamilton pitted on the same lap, and we got stuck behind him. It was a somewhat aggressive strategy, but I think it was the right one at the time".
The French manager also tries to downplay the organizational issue related to the departure of former technical director Enrico Cardile:
"We have returned to a position where we can aim for the podium. Today I think the pace was sufficient to fight with Mercedes and Red Bull, though more difficult with McLaren, but it’s always a matter of tenths, and I hope there will be tracks more suited to our car compared to this one. Last week Mercedes was on pole, while this weekend they were fourth in pure performance, and I think we will have this trend until the end of the season. This means it’s important to score many points when you are not in the best position, and I think this weekend we did a good job in that sense. Charles didn't have a great Friday, but he managed to recover very well today, had great pace, and fought with Lewis and Max. He did very well today".
Carlos Sainz Jr. had said that more than fourth place was not possible for Scuderia Ferrari in this race. Indeed, the Maranello team finished the race in fourth position, but with Charles Leclerc, who had a great start. With a finally convincing performance, the Monegasque driver puts an end to a delicate period:
"I think the pace for the podium was there today. We mustn’t forget that we are in Budapest, where overtaking is always very difficult".
Charles Leclerc was the fastest on track for several laps when he used the Hard tire, in a stint that lasted only 17 laps to execute the undercut on Max Verstappen:
"Just after getting out of the car, I also asked myself: If we had stayed out with Max, could it have helped us later? But in the end, it went this way. We took the position on Max, which we then lost, but I don’t think we could have done much more. It was a well-managed race, even though it was a bit difficult at the end with the used medium tire. I think we achieved very specific results, and that’s the most positive thing. Last year we were in a position where we had solutions in hand to immediately fix the car, but that was a bit of a different situation. Now I think it will take some time. I'm sorry to say it, but I think we will need to wait a bit before seeing improvements".
A Ferrari finished fourth and the other sixth in Hungary, both in qualifying and in the Grand Prix. Unfortunately for Carlos Sainz Jr., the finishing positions were reversed compared to the grid positions due to a poor start:
"The start didn't go well and that matters a lot here. I don't know if it was my fault or if we simply got the clutch settings wrong, triggering excessive wheel slip for the grip we had today. I need to discuss this with the engineers. Today it cost us a lot on a circuit like this. Unfortunately, it was the first bad start of the season and it happened on a circuit where it costs you a lot. We will do a good analysis. One bad start a season is okay but it's a shame it happened here. After the start, the positions were practically frozen, without that start, we would have obtained the fourth position or the podium, considering Max's troubled race. I went from P4 to P7 in one corner and from there on, I had to use the tires to overtake. When you use the tires too much, you lack a bit of pace".
And he adds:
"This was crucial. It's a shame because I felt comfortable with the car all weekend. It's true that today it was a bit more difficult with the balance at high fuel, but the pace in the last stint was a bit better. Where will we be in the second part of the Championship? It depends on the track. There are tracks where we are in contention, or tracks where we finish 20 seconds behind. It's clear that McLaren is now the fastest team and has the strongest car. It was clear that sooner or later they would surpass us in the championship, given the car's performance, and now we have to see how we can reduce the gap. Today they were on another planet".
Thus concludes a Grand Prix full of intriguing points of interest, notwithstanding an audience increasingly less interested in Formula 1, a social world where it's impossible to speak, and a rather questionable direction from Liberty Media, focused more on expanding the audience to countries with little interest in the premier class of motorsport. The Hungarian Grand Prix delivers a new winner, Oscar Piastri, but also new points for reflection, starting with the Constructors' World Championship, which is now more open than ever. Red Bull Racing is in evident and clear technical difficulty, and even the team's management is faltering. After the accusations earlier this year against Christian Horner regarding alleged improper management of an employee, the parties involved have tried not to obstruct each other, almost as if the ultimate goal could justify any behavior, even presumed. Helmut Marko, in fact, renews his contract with Red Bull Racing during the weekend, and now the Austrian manager will be tied to the Anglo-Austrian team until the end of 2026. A move that essentially binds Max Verstappen's fate to that of Helmut Marko and therefore to his stay at Red Bull Racing, at least until 2026. Despite the Dutch driver being genuinely furious now, as evidenced by the Austrian manager himself:
"Max is really angry. Now we have to make sure his mood improves again. Our car needs to improve further. Unfortunately, the updates didn’t work as we wanted. Now it’s about improving the car further and giving Max a good feeling. At that point, he won’t have any reason to think about a change. Things will calm down again. He is the best driver in Formula 1; he makes the difference. He also knows that we know this".
Meanwhile, McLaren is starting to fully exploit its potential, finally achieving not only its second victory in the championship but also an important one-two finish, despite a Red Bull Racing that seems to be competing with only one driver. As for the Drivers' World Championship, at the moment, it’s unlikely that it will reopen in favor of Lando Norris, who essentially remains the only one capable of troubling the World Champion. Mistakes are piling up every race weekend, making it difficult to foresee a possible turnaround, at least for the current World Championship.