Kimi Antonelli starts from pole in Spa and is counting on victory…
Kimi Antonelli: “We have a fast car, and that definitely helps. Every weekend I feel like I have everything under control, and I’m getting a better understanding of the car. I like everything, but there are still many races ahead, and today we need to finish the job.
The start is very important, especially since there is a long straight to the fifth corner. It’s important not just to start well, but also to exit the first corner correctly. I hope I can remain in the lead after the fifth corner.”
Kimi Antonelli: “We have a fast car, and that definitely helps. Every weekend I feel like I have everything under control, and I’m getting a better understanding of the car. I like everything, but there are still many races ahead, and today we need to finish the job.
The start is very important, especially since there is a long straight to the fifth corner. It’s important not just to start well, but also to exit the first corner correctly. I hope I can remain in the lead after the fifth corner.”
Charles Leclerc starts fourth in Spa and would like to fight for a podium...
Charles Leclerc: "I don't have any particular expectations, as I think the Mercedes drivers will be very fast today, especially Kimi. It's important to have a good start, and it's actually not bad that I'm starting a bit further back, as it will allow me to get a slipstream, which partially compensates for our issues with top speed on the straights.
I think there will be a chance to fight for a podium, but overtaking is difficult for us. That's why I believe the start will be very important. If I can gain positions at the start, then I hope we have enough speed to hold them."
Charles Leclerc: "I don't have any particular expectations, as I think the Mercedes drivers will be very fast today, especially Kimi. It's important to have a good start, and it's actually not bad that I'm starting a bit further back, as it will allow me to get a slipstream, which partially compensates for our issues with top speed on the straights.
I think there will be a chance to fight for a podium, but overtaking is difficult for us. That's why I believe the start will be very important. If I can gain positions at the start, then I hope we have enough speed to hold them."
Pierre Gasly starts in Spa in tenth place and hopes to score points in the race...
Pierre Gasly: "I hope to earn points today. It's an important day in Spa, with many French fans supporting us on the track. This weekend is more challenging for us, but I hope we can do everything necessary to score points.
Cool conditions suit our car better, and I hope the weather will be on our side today as well. We'll see, but I'm preparing for an exciting race with a lot of fighting. I'm sure it will be interesting."
Pierre Gasly: "I hope to earn points today. It's an important day in Spa, with many French fans supporting us on the track. This weekend is more challenging for us, but I hope we can do everything necessary to score points.
Cool conditions suit our car better, and I hope the weather will be on our side today as well. We'll see, but I'm preparing for an exciting race with a lot of fighting. I'm sure it will be interesting."
Lewis Hamilton starts fifth in Spa and aims for the podium, but is ready to admit that fighting for the win will be tough because the Mercedes drivers have very fast cars...
Lewis Hamilton: "It's a bit cold today, I'm freezing, but I really like this track, and I'm confident that we will have plenty of opportunities to move forward today. Although catching Kimi to fight for the win won't be easy!
But I'm enjoying literally every second I spend driving our car on this track, as I remember watching the Belgian Grand Prix on TV as a kid, I remember how Michael Schumacher raced here, and I also recall starting from pole in the 2005 Euro Series Formula 3 race.
Every time I come back to Spa, I feel what a wonderful, unique track it is. I even wish the Belgian weekend would last longer; it feels too short!"
Lewis Hamilton: "It's a bit cold today, I'm freezing, but I really like this track, and I'm confident that we will have plenty of opportunities to move forward today. Although catching Kimi to fight for the win won't be easy!
But I'm enjoying literally every second I spend driving our car on this track, as I remember watching the Belgian Grand Prix on TV as a kid, I remember how Michael Schumacher raced here, and I also recall starting from pole in the 2005 Euro Series Formula 3 race.
Every time I come back to Spa, I feel what a wonderful, unique track it is. I even wish the Belgian weekend would last longer; it feels too short!"
In the middle of summer, one of the main topics of conversation in the paddock became the possible transfer of Max Verstappen to another team, and before the Belgian Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing's team principal Laurent Mekies was once again asked to comment on it.
"Our primary task is to make progress with the car," he stated on Sky Sports. "At the beginning of the season, we were over a second behind the leaders per lap, and I don't think it's surprising considering that last year we fought for the title right until the end of the championship, plus the transition to new in-house power units is a complex task.
So at the start of the season, we were not in the best position, and when the car is a second slower, the drivers will naturally be unhappy. Max is unhappy because it’s clear that Red Bull Racing is not where we want to be, so the task is to continue to progress and try to make up those last two or three tenths. All our efforts are directed towards that.
In general, it’s quite natural that Max gets calls from literally all teams since he is the best driver in the world, but since Red Bull Racing is a top team, many good drivers also reach out to us. However, I can't say that this distracts us much from our work; we continue to work with maximum focus, trying to increase the car's speed as much as possible.
At the same time, we see that Isaac Hajar is progressing very quickly, getting closer in level to Max, so we believe that we currently have the perfect pair of drivers, and we hope to maintain this team lineup."
"Our primary task is to make progress with the car," he stated on Sky Sports. "At the beginning of the season, we were over a second behind the leaders per lap, and I don't think it's surprising considering that last year we fought for the title right until the end of the championship, plus the transition to new in-house power units is a complex task.
So at the start of the season, we were not in the best position, and when the car is a second slower, the drivers will naturally be unhappy. Max is unhappy because it’s clear that Red Bull Racing is not where we want to be, so the task is to continue to progress and try to make up those last two or three tenths. All our efforts are directed towards that.
In general, it’s quite natural that Max gets calls from literally all teams since he is the best driver in the world, but since Red Bull Racing is a top team, many good drivers also reach out to us. However, I can't say that this distracts us much from our work; we continue to work with maximum focus, trying to increase the car's speed as much as possible.
At the same time, we see that Isaac Hajar is progressing very quickly, getting closer in level to Max, so we believe that we currently have the perfect pair of drivers, and we hope to maintain this team lineup."
Several curious statistical insights from the Belgian Grand Prix…
Qualification
By winning the qualification in Spa, Kimi Antonelli secured his sixth pole in his career and this season. Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri also have six poles now. The young Italian has won qualifications in 17.65% of the Grands Prix he has participated in. Among active drivers, he ranks third in this statistic, behind only Verstappen and Hamilton.
Antonelli's pole is the 153rd in the history of the Mercedes team (the nearest benchmark is 177 poles by McLaren) and the 54th for Italians (the nearest benchmark is 70 poles by Finns).
Max Verstappen's second place is the third repetition of his best result this season. Max has been on the front row of the starting grid for the 88th time in his career, surpassing Ayrton Senna in this statistic. He has climbed to fourth place in the ranking, behind Sebastian Vettel (101 starts from the front row), Michael Schumacher (116), and Lewis Hamilton (177).
Lando Norris's third place is the second repetition of his best qualifying result this year, but due to a penalty, he started only 13th.
For the first time this season and for the first time at the Spa circuit, Charles Leclerc qualified fifth, but after Norris's penalty, he started the race fourth – this is his worst result in Belgium since 2022, when he started the race 15th due to a penalty.
For the third time this season, Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth – this is his worst position since Miami.
Oscar Piastri qualified seventh for the fifth time in the last seven Grands Prix.
Qualifying eighth, Arvid Lindblad from Racing Bulls achieved the best result of his career.
Ninth place is the second repetition of Gabriel Bortoleto's best result – and the third repetition of the best result for the Audi team.
Tenth place in qualifying is Isaac Hadjar's worst result this season.
Esteban Ocon's 18th place in qualifying is his worst result of the season.
For the fifth consecutive qualifying session and sixth time this season, Aston Martin drivers occupied the last two spots.
Race
By winning the Belgian Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli achieved his sixth career victory, tying with Tony Brooks, John Surtees, Gilles Villeneuve, Jochen Rindt, Jacques Laffite, Ricardo Patrese, and Ralf Schumacher.
Antonelli surpassed the milestone of 300 laps led in his career.
Finishing second, Charles Leclerc reached the podium for the 54th time in his career, tying with Niki Lauda. In Spa, Leclerc surpassed the milestone of 5000 kilometers led in his career.
The podium in Spa is the 130th in Max Verstappen's career – and the sixth in 12 appearances at this circuit. This is Red Bull's 300th podium.
Finishing fourth, Lewis Hamilton continued his successful streak – this year he remains the only one to have completed the full distance of the past Grands Prix – 603 laps out of 603.
The points earned by Ferrari drivers allowed the team to surpass the milestone of 11,000 points in history – they are the absolute leaders in this statistic.
For the third time in the last four Grands Prix, Isaac Hadjar finished sixth.
The Belgian Grand Prix is the twentieth race in which Lando Norris set the fastest lap (and the second this year after Miami). Previously, he had no fastest laps in Spa.
Gabriel Bortoleto finished eighth for the second consecutive race, matching his best result in his career and in the history of the Audi team.
Finishing 19th, Fernando Alonso matched his worst result of the season.
Qualification
By winning the qualification in Spa, Kimi Antonelli secured his sixth pole in his career and this season. Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri also have six poles now. The young Italian has won qualifications in 17.65% of the Grands Prix he has participated in. Among active drivers, he ranks third in this statistic, behind only Verstappen and Hamilton.
Antonelli's pole is the 153rd in the history of the Mercedes team (the nearest benchmark is 177 poles by McLaren) and the 54th for Italians (the nearest benchmark is 70 poles by Finns).
Max Verstappen's second place is the third repetition of his best result this season. Max has been on the front row of the starting grid for the 88th time in his career, surpassing Ayrton Senna in this statistic. He has climbed to fourth place in the ranking, behind Sebastian Vettel (101 starts from the front row), Michael Schumacher (116), and Lewis Hamilton (177).
Lando Norris's third place is the second repetition of his best qualifying result this year, but due to a penalty, he started only 13th.
For the first time this season and for the first time at the Spa circuit, Charles Leclerc qualified fifth, but after Norris's penalty, he started the race fourth – this is his worst result in Belgium since 2022, when he started the race 15th due to a penalty.
For the third time this season, Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth – this is his worst position since Miami.
Oscar Piastri qualified seventh for the fifth time in the last seven Grands Prix.
Qualifying eighth, Arvid Lindblad from Racing Bulls achieved the best result of his career.
Ninth place is the second repetition of Gabriel Bortoleto's best result – and the third repetition of the best result for the Audi team.
Tenth place in qualifying is Isaac Hadjar's worst result this season.
Esteban Ocon's 18th place in qualifying is his worst result of the season.
For the fifth consecutive qualifying session and sixth time this season, Aston Martin drivers occupied the last two spots.
Race
By winning the Belgian Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli achieved his sixth career victory, tying with Tony Brooks, John Surtees, Gilles Villeneuve, Jochen Rindt, Jacques Laffite, Ricardo Patrese, and Ralf Schumacher.
Antonelli surpassed the milestone of 300 laps led in his career.
Finishing second, Charles Leclerc reached the podium for the 54th time in his career, tying with Niki Lauda. In Spa, Leclerc surpassed the milestone of 5000 kilometers led in his career.
The podium in Spa is the 130th in Max Verstappen's career – and the sixth in 12 appearances at this circuit. This is Red Bull's 300th podium.
Finishing fourth, Lewis Hamilton continued his successful streak – this year he remains the only one to have completed the full distance of the past Grands Prix – 603 laps out of 603.
The points earned by Ferrari drivers allowed the team to surpass the milestone of 11,000 points in history – they are the absolute leaders in this statistic.
For the third time in the last four Grands Prix, Isaac Hadjar finished sixth.
The Belgian Grand Prix is the twentieth race in which Lando Norris set the fastest lap (and the second this year after Miami). Previously, he had no fastest laps in Spa.
Gabriel Bortoleto finished eighth for the second consecutive race, matching his best result in his career and in the history of the Audi team.
Finishing 19th, Fernando Alonso matched his worst result of the season.
Several curious statistical findings from the Belgian Grand Prix…
Qualification
By winning the qualification in Spa, Kimi Antonelli secured his sixth pole in his career and in the current season. Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri also have six poles now. The young Italian has won qualifications in 17.65% of the Grands Prix he has participated in. Among active drivers, he ranks third in this statistic, trailing only Verstappen and Hamilton.
Antonelli's pole is the 153rd in the history of the Mercedes team (the nearest benchmark is 177 poles by McLaren) and the 54th for Italians (the nearest benchmark is 70 poles by Finns).
Max Verstappen's second place is the third repetition of his best result of the season. Max has been on the front row of the starting grid for the 88th time in his career, surpassing Ayrton Senna in this statistic. He has moved up to fourth place in the rankings, behind Sebastian Vettel (101 starts from the front row), Michael Schumacher (116), and Lewis Hamilton (177).
Lando Norris's third place is the second repetition of his best qualifying result this year, but due to a penalty, he started only 13th.
For the first time this season and for the first time at the Spa circuit, Charles Leclerc qualified fifth, but after Norris's penalty, he started the race fourth – this is his worst result in Belgium since 2022, when he started the race 15th due to a penalty.
For the third time this season, Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth – this is his worst position since Miami.
Oscar Piastri qualified seventh for the fifth time in the last seven Grands Prix.
Qualifying eighth, Arvid Lindblad from Racing Bulls achieved the best result of his career.
Ninth place is the second repetition of Gabriel Bortoleto's best result – and the third repetition of the best result for the Audi team.
Tenth place in qualifying is Isaac Hadjar's worst result of the season.
Esteban Ocon's 18th place in qualifying is his worst result of the season.
For the fifth consecutive qualifying session and sixth time this season, Aston Martin drivers occupied the last two positions.
Race
By winning the Belgian Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli achieved his sixth career victory, tying with Tony Brooks, John Surtees, Gilles Villeneuve, Jochen Rindt, Jacques Laffite, Ricardo Patrese, and Ralf Schumacher.
Antonelli crossed the milestone of 300 laps led in his career.
Finishing second, Charles Leclerc reached the podium for the 54th time in his career, tying with Niki Lauda. In Spa, Leclerc surpassed the milestone of 5000 kilometers led in his career.
The podium in Spa is the 130th in Max Verstappen's career – and the sixth in 12 appearances at this circuit. This is Red Bull's 300th podium.
Finishing fourth, Lewis Hamilton continued his successful streak – this year he remains the only one who has completed the full distance of the past Grands Prix – 603 laps out of 603.
Points earned by Ferrari drivers allowed the team to surpass the milestone of 11,000 points in history – they are the absolute leaders in this statistic.
For the third time in the last four Grands Prix, Isaac Hadjar finished sixth.
The Belgian Grand Prix is the twentieth race in which Lando Norris set the fastest lap (and the second this year after Miami). Previously, he had no fastest laps in Spa.
Gabriel Bortoleto finished eighth for the second consecutive race, matching his best result in his career and in the history of the Audi team.
Finishing 19th, Fernando Alonso matched his worst result of the season.
Qualification
By winning the qualification in Spa, Kimi Antonelli secured his sixth pole in his career and in the current season. Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri also have six poles now. The young Italian has won qualifications in 17.65% of the Grands Prix he has participated in. Among active drivers, he ranks third in this statistic, trailing only Verstappen and Hamilton.
Antonelli's pole is the 153rd in the history of the Mercedes team (the nearest benchmark is 177 poles by McLaren) and the 54th for Italians (the nearest benchmark is 70 poles by Finns).
Max Verstappen's second place is the third repetition of his best result of the season. Max has been on the front row of the starting grid for the 88th time in his career, surpassing Ayrton Senna in this statistic. He has moved up to fourth place in the rankings, behind Sebastian Vettel (101 starts from the front row), Michael Schumacher (116), and Lewis Hamilton (177).
Lando Norris's third place is the second repetition of his best qualifying result this year, but due to a penalty, he started only 13th.
For the first time this season and for the first time at the Spa circuit, Charles Leclerc qualified fifth, but after Norris's penalty, he started the race fourth – this is his worst result in Belgium since 2022, when he started the race 15th due to a penalty.
For the third time this season, Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth – this is his worst position since Miami.
Oscar Piastri qualified seventh for the fifth time in the last seven Grands Prix.
Qualifying eighth, Arvid Lindblad from Racing Bulls achieved the best result of his career.
Ninth place is the second repetition of Gabriel Bortoleto's best result – and the third repetition of the best result for the Audi team.
Tenth place in qualifying is Isaac Hadjar's worst result of the season.
Esteban Ocon's 18th place in qualifying is his worst result of the season.
For the fifth consecutive qualifying session and sixth time this season, Aston Martin drivers occupied the last two positions.
Race
By winning the Belgian Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli achieved his sixth career victory, tying with Tony Brooks, John Surtees, Gilles Villeneuve, Jochen Rindt, Jacques Laffite, Ricardo Patrese, and Ralf Schumacher.
Antonelli crossed the milestone of 300 laps led in his career.
Finishing second, Charles Leclerc reached the podium for the 54th time in his career, tying with Niki Lauda. In Spa, Leclerc surpassed the milestone of 5000 kilometers led in his career.
The podium in Spa is the 130th in Max Verstappen's career – and the sixth in 12 appearances at this circuit. This is Red Bull's 300th podium.
Finishing fourth, Lewis Hamilton continued his successful streak – this year he remains the only one who has completed the full distance of the past Grands Prix – 603 laps out of 603.
Points earned by Ferrari drivers allowed the team to surpass the milestone of 11,000 points in history – they are the absolute leaders in this statistic.
For the third time in the last four Grands Prix, Isaac Hadjar finished sixth.
The Belgian Grand Prix is the twentieth race in which Lando Norris set the fastest lap (and the second this year after Miami). Previously, he had no fastest laps in Spa.
Gabriel Bortoleto finished eighth for the second consecutive race, matching his best result in his career and in the history of the Audi team.
Finishing 19th, Fernando Alonso matched his worst result of the season.
At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Aston Martin will bring the B-version of the AMR26 car, which the team hopes will be a step forward and allow them to compete in the midfield. However, if expectations are not met, the updated AMR26 will trigger shifts in the driver market.
As the Italian press reports, the effectiveness of the B-version of the AMR26 will directly influence Fernando Alonso's next move. If the Spaniard is satisfied with the progress made, he will stay with the team for 2027. However, if the new version does not meet expectations, Alonso intends to return to Alpine to finish his career with the Enstone team.
If Alonso decides to switch teams, it will trigger a "domino effect" in the driver market. Pierre Gasly's position at Alpine is not in jeopardy, but if Fernando decides to move to Alpine, Franco Colapinto will be left without a contract with the team for 2027.
Anticipating such developments, on Saturday in Spa, the managers of the Argentine driver held a meeting with the leadership of Williams, where a possible contract for the next season was discussed.
But who will replace Alonso at Aston Martin? Italian sources claim it will be Carlos Sainz. In that case, a spot will open up at Williams, which Colapinto will take. However, there are rumors that Aston Martin is also considering Esteban Ocon in case Carlos becomes unavailable.
Given all of the above, during the Hungarian Grand Prix, it is worth closely monitoring Aston Martin's results, as they may provide hints about how events will unfold in the driver market during the summer break.
As the Italian press reports, the effectiveness of the B-version of the AMR26 will directly influence Fernando Alonso's next move. If the Spaniard is satisfied with the progress made, he will stay with the team for 2027. However, if the new version does not meet expectations, Alonso intends to return to Alpine to finish his career with the Enstone team.
If Alonso decides to switch teams, it will trigger a "domino effect" in the driver market. Pierre Gasly's position at Alpine is not in jeopardy, but if Fernando decides to move to Alpine, Franco Colapinto will be left without a contract with the team for 2027.
Anticipating such developments, on Saturday in Spa, the managers of the Argentine driver held a meeting with the leadership of Williams, where a possible contract for the next season was discussed.
But who will replace Alonso at Aston Martin? Italian sources claim it will be Carlos Sainz. In that case, a spot will open up at Williams, which Colapinto will take. However, there are rumors that Aston Martin is also considering Esteban Ocon in case Carlos becomes unavailable.
Given all of the above, during the Hungarian Grand Prix, it is worth closely monitoring Aston Martin's results, as they may provide hints about how events will unfold in the driver market during the summer break.
For Lewis Hamilton, the race in Spa was eventful – a collision with George Russell, a five-second penalty, and a mechanic knocked down during a pit stop. Despite all this, Hamilton finished fourth, while his teammate Charles Leclerc fought for victory until the end. The British Ferrari driver shared that he is inspired by such a performance on a track that was not supposed to suit their car.
Lewis Hamilton: "Charles' result in Spa showed that we are moving in the right direction with the car's development. And all of this is thanks to the team, which works brilliantly and brings updates to almost every race.
The results of the last few races are indeed encouraging. I think the team has made significant progress in making strategic decisions, and overall we have greatly improved our performance during race weekends.
In Spa, we had the pace to fight for victory. Considering everything that happened to me during the race, it's great that we managed to earn points.
I hope we will be competitive in Hungary. But first, I need to perform well myself in the next weekend and show everything I am capable of. We need to arrive in Hungary and immediately start fighting for results."
Lewis Hamilton: "Charles' result in Spa showed that we are moving in the right direction with the car's development. And all of this is thanks to the team, which works brilliantly and brings updates to almost every race.
The results of the last few races are indeed encouraging. I think the team has made significant progress in making strategic decisions, and overall we have greatly improved our performance during race weekends.
In Spa, we had the pace to fight for victory. Considering everything that happened to me during the race, it's great that we managed to earn points.
I hope we will be competitive in Hungary. But first, I need to perform well myself in the next weekend and show everything I am capable of. We need to arrive in Hungary and immediately start fighting for results."
The Aston Martin team planned to present an updated version of the AMR26 car at the Hungarian Grand Prix, which holds great hopes for progress. However, the delivery of the new model to the Hungaroring is delayed. According to GPBlog, the arrival of the new model is expected only on Wednesday evening – later than scheduled. As a result, the mechanics will have less time to prepare it for the start of the race weekend. Meanwhile, the previous version of the AMR26 is already at the Hungaroring. Aston Martin plans to use it during a filming day that will take place at the track after the Hungarian Grand Prix. Currently, the team's mechanics are preparing the pits in anticipation of the delivery of the new version of the car.
Hungarian Grand Prix: Comments before the stage
Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team
Toto Wolff: "In the previous races, we showed that the car has the necessary speed. But so far, we have not been able to fully convert that potential into results. We lost points due to our own issues and understand that we need to work better. The team is doing everything it can to understand the reasons, fix them, and provide both drivers with everything they need to maximize the car's capabilities at every stage. Hungary will be a completely different challenge compared to the recent races. Silverstone and Spa are tracks where capabilities are limited by available energy, while in Budapest, there is significantly more available energy. This changes the requirements for the car and the approach to the weekend. As always, competition is very tight, and everything will depend on the details. Our goal is simple – to conduct the weekend cleanly and without problems and earn as many points as the car allows before we go on our summer break."
Scuderia Ferrari
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal: "We head to Budapest after two encouraging weekends, where thanks to the excellent work of the team, we were able to achieve maximum results. This adds confidence, but we understand that each Grand Prix presents us with its unique challenges. Theoretically, the Hungaroring suits our car better, but that alone is not a guarantee of success. As always, the decisive factor will be the execution of all tasks set. We need to approach this weekend with the same concentration, discipline, and attention to detail that we demonstrated during the last two races. We have a cohesive team, two motivated drivers, and the support of all our tifosi. Our goal is to continue moving in the same direction and to perform as well as possible each day, starting from Friday, to secure the best possible position in qualifying and the race."
McLaren Formula 1 Team
Randy Singh, Racing Director: "In Hungary, the team faces a completely different challenge, and this will be the last race before the summer break. At the Hungaroring, the car needs to be set up for a high level of downforce. Additionally, efficiency on braking and acceleration is important here. The combination of high temperatures, continuous sequences of corners, and a small number of straights makes effective tire management one of the key factors. As throughout the season, we will focus on maximizing the energy usage of the power unit throughout the lap and understanding how the changed overtaking characteristics affect strategy. This weekend, we will also introduce an update package. In such tight competition, every improvement is important, so it is crucial to gather as much information as possible about the new components during practice. Our goal is to maximize all opportunities, maintain positive momentum before the summer break, and create a solid foundation for the second half of the season."
Leonardo Fornaroli: "I am looking forward to working behind the wheel of the MCL40 in the first practice at the Hungaroring this weekend. This will be another fantastic opportunity to continue developing the valuable experience that the team and I gained in Barcelona. Every session gives a chance to learn more, gain confidence, and contribute to the team's efforts throughout the weekend. In the past few weeks, I have been very busy in Woking, preparing for this session both in the simulator and at the McLaren Performance Hub to be as ready as possible. I am very grateful to everyone in the team for the support they have given me. I can't wait for Friday to hit the track, enjoy it, and make the most of every lap to help the team."
Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen: "The Spa race was positive for us. Throughout the weekend, everything went quite smoothly, and it was nice to earn my 130th podium together with the team. In Hungary, we have the last race before the summer break, so a final push is ahead.
Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team
Toto Wolff: "In the previous races, we showed that the car has the necessary speed. But so far, we have not been able to fully convert that potential into results. We lost points due to our own issues and understand that we need to work better. The team is doing everything it can to understand the reasons, fix them, and provide both drivers with everything they need to maximize the car's capabilities at every stage. Hungary will be a completely different challenge compared to the recent races. Silverstone and Spa are tracks where capabilities are limited by available energy, while in Budapest, there is significantly more available energy. This changes the requirements for the car and the approach to the weekend. As always, competition is very tight, and everything will depend on the details. Our goal is simple – to conduct the weekend cleanly and without problems and earn as many points as the car allows before we go on our summer break."
Scuderia Ferrari
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal: "We head to Budapest after two encouraging weekends, where thanks to the excellent work of the team, we were able to achieve maximum results. This adds confidence, but we understand that each Grand Prix presents us with its unique challenges. Theoretically, the Hungaroring suits our car better, but that alone is not a guarantee of success. As always, the decisive factor will be the execution of all tasks set. We need to approach this weekend with the same concentration, discipline, and attention to detail that we demonstrated during the last two races. We have a cohesive team, two motivated drivers, and the support of all our tifosi. Our goal is to continue moving in the same direction and to perform as well as possible each day, starting from Friday, to secure the best possible position in qualifying and the race."
McLaren Formula 1 Team
Randy Singh, Racing Director: "In Hungary, the team faces a completely different challenge, and this will be the last race before the summer break. At the Hungaroring, the car needs to be set up for a high level of downforce. Additionally, efficiency on braking and acceleration is important here. The combination of high temperatures, continuous sequences of corners, and a small number of straights makes effective tire management one of the key factors. As throughout the season, we will focus on maximizing the energy usage of the power unit throughout the lap and understanding how the changed overtaking characteristics affect strategy. This weekend, we will also introduce an update package. In such tight competition, every improvement is important, so it is crucial to gather as much information as possible about the new components during practice. Our goal is to maximize all opportunities, maintain positive momentum before the summer break, and create a solid foundation for the second half of the season."
Leonardo Fornaroli: "I am looking forward to working behind the wheel of the MCL40 in the first practice at the Hungaroring this weekend. This will be another fantastic opportunity to continue developing the valuable experience that the team and I gained in Barcelona. Every session gives a chance to learn more, gain confidence, and contribute to the team's efforts throughout the weekend. In the past few weeks, I have been very busy in Woking, preparing for this session both in the simulator and at the McLaren Performance Hub to be as ready as possible. I am very grateful to everyone in the team for the support they have given me. I can't wait for Friday to hit the track, enjoy it, and make the most of every lap to help the team."
Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen: "The Spa race was positive for us. Throughout the weekend, everything went quite smoothly, and it was nice to earn my 130th podium together with the team. In Hungary, we have the last race before the summer break, so a final push is ahead.
The Hungarian Grand Prix will take place for the 41st time this year. In 1986, the Formula 1 race in the People's Republic of Hungary seemed exotic, but years have passed, the name of the country and the ruling regime have changed, the world has experienced many upheavals and a pandemic, yet at the end of July - beginning of August, Formula 1 once again gathers full stands at the hot Hungaroring.
The town of Mogyoród near Budapest is now known not so much for the battle of King Solomon with his cousins in the 11th century, but for the duels between Piquet and Senna, the race that Damon Hill almost won in an Arrows, and the battles between Häkkinen and Coulthard, Verstappen and Hamilton.
Overtaking at the Hungaroring is difficult, and races often turn out to be boring, but over the years, many tracks with similar characteristics have emerged, yet without history and with incomparably smaller audiences. For Budapest, the Formula 1 event is still a bright celebration that doesn't even need loud pop stars to attract spectators to the Grand Prix in Middle Eastern countries.
The atmosphere of the Hungaroring is compared to the best races of the eighties, not just because, during the weekend, local authorities will declare an amnesty for women with low social responsibility, as they did back then. That time is irretrievably gone, although the women have surely remained.
Now it is an ordinary European race. There are no longer buses filled with Russian and Finnish fans carrying canisters of cheap and delicious Hungarian wine, which would reach a peak of euphoria by the start of the race. No one passes ten people on two tickets anymore, as control is now automatic. And the competition for the longest fishing rod with a flag is also gone.
Those who have the opportunity can choose, and the sun-baked Hungaroring does not seem like the best choice. But there is still something special about this event.
Several champions achieved their first victories in Formula 1 at this track – Damon Hill in 1993, Fernando Alonso in 2003, Jenson Button in 2006. Two champions were crowned here – Nigel Mansell in 1992 and Michael Schumacher in 2001.
This year, the season's climax is still far off, but the battle for victory will be tight and equal; no one can tell you in advance who will win at the Hungaroring in 2026.
The Hungarian stage is always associated with summer vacation, marking the end of the first part of the season. This year, after the cancellation of two Middle Eastern races, it will only be the eleventh event. A few days after the finish will be spent on tire tests and returning to the base, after which everyone will head off on vacation.
The teams' bases will be closed for two weeks. Everyone is in a vacation mood, with the only break ahead in the marathon that started on February 20 at the winter tests in Bahrain, but when and where it will end is still unknown.
The town of Mogyoród near Budapest is now known not so much for the battle of King Solomon with his cousins in the 11th century, but for the duels between Piquet and Senna, the race that Damon Hill almost won in an Arrows, and the battles between Häkkinen and Coulthard, Verstappen and Hamilton.
Overtaking at the Hungaroring is difficult, and races often turn out to be boring, but over the years, many tracks with similar characteristics have emerged, yet without history and with incomparably smaller audiences. For Budapest, the Formula 1 event is still a bright celebration that doesn't even need loud pop stars to attract spectators to the Grand Prix in Middle Eastern countries.
The atmosphere of the Hungaroring is compared to the best races of the eighties, not just because, during the weekend, local authorities will declare an amnesty for women with low social responsibility, as they did back then. That time is irretrievably gone, although the women have surely remained.
Now it is an ordinary European race. There are no longer buses filled with Russian and Finnish fans carrying canisters of cheap and delicious Hungarian wine, which would reach a peak of euphoria by the start of the race. No one passes ten people on two tickets anymore, as control is now automatic. And the competition for the longest fishing rod with a flag is also gone.
Those who have the opportunity can choose, and the sun-baked Hungaroring does not seem like the best choice. But there is still something special about this event.
Several champions achieved their first victories in Formula 1 at this track – Damon Hill in 1993, Fernando Alonso in 2003, Jenson Button in 2006. Two champions were crowned here – Nigel Mansell in 1992 and Michael Schumacher in 2001.
This year, the season's climax is still far off, but the battle for victory will be tight and equal; no one can tell you in advance who will win at the Hungaroring in 2026.
The Hungarian stage is always associated with summer vacation, marking the end of the first part of the season. This year, after the cancellation of two Middle Eastern races, it will only be the eleventh event. A few days after the finish will be spent on tire tests and returning to the base, after which everyone will head off on vacation.
The teams' bases will be closed for two weeks. Everyone is in a vacation mood, with the only break ahead in the marathon that started on February 20 at the winter tests in Bahrain, but when and where it will end is still unknown.
The Hungarian Grand Prix will take place for the 41st time this year. In 1986, the Formula 1 race in the People's Republic of Hungary seemed exotic, but years have passed, the country's name and ruling system have changed, the world has experienced many upheavals and a pandemic, yet at the end of July - beginning of August, Formula 1 once again gathers full stands at the hot Hungaroring.
The town of Mogyoród near Budapest is now known not so much for the battle of King Solomon with his cousins in the 11th century, but for the duels of Piquet and Senna, the race that Damon Hill almost won in an Arrows, and the battles of Häkkinen and Coulthard, Verstappen and Hamilton.
Overtaking at the Hungaroring is difficult, and races often turn out to be boring, but over the years, many tracks with similar characteristics have emerged, but without history and with incomparably smaller audiences. For Budapest, the Formula 1 event is still a bright celebration that doesn't even need loud pop stars to attract spectators to the Grand Prix in Middle Eastern countries.
The atmosphere of the Hungaroring is compared to the best races of the eighties, not just because, during the weekend, local authorities will declare an amnesty for girls with low social responsibility, as they did back then. That time is irretrievably gone, although the girls have surely remained.
Now it is an ordinary European event. There are no longer buses filled with Russian and Finnish fans carrying canisters of cheap and delicious Hungarian wine, which would reach a peak of euphoria by the start of the race. No one passes ten people on two tickets anymore, as control is now automatic. And the competition for the longest fishing rod with a flag is also gone.
Those who have the opportunity can choose, and the sun-baked Hungaroring does not seem like the best choice. But there is still something special about this event.
Several champions achieved their first victories in Formula 1 at this track – Damon Hill in 1993, Fernando Alonso in 2003, Jenson Button in 2006. Two champions were crowned here – Nigel Mansell in 1992 and Michael Schumacher in 2001.
This year, the season's climax is still far off, but the battle for victory will be tight and equal; no one can tell you in advance who will win at the Hungaroring in 2026.
The Hungarian event is always associated with summer vacation, marking the end of the first part of the season. This year, after the cancellation of two Middle Eastern races, the event will only be the eleventh. A few days after the finish will be spent on tire testing and returning to base, then everyone will head off on vacation.
The teams' bases will be closed for two weeks. Everyone is in a vacation mood, with the only break ahead in the marathon that started on February 20 at the winter tests in Bahrain, but when and where it will end is still unknown.
The town of Mogyoród near Budapest is now known not so much for the battle of King Solomon with his cousins in the 11th century, but for the duels of Piquet and Senna, the race that Damon Hill almost won in an Arrows, and the battles of Häkkinen and Coulthard, Verstappen and Hamilton.
Overtaking at the Hungaroring is difficult, and races often turn out to be boring, but over the years, many tracks with similar characteristics have emerged, but without history and with incomparably smaller audiences. For Budapest, the Formula 1 event is still a bright celebration that doesn't even need loud pop stars to attract spectators to the Grand Prix in Middle Eastern countries.
The atmosphere of the Hungaroring is compared to the best races of the eighties, not just because, during the weekend, local authorities will declare an amnesty for girls with low social responsibility, as they did back then. That time is irretrievably gone, although the girls have surely remained.
Now it is an ordinary European event. There are no longer buses filled with Russian and Finnish fans carrying canisters of cheap and delicious Hungarian wine, which would reach a peak of euphoria by the start of the race. No one passes ten people on two tickets anymore, as control is now automatic. And the competition for the longest fishing rod with a flag is also gone.
Those who have the opportunity can choose, and the sun-baked Hungaroring does not seem like the best choice. But there is still something special about this event.
Several champions achieved their first victories in Formula 1 at this track – Damon Hill in 1993, Fernando Alonso in 2003, Jenson Button in 2006. Two champions were crowned here – Nigel Mansell in 1992 and Michael Schumacher in 2001.
This year, the season's climax is still far off, but the battle for victory will be tight and equal; no one can tell you in advance who will win at the Hungaroring in 2026.
The Hungarian event is always associated with summer vacation, marking the end of the first part of the season. This year, after the cancellation of two Middle Eastern races, the event will only be the eleventh. A few days after the finish will be spent on tire testing and returning to base, then everyone will head off on vacation.
The teams' bases will be closed for two weeks. Everyone is in a vacation mood, with the only break ahead in the marathon that started on February 20 at the winter tests in Bahrain, but when and where it will end is still unknown.
On Thursday in Hungary, during a FIA press conference, Isaac Hadjar was asked to summarize the first half of the season and discuss what goals are currently set for him at Red Bull Racing.
Isaac Hadjar: "The start of the season was challenging. In the first races, I made mistakes in situations that usually don't cause difficulties. At the same time, I handled more difficult tasks, finding a good rhythm and not falling too far behind Max, quite well.
In the last races, I managed to achieve stability, and the team solved several problems that complicated our lives. When the car is reliable and fast, it becomes much easier to show results.
Everything is going quite well, but I already want to have a race where I can fight for a real podium. That is our next goal.
The characteristics of our car suit me. It’s not easy to drive, but it behaves consistently. In the last few races, I have been able to extract the maximum from it, and I am satisfied with that.
But we are still not in the positions we want to be in. We still have work to do, especially when comparing our competitiveness with Ferrari and Mercedes. We need to keep improving, although there is definitely progress."
Isaac Hadjar: "The start of the season was challenging. In the first races, I made mistakes in situations that usually don't cause difficulties. At the same time, I handled more difficult tasks, finding a good rhythm and not falling too far behind Max, quite well.
In the last races, I managed to achieve stability, and the team solved several problems that complicated our lives. When the car is reliable and fast, it becomes much easier to show results.
Everything is going quite well, but I already want to have a race where I can fight for a real podium. That is our next goal.
The characteristics of our car suit me. It’s not easy to drive, but it behaves consistently. In the last few races, I have been able to extract the maximum from it, and I am satisfied with that.
But we are still not in the positions we want to be in. We still have work to do, especially when comparing our competitiveness with Ferrari and Mercedes. We need to keep improving, although there is definitely progress."
We reported that Alex Albon will have a new race engineer next season. Initially, it was assumed that it would be Tom Hart from Red Bull Racing, but the team from Milton Keynes persuaded Tom to stay and become Max Verstappen's race engineer. In Hungary, Alex Albon mentioned that he immediately approved Hart's candidacy when he saw the list of his potential race engineers. Alex Albon: "Of course, we wanted to invite Tom. I think Tom is an excellent specialist and a great race engineer. But we have other options as well. James, my current race engineer, will move to work at the factory next year. I think he will excel in that role. Now the task is to find someone who can take on his responsibilities and become my race engineer. Of course, we have several candidates. And with everyone we are considering, I was also involved in the discussion process." When asked if he personally tried to convince Tom Hart to move to Williams, Albon replied: "No. We just had a list of candidates we would like to invite. Tom was one of those whose name I saw on that list, and I immediately thought he was a great option."
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Paul Aron will replace Franco Colapinto in the first session of free practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix. For the Estonian driver, this will be his third participation in a practice session this season, but the first with Alpine. At the events in Barcelona and Austria, Aron drove an Audi.
Paul Aron: "I am looking forward to the opportunity to conduct my first practice session this season in the A526. I have been working with this car in the simulator in Enstone all year, and now it will be very useful to get on the track and feel how it behaves in real conditions.
Last season, I successfully completed three first practice sessions with the team, and now I want to build on that experience and do everything possible to help the team in the remaining part of the race weekend."
Pierre Gasly: "After Spa, I had a few days off, and I am ready for the event at the Hungaroring. Our goal is to go into the summer break with a positive mindset.
In recent weeks, it has become significantly more challenging for us, as some competitors have made serious gains, making the battle for places in the top ten much more intense both in qualifying and in the race. We understand what needs to be done to improve, but we also realize that these issues cannot be resolved quickly.
There are several aspects in which we can become better, and that is what we will focus on this weekend. We need to work on all the details and achieve the best possible result.
The Hungaroring is very different from Spa and Silverstone, where the previous two events took place. It is a much more technical track with different conditions, and it will be interesting to see how the current generation of cars performs on it.
I was disappointed that I couldn't earn points in Spa, so I am heading to Budapest with a strong desire and motivation to help the team achieve a good result."
Franco Colapinto: "I was very happy to earn one point on Sunday in Spa after a long battle with Pierre and Liam Lawson. There was a lot of fighting, and the race was eventful.
In Belgium, we looked a bit stronger compared to our closest rivals than in the previous rounds, and we will try to maintain this form in Budapest, although the Hungaroring presents completely different challenges.
I am well familiar with the track from my time in the junior series, where I achieved decent results. I am looking forward to returning to Hungary and the opportunity to drive the current generation of cars on it.
Energy management will be a much less complicated task than in the previous two rounds, as there are many corners on the track. I hope we can enjoy driving the lighter cars this year.
We will do everything possible to have a strong weekend, achieve a good result, and earn a few more points before the summer break."
Paul Aron: "I am looking forward to the opportunity to conduct my first practice session this season in the A526. I have been working with this car in the simulator in Enstone all year, and now it will be very useful to get on the track and feel how it behaves in real conditions.
Last season, I successfully completed three first practice sessions with the team, and now I want to build on that experience and do everything possible to help the team in the remaining part of the race weekend."
Pierre Gasly: "After Spa, I had a few days off, and I am ready for the event at the Hungaroring. Our goal is to go into the summer break with a positive mindset.
In recent weeks, it has become significantly more challenging for us, as some competitors have made serious gains, making the battle for places in the top ten much more intense both in qualifying and in the race. We understand what needs to be done to improve, but we also realize that these issues cannot be resolved quickly.
There are several aspects in which we can become better, and that is what we will focus on this weekend. We need to work on all the details and achieve the best possible result.
The Hungaroring is very different from Spa and Silverstone, where the previous two events took place. It is a much more technical track with different conditions, and it will be interesting to see how the current generation of cars performs on it.
I was disappointed that I couldn't earn points in Spa, so I am heading to Budapest with a strong desire and motivation to help the team achieve a good result."
Franco Colapinto: "I was very happy to earn one point on Sunday in Spa after a long battle with Pierre and Liam Lawson. There was a lot of fighting, and the race was eventful.
In Belgium, we looked a bit stronger compared to our closest rivals than in the previous rounds, and we will try to maintain this form in Budapest, although the Hungaroring presents completely different challenges.
I am well familiar with the track from my time in the junior series, where I achieved decent results. I am looking forward to returning to Hungary and the opportunity to drive the current generation of cars on it.
Energy management will be a much less complicated task than in the previous two rounds, as there are many corners on the track. I hope we can enjoy driving the lighter cars this year.
We will do everything possible to have a strong weekend, achieve a good result, and earn a few more points before the summer break."
FIA President Mohammed ben Sulayem spoke about the progress of discussions regarding the possible return of V8 engines to Formula 1. If the proposal is implemented, these engines will return in 2030 or 2031.
The transition to V8 is being discussed against the backdrop of dissatisfaction with the current generation of power units, which has faced criticism from drivers due to a high dependence on the electric component and difficulties in energy management.
Mohammed ben Sulayem: "We also make mistakes and sometimes miscalculate, just like the teams. But the main thing is that at FIA we are always ready to acknowledge this and correct it.
If we recall the beginning of this season, the competition was not as tight as it is now. Now the competition has become much higher. The gaps between teams are no longer as large. FIA has also contributed to this. We carefully analyze all incoming information and consider all team requests.
Ultimately, there are power unit manufacturers, and a qualified majority is required for decision-making – four votes out of six. There are also teams that must ensure that the championship remains competitive and fair.
As for the possible return of V8 engines, we first need to understand what goals we are setting for ourselves and why we are doing this at all. In my opinion, we need a new engine concept that meets all key requirements.
One important factor is the sound, as it is significant for fans. Additionally, the engine should be simpler and cheaper. At the same time, we can maintain 100% environmental friendliness by using synthetic fuel. Right now, we are calculating various options together with the teams.
We are consulting with teams, power unit manufacturers, and drivers. This is very important. The decision depends not only on me or the teams, as it is the drivers who drive these cars."
The transition to V8 is being discussed against the backdrop of dissatisfaction with the current generation of power units, which has faced criticism from drivers due to a high dependence on the electric component and difficulties in energy management.
Mohammed ben Sulayem: "We also make mistakes and sometimes miscalculate, just like the teams. But the main thing is that at FIA we are always ready to acknowledge this and correct it.
If we recall the beginning of this season, the competition was not as tight as it is now. Now the competition has become much higher. The gaps between teams are no longer as large. FIA has also contributed to this. We carefully analyze all incoming information and consider all team requests.
Ultimately, there are power unit manufacturers, and a qualified majority is required for decision-making – four votes out of six. There are also teams that must ensure that the championship remains competitive and fair.
As for the possible return of V8 engines, we first need to understand what goals we are setting for ourselves and why we are doing this at all. In my opinion, we need a new engine concept that meets all key requirements.
One important factor is the sound, as it is significant for fans. Additionally, the engine should be simpler and cheaper. At the same time, we can maintain 100% environmental friendliness by using synthetic fuel. Right now, we are calculating various options together with the teams.
We are consulting with teams, power unit manufacturers, and drivers. This is very important. The decision depends not only on me or the teams, as it is the drivers who drive these cars."