Lewis Hamilton returns to the Hungaroring this weekend with a point to prove, one year after describing himself as “completely useless” at the same circuit following a 12th-place qualifying effort that represented the low point of his career.
The 41-year-old gave himself cause for optimism in Friday practice, topping the timesheets 0.148 seconds ahead of Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in the second session. Hamilton has won at Budapest eight times, more than any other driver, and a corner at the circuit has now been named after him.
Reflecting on last year’s miserable weekend, Hamilton said he was proud of everyone in the team and of himself for digging out of the hole he was in. He also revealed he would detail exactly what happened during that low point in a forthcoming documentary.
Ferrari the favourites
Hamilton’s win in Barcelona in June, his first for Ferrari, signalled a turnaround, and he now sits 45 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli, the 19-year-old who replaced him at Mercedes, heading into the 11th round of the season.
Ferrari are considered favourites for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Their strengths lie in aerodynamic performance through corners, and the Hungaroring, which features just one substantial straight, suits that profile well.
The picture brightened further for Ferrari when Mercedes drivers Antonelli and George Russell struggled in practice, finishing fifth and 13th respectively. Their run of taking pole position at every round this season looks under serious threat.
Leclerc holds recent edge
Despite Hamilton outscoring Leclerc by 53 points across the five races before Silverstone, the Monegasque has held the upper hand since then. Leclerc won the British Grand Prix two places ahead of Hamilton, finished two places ahead again in Spa, and was fastest in qualifying at both events.
Russell, who sits five points behind Hamilton in the standings, also faces pressure after a string of setbacks. Mercedes said the technical problems that affected him in Spa have since been resolved.
Aston Martin’s difficult weekend begins
Aston Martin arrived in Hungary with a significant package of upgrades after what team principal Adrian Newey described as a “complete nightmare” season. The opening signs were mixed. The team recovered some pace in the first practice session before Lance Stroll suffered a suspension failure that kept him out for the rest of the day. Fernando Alonso ended Friday 19th, 2.9 seconds off the pace.
Newey described “respectability” as the team’s realistic near-term target. Asked about reports that former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner could join Aston Martin, Newey said he kept hearing the rumours but could not comment further, adding only that the team was happy with its senior management.
