Lewis Hamilton topped the protocol of the second free practice session of the Hungarian Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc confirmed Ferrari's speed at the Hungaroring, finishing first in the first practice and second in the second. However, the team is cautious in its predictions.
Lewis Hamilton (1st): "Overall, it was a decent day. The conditions were challenging – strong winds complicated things, and in some sections of the track, the asphalt turned out to be quite bumpy.
In the second practice, the car looked better, so we made good progress throughout the day. However, there are still a few areas where we need to improve.
In the evening, we will carefully analyze all the data, continue working on the car's balance, and try to gain speed on Saturday."
Charles Leclerc (2nd): "Overall, we looked quite competitive, which is encouraging. But there is still the whole weekend ahead, so we need to keep working to maintain our advantage.
The battle in qualifying will be incredibly tight. I don't think our advantage over our rivals will remain the same as today, so we need to conduct the session without mistakes.
If the car behaves the same way tomorrow as it did today, then we can expect a good result."
Lewis Hamilton (1st): "Overall, it was a decent day. The conditions were challenging – strong winds complicated things, and in some sections of the track, the asphalt turned out to be quite bumpy.
In the second practice, the car looked better, so we made good progress throughout the day. However, there are still a few areas where we need to improve.
In the evening, we will carefully analyze all the data, continue working on the car's balance, and try to gain speed on Saturday."
Charles Leclerc (2nd): "Overall, we looked quite competitive, which is encouraging. But there is still the whole weekend ahead, so we need to keep working to maintain our advantage.
The battle in qualifying will be incredibly tight. I don't think our advantage over our rivals will remain the same as today, so we need to conduct the session without mistakes.
If the car behaves the same way tomorrow as it did today, then we can expect a good result."
Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez qualified in the last row at the Hungaroring circuit. The Cadillac drivers will try to achieve a better result in the Sunday race.
Valtteri Bottas (21st): "The qualifying went smoothly, I managed to put together some fast laps. We found the right settings, and I felt quite confident behind the wheel.
It seems that Aston Martin has made a step forward, at least in terms of speed on a single fast lap. But there is a positive aspect – we are close to Williams.
The team needs to focus on its own work, continue to improve the car, and make the most of its potential. The race will be a tough challenge for us, as hotter weather is expected. We'll see how everything unfolds on Sunday."
Sergio Perez (22nd): "After missing most of the third practice, the qualifying was challenging, and everything had to be done in a very tight timeframe. The car behaved differently than I expected, especially in the fast sections of the track, so we need to figure out what affected its behavior.
We know that the car has potential, so now the task is to achieve a better result in the race."
Valtteri Bottas (21st): "The qualifying went smoothly, I managed to put together some fast laps. We found the right settings, and I felt quite confident behind the wheel.
It seems that Aston Martin has made a step forward, at least in terms of speed on a single fast lap. But there is a positive aspect – we are close to Williams.
The team needs to focus on its own work, continue to improve the car, and make the most of its potential. The race will be a tough challenge for us, as hotter weather is expected. We'll see how everything unfolds on Sunday."
Sergio Perez (22nd): "After missing most of the third practice, the qualifying was challenging, and everything had to be done in a very tight timeframe. The car behaved differently than I expected, especially in the fast sections of the track, so we need to figure out what affected its behavior.
We know that the car has potential, so now the task is to achieve a better result in the race."
Investigating the reasons for George Russell's car stopping after the end of qualifying, Mercedes decided to replace the power unit in his car. The reason for the replacement is a leak. Russell damaged the oil pan on the curb of the fourth corner on the final fast lap in qualifying, causing the engine to crack. There will be no penalties for this – George received the fourth engine out of the four allowed for the season.
On Thursday, it became known that Red Bull Racing had abandoned the use of the rotating rear wing in Spa. Isaac Hajar stated that the team is doing everything possible to make the design safe as soon as possible and return it to the car.
Isaac Hajar: "Visually, of course, the abandonment of this wing will be a significant change, but the design does not affect the car's behavior as much as one might think. Even we find it difficult to assess how significant the loss is compared to the previous configuration, so we still expect to be at about the same competitive level as we were in the last stage.
Although now the rear wing definitely looks less impressive. We will do everything possible to return the previous wing as soon as possible, but it needs to be safe.
I think I was just lucky that my car did not have problems with the rotating wing for two consecutive stages. So it really depended on luck.
The problem could have arisen for none of us, or it could have happened four times to each of us. This time, unfortunately, the problems occurred with Max. But, to be honest, his problem is also my problem, so the team needs to solve it."
Isaac Hajar: "Visually, of course, the abandonment of this wing will be a significant change, but the design does not affect the car's behavior as much as one might think. Even we find it difficult to assess how significant the loss is compared to the previous configuration, so we still expect to be at about the same competitive level as we were in the last stage.
Although now the rear wing definitely looks less impressive. We will do everything possible to return the previous wing as soon as possible, but it needs to be safe.
I think I was just lucky that my car did not have problems with the rotating wing for two consecutive stages. So it really depended on luck.
The problem could have arisen for none of us, or it could have happened four times to each of us. This time, unfortunately, the problems occurred with Max. But, to be honest, his problem is also my problem, so the team needs to solve it."
On Friday at the Hungaroring, Mercedes drivers were unhappy with the car's behavior and for the first time this season did not make it into the top four...
George Russell (5th): "It was a strange day. I think everyone will say that, regardless of their positions in the pack.
The Hungaroring is a great track, but the recent update to the surface has complicated things significantly. There are bumps in some places where the car lost stability. As a result, tire wear was greater than expected.
We lacked speed on the fast laps, but we showed decent pace over the distance.
The Ferrari cars are very fast this weekend, and it will be difficult to overtake them. We anticipated that things would turn out this way, and our assumptions were confirmed. They are significantly ahead of everyone else, and we need to work hard to close the gap."
Kimi Antonelli (13th): "The first day in Budapest was challenging for everyone. I missed the first practice, giving the cockpit to Fred, who did a great job, and when I went out in the second session, I had balance issues, especially on the fast laps.
I had to abort my first attempt due to a red flag; I tried to set a time after the session resumed, but I didn't finish the lap due to traffic, and then I faced a problem with rear wheel locking.
Things went better during long runs when the tires were in the working range. We gathered a lot of data that we will analyze overnight. The third practice will play an important role; I hope we find better settings tomorrow."
Frederik Vesti (7th in the first session): "I’m happy to be back in the W17 after my last practice in Barcelona. The session went positively from my side. I felt comfortable and completed the entire program. I knew I could go faster, but that wasn't my goal. Much more important is that I learned a lot. This will be useful for our work this weekend and for comparing data with the simulator and wind tunnel back at the factory in Brackley.
I look forward to helping George, Kimi, and the team in the remaining days of the weekend. We have a lot to do to get into the fight for victory; we will put in all our efforts, and next week I will return to work on the simulator to compare our results here on track with what we do there."
George Russell (5th): "It was a strange day. I think everyone will say that, regardless of their positions in the pack.
The Hungaroring is a great track, but the recent update to the surface has complicated things significantly. There are bumps in some places where the car lost stability. As a result, tire wear was greater than expected.
We lacked speed on the fast laps, but we showed decent pace over the distance.
The Ferrari cars are very fast this weekend, and it will be difficult to overtake them. We anticipated that things would turn out this way, and our assumptions were confirmed. They are significantly ahead of everyone else, and we need to work hard to close the gap."
Kimi Antonelli (13th): "The first day in Budapest was challenging for everyone. I missed the first practice, giving the cockpit to Fred, who did a great job, and when I went out in the second session, I had balance issues, especially on the fast laps.
I had to abort my first attempt due to a red flag; I tried to set a time after the session resumed, but I didn't finish the lap due to traffic, and then I faced a problem with rear wheel locking.
Things went better during long runs when the tires were in the working range. We gathered a lot of data that we will analyze overnight. The third practice will play an important role; I hope we find better settings tomorrow."
Frederik Vesti (7th in the first session): "I’m happy to be back in the W17 after my last practice in Barcelona. The session went positively from my side. I felt comfortable and completed the entire program. I knew I could go faster, but that wasn't my goal. Much more important is that I learned a lot. This will be useful for our work this weekend and for comparing data with the simulator and wind tunnel back at the factory in Brackley.
I look forward to helping George, Kimi, and the team in the remaining days of the weekend. We have a lot to do to get into the fight for victory; we will put in all our efforts, and next week I will return to work on the simulator to compare our results here on track with what we do there."
Max Verstappen finished second in Hungary – for the first time in 2026, the Red Bull Racing driver stepped onto the podium in two consecutive races. Isaac Hajar finished sixth for the fourth time – this is his most frequent result of the season.
Max Verstappen (2nd): “I didn’t expect to be on the podium today, but we worked hard for it. The start was good, I confidently navigated the first and second corners. Then after the first pit stop, I overtook Lewis Hamilton on the brakes at the first corner, and after that, I tried to manage tire wear and make the right strategic decisions. So I’m happy with second place.
Overtaking Lewis? I saw the only opportunity and took it. The car's brakes worked well, so that helped. I had everything under control.”
Isaac Hajar (6th): “I’m happy with the start, but I didn’t like the speed on the Medium tires – it just wasn’t there. For the first few laps, I kept pace with Kimi Antonelli, and then they all just drove away from me.
The tires lasted only five or six laps. In fact, the race ended for me at that point. Both sets of Hard tires were fine in terms of speed, but the stint on Medium ruined my race.
I’m happy with my pace on the fast lap in the first half of the season, but I lack consistency over the race distance, as was the case today. I was fast for 80% of the race distance, but in the first 20%, I just didn’t have the speed. I need to understand what the issues are.
Max was able to put all the pieces together and finish on the podium, but I’m not able to do that yet.”
Max Verstappen (2nd): “I didn’t expect to be on the podium today, but we worked hard for it. The start was good, I confidently navigated the first and second corners. Then after the first pit stop, I overtook Lewis Hamilton on the brakes at the first corner, and after that, I tried to manage tire wear and make the right strategic decisions. So I’m happy with second place.
Overtaking Lewis? I saw the only opportunity and took it. The car's brakes worked well, so that helped. I had everything under control.”
Isaac Hajar (6th): “I’m happy with the start, but I didn’t like the speed on the Medium tires – it just wasn’t there. For the first few laps, I kept pace with Kimi Antonelli, and then they all just drove away from me.
The tires lasted only five or six laps. In fact, the race ended for me at that point. Both sets of Hard tires were fine in terms of speed, but the stint on Medium ruined my race.
I’m happy with my pace on the fast lap in the first half of the season, but I lack consistency over the race distance, as was the case today. I was fast for 80% of the race distance, but in the first 20%, I just didn’t have the speed. I need to understand what the issues are.
Max was able to put all the pieces together and finish on the podium, but I’m not able to do that yet.”
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Finishing second in Spa, Charles Leclerc was satisfied – both with the results and his progress…
Question: Charles, how do you assess the race results? Could you have fought Kimi for the win?
Charles Leclerc: On Thursday, we anticipated that we would be significantly behind – by four or five tenths. That turned out to be the case in qualifying, but in the race, we found ourselves closer to the leaders.
The result is positive. We were confident that we would be behind in Silverstone and Spa, and in the end, I won one race and finished second in the other. Yes, with a bit of luck, but the team did a great job. On two tracks that, on paper, didn’t suit us at all, we earned a lot of points.
Question: Did these two results give you confidence? After the win in Silverstone, you said you consider each race separately. Is there now a feeling that you have solved this task? Is the car set up the way you need it, and will you be fast everywhere?
Charles Leclerc: I can confidently say that I have taken a step forward. But have I reached the level at which I want to perform? Not yet.
There are still aspects of the car that I have to deal with. I can’t drive the way I’m used to, and that slows me down in some sections. I need to work more to improve, but I’m glad that I was able to take a step forward.
I will continue to consider each race separately – with these cars, you can’t be sure that if one race weekend goes well, the next one will too.
Question: Many are expecting a strong result from Ferrari in Hungary. Do you share these expectations?
Charles Leclerc: Anything can happen, and it may or may not work out. We need to arrive at the track and assess everything there. It’s impossible to predict the competitiveness of each team in advance.
I remember very well the mood before Monaco, and when we got there, the results turned out to be worse than expected. This year, we need to be more cautious with expectations.
It’s very important to prepare well, to do everything right in each session. We managed that in the last two races, and the same mindset should be there before Budapest. It’s not worth thinking about expectations in advance.
Question: Charles, how do you assess the race results? Could you have fought Kimi for the win?
Charles Leclerc: On Thursday, we anticipated that we would be significantly behind – by four or five tenths. That turned out to be the case in qualifying, but in the race, we found ourselves closer to the leaders.
The result is positive. We were confident that we would be behind in Silverstone and Spa, and in the end, I won one race and finished second in the other. Yes, with a bit of luck, but the team did a great job. On two tracks that, on paper, didn’t suit us at all, we earned a lot of points.
Question: Did these two results give you confidence? After the win in Silverstone, you said you consider each race separately. Is there now a feeling that you have solved this task? Is the car set up the way you need it, and will you be fast everywhere?
Charles Leclerc: I can confidently say that I have taken a step forward. But have I reached the level at which I want to perform? Not yet.
There are still aspects of the car that I have to deal with. I can’t drive the way I’m used to, and that slows me down in some sections. I need to work more to improve, but I’m glad that I was able to take a step forward.
I will continue to consider each race separately – with these cars, you can’t be sure that if one race weekend goes well, the next one will too.
Question: Many are expecting a strong result from Ferrari in Hungary. Do you share these expectations?
Charles Leclerc: Anything can happen, and it may or may not work out. We need to arrive at the track and assess everything there. It’s impossible to predict the competitiveness of each team in advance.
I remember very well the mood before Monaco, and when we got there, the results turned out to be worse than expected. This year, we need to be more cautious with expectations.
It’s very important to prepare well, to do everything right in each session. We managed that in the last two races, and the same mindset should be there before Budapest. It’s not worth thinking about expectations in advance.
At the FIA press conference before the Hungarian Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri was asked to what extent drivers can influence the performance of the power unit and how this affects lap times.
The Australian explained that at some tracks, the influence of software on the power unit's operation is so great that drivers can do almost nothing about it and sometimes feel like passengers behind the wheel.
Oscar Piastri: "Even with the previous generation of hybrid engines, a lot depended on the software, algorithms, and, to some extent, artificial intelligence. When I came into Formula 1, the power units were already very well developed, and the consequences of even small errors in operation were much less noticeable since the electric part accounted for only a small percentage of the total power.
Now, however, it provides almost half of the total power, so any little thing, any deviation in the system's operation has a huge impact, especially at tracks like Spa.
We can hardly influence how electrical energy is distributed. Yes, you can press the extra power button, but it is primarily intended for overtaking, not for qualifying. So at Spa, when there were such differences in power that you could not influence at all, it was frustrating. But I am sure that over time the situation will improve.
I don’t think the problem will ever completely disappear, but as manufacturers better understand the characteristics of these power units and the regulatory limitations regarding software, the situation should improve."
In response to the question of whether he feels like a passenger behind the wheel of a car controlled by artificial intelligence during the learning stage, Oscar said: "Sometimes yes. At tracks like Spa or Silverstone, the problem is more pronounced. In Hungary, I hardly expect such difficulties since the straights are much shorter.
Even if the differences remain, their impact will be much less. However, the very idea of driving a car that effectively loses half its power even before the end of the straight sometimes seems very strange.
At Spa, for example, we went through a significant part of the second sector without any assistance from the electric part of the power unit, relying solely on the internal combustion engine. It’s an unusual feeling in itself – in some corners, you have one power level, in others, a completely different one.
I think the stage at Spa was particularly unpleasant not only for me but for many other drivers because small differences in software and power unit performance seriously affected lap times.
At the same time, in the leading group, the difference between the top four positions was only about nine hundredths of a second, while many drivers could lose much more than that due to factors they could not influence at all."
The Australian explained that at some tracks, the influence of software on the power unit's operation is so great that drivers can do almost nothing about it and sometimes feel like passengers behind the wheel.
Oscar Piastri: "Even with the previous generation of hybrid engines, a lot depended on the software, algorithms, and, to some extent, artificial intelligence. When I came into Formula 1, the power units were already very well developed, and the consequences of even small errors in operation were much less noticeable since the electric part accounted for only a small percentage of the total power.
Now, however, it provides almost half of the total power, so any little thing, any deviation in the system's operation has a huge impact, especially at tracks like Spa.
We can hardly influence how electrical energy is distributed. Yes, you can press the extra power button, but it is primarily intended for overtaking, not for qualifying. So at Spa, when there were such differences in power that you could not influence at all, it was frustrating. But I am sure that over time the situation will improve.
I don’t think the problem will ever completely disappear, but as manufacturers better understand the characteristics of these power units and the regulatory limitations regarding software, the situation should improve."
In response to the question of whether he feels like a passenger behind the wheel of a car controlled by artificial intelligence during the learning stage, Oscar said: "Sometimes yes. At tracks like Spa or Silverstone, the problem is more pronounced. In Hungary, I hardly expect such difficulties since the straights are much shorter.
Even if the differences remain, their impact will be much less. However, the very idea of driving a car that effectively loses half its power even before the end of the straight sometimes seems very strange.
At Spa, for example, we went through a significant part of the second sector without any assistance from the electric part of the power unit, relying solely on the internal combustion engine. It’s an unusual feeling in itself – in some corners, you have one power level, in others, a completely different one.
I think the stage at Spa was particularly unpleasant not only for me but for many other drivers because small differences in software and power unit performance seriously affected lap times.
At the same time, in the leading group, the difference between the top four positions was only about nine hundredths of a second, while many drivers could lose much more than that due to factors they could not influence at all."
On Friday at the Hungaroring, Alpine drivers did not make it into the top ten, and Franco Colapinto crashed the car...
Pierre Gasly (14th): "For our team, this was one of the most challenging Fridays of the season. We knew it would be tough on this track – high downforce is needed, and we are lacking in that area compared to our competitors. As a result, the car lacked grip, and the balance left much to be desired. The team is preparing updates that will come after the summer break, but for now, we need to achieve the best possible result with what we have. It was windy on Friday, the car was sliding, and we just couldn't find the right setup. We will analyze the telemetry to understand how to improve tomorrow. I hope we will be in better shape by the start of qualifying."
Franco Colapinto (21st): "It was a short day for me. This year, managing cars with insufficient downforce has become more challenging than before, especially on a track with such low grip. I didn't participate in the morning session, giving my car to Paul, and in the second session, I crashed. In the last corner, I lost control of the rear of the car and hit the barrier. A disappointing day and not the best start to the weekend. I lost quite a bit of time on the track, so now I will try to focus on what we can learn and what can be improved. We don't have much data, but we can still work on it and try to set up the car better for tomorrow."
Paul Aron (19th in the first session): "An interesting day. It's hard to orient oneself in such conditions. Evaluating my session and the day as a whole, it can be said that for all drivers and teams, this was one of the most challenging Fridays of the season. I also felt the difference compared to the first two practice sessions I had this year. Strong locking on the Medium tires didn't make my job easier, but overall the day went well. I drove the A526 for the first time, and I was provided with enough information to prepare for the sessions, which was a good experience. I gave the team maximum feedback, but the conditions were really extreme. Nevertheless, it was nice to be back behind the wheel, and I look forward to the next opportunity."
Pierre Gasly (14th): "For our team, this was one of the most challenging Fridays of the season. We knew it would be tough on this track – high downforce is needed, and we are lacking in that area compared to our competitors. As a result, the car lacked grip, and the balance left much to be desired. The team is preparing updates that will come after the summer break, but for now, we need to achieve the best possible result with what we have. It was windy on Friday, the car was sliding, and we just couldn't find the right setup. We will analyze the telemetry to understand how to improve tomorrow. I hope we will be in better shape by the start of qualifying."
Franco Colapinto (21st): "It was a short day for me. This year, managing cars with insufficient downforce has become more challenging than before, especially on a track with such low grip. I didn't participate in the morning session, giving my car to Paul, and in the second session, I crashed. In the last corner, I lost control of the rear of the car and hit the barrier. A disappointing day and not the best start to the weekend. I lost quite a bit of time on the track, so now I will try to focus on what we can learn and what can be improved. We don't have much data, but we can still work on it and try to set up the car better for tomorrow."
Paul Aron (19th in the first session): "An interesting day. It's hard to orient oneself in such conditions. Evaluating my session and the day as a whole, it can be said that for all drivers and teams, this was one of the most challenging Fridays of the season. I also felt the difference compared to the first two practice sessions I had this year. Strong locking on the Medium tires didn't make my job easier, but overall the day went well. I drove the A526 for the first time, and I was provided with enough information to prepare for the sessions, which was a good experience. I gave the team maximum feedback, but the conditions were really extreme. Nevertheless, it was nice to be back behind the wheel, and I look forward to the next opportunity."
At the Hungaroring, Nico Hülkenberg reached the qualifying final for the second time this season. His Audi teammate was eliminated in the second session…
Nico Hülkenberg (10th): "I had a clean qualifying session and I'm happy to make it to the final. I think we maximized the car's potential today. It's encouraging, even if the gap to the leaders turned out to be a bit larger than we hoped.
The results throughout the weekend have been very tight, and the windy weather affected the car's stability, especially in the middle sector, but we did everything right at the right moment. Starting from 10th place gives a good foundation for tomorrow's race.
On Friday, we were fast in long runs, and I hope that will allow us to fight with our competitors and earn points tomorrow."
Gabriel Bortoleto (14th): "I made a few mistakes, couldn't fully utilize the car's potential, and I'm not satisfied with how I performed in qualifying.
Throughout the weekend, we confidently stayed in the top ten, and I was clearly expecting more than 14th place. Starting from a distant position will complicate the race, but I will do everything to make up for it. Let's see what happens in the end."
Nico Hülkenberg (10th): "I had a clean qualifying session and I'm happy to make it to the final. I think we maximized the car's potential today. It's encouraging, even if the gap to the leaders turned out to be a bit larger than we hoped.
The results throughout the weekend have been very tight, and the windy weather affected the car's stability, especially in the middle sector, but we did everything right at the right moment. Starting from 10th place gives a good foundation for tomorrow's race.
On Friday, we were fast in long runs, and I hope that will allow us to fight with our competitors and earn points tomorrow."
Gabriel Bortoleto (14th): "I made a few mistakes, couldn't fully utilize the car's potential, and I'm not satisfied with how I performed in qualifying.
Throughout the weekend, we confidently stayed in the top ten, and I was clearly expecting more than 14th place. Starting from a distant position will complicate the race, but I will do everything to make up for it. Let's see what happens in the end."
At Pirelli, they consider the time taken to complete the distance to be roughly equal when choosing between a one or two pit-stop strategy – teams will act according to the situation…
Dario Marraffuschi, Pirelli Motorsport Director: “Our modeling shows that for the Hungarian Grand Prix, there is no difference in overall lap time between the one and two pit-stop strategies. The tire wear, which turned out to be higher than expected, effectively leveled these two options, allowing teams to evaluate different scenarios depending on the number of remaining new tire sets.
Medium tires are the preferred option for the start. Those who choose the one pit-stop strategy will be able to switch to Hard tires between laps 26 and 32.
In the case of two pit-stops, considering that only two teams have two new sets of Medium tires left, the more likely option is Medium - Hard - Hard with pit-stops on laps 16-22 and 40-46.
Traffic and the difficulty of overtaking will be key factors in choosing a strategy and may force several teams to prefer the option with one tire change.
The use of Soft tires cannot be ruled out, as they have shown good grip levels and sufficient wear resistance. Combinations of Soft - Hard - Medium and Medium - Hard - Soft will be about ten seconds slower than the two main strategy options.
Drivers who manage to create a gap from their rivals can make an additional pit-stop without the risk of losing position, while others have the opportunity to use an undercut tactic in their battles with competitors. The situation remains open, and it would not be surprising to see different strategy options even among drivers from the same team.”
Dario Marraffuschi, Pirelli Motorsport Director: “Our modeling shows that for the Hungarian Grand Prix, there is no difference in overall lap time between the one and two pit-stop strategies. The tire wear, which turned out to be higher than expected, effectively leveled these two options, allowing teams to evaluate different scenarios depending on the number of remaining new tire sets.
Medium tires are the preferred option for the start. Those who choose the one pit-stop strategy will be able to switch to Hard tires between laps 26 and 32.
In the case of two pit-stops, considering that only two teams have two new sets of Medium tires left, the more likely option is Medium - Hard - Hard with pit-stops on laps 16-22 and 40-46.
Traffic and the difficulty of overtaking will be key factors in choosing a strategy and may force several teams to prefer the option with one tire change.
The use of Soft tires cannot be ruled out, as they have shown good grip levels and sufficient wear resistance. Combinations of Soft - Hard - Medium and Medium - Hard - Soft will be about ten seconds slower than the two main strategy options.
Drivers who manage to create a gap from their rivals can make an additional pit-stop without the risk of losing position, while others have the opportunity to use an undercut tactic in their battles with competitors. The situation remains open, and it would not be surprising to see different strategy options even among drivers from the same team.”
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