Just as Lewis Hamilton has decided to change teams, Mercedes finally manages to give him a competitive car.
Mercedes have snuck into the leading group in the most hotly contested Formula 1 season since Max Verstappen ended Hamilton’s reign in 2021.
Hamilton and team-mate George Russell have won the last two races – Russell in Austria and Hamilton at Silverstone – so the team arrives at the Hungarian Grand Prix feeling fired up after a long period of soul-searching.
Hamilton’s victory at Silverstone was his first since the penultimate race of the 2021 season.
The seven-time world champion knows as well as anyone how to win at the Hungarian circuit. He holds the record with eight victories at the Hungaroring, but his last one was in 2020. He managed to secure pole position in qualifying last year.
“The fight is wide open and we want to win as many races as possible,” Hamilton said ahead of the weekend.
Hamilton caused shockwaves when he announced he would join Ferrari in 2025. He has since insisted he is fully focused on his final months at Mercedes. “We are united as a team and we will make sure we finish the season on a high note,” he said.
A class apart?
Five different drivers have won the last seven races. The idea that Verstappen and Red Bull are in a class of their own is no longer valid.
Verstappen still holds a comfortable lead at the top of the drivers’ standings with 255 points, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris on 171. But the reigning triple world champion now faces rivals from three different teams, if you include Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
The Dutchman admitted his advantage over the rest of the field is not what it used to be. “We haven’t been the fastest in the last few races. I don’t expect it to be different all of a sudden,” said Verstappen, who has won the last two Hungarian Grands Prix.
“Yes, we made some updates on the car this weekend and we hope to see an improvement. But for now, let’s wait and see how it goes this weekend,” he added.
Red Bull is under a bit more pressure in the constructors’ standings. Red Bull has so far collected 373 points, Ferrari 302, McLaren 295 and Mercedes 221.
This is mainly due to the poor performance of Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, who notably took 17e rank two weeks ago at Silverstone. “I’m the first to say that I’m not happy with my last races, my last results. I want to get back into the leading group and that’s my goal this weekend,” Perez said.
Test day
The Hungarian Grand Prix marks the start of the second half of the season.
Sainz set the fastest time in the first practice session on Friday, ahead of Verstappen and Leclerc.
Hamilton settled for 10e rank, just behind Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.
Oliver Bearman drove Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas car, but he settled for 20e and last row.
Norris then went fastest in the second session, ahead of Verstappen and Sainz. Stroll had to settle for 17th.e rank.
The second session was interrupted for a few minutes after Leclerc went off the track. He lost control of his car coming out of a corner and then hit the wall on the other side. The Monegasque’s car was damaged enough that he did not return to the track.