Just when Lewis Hamilton decides to switch teams, Mercedes finally manages to give him a competitive car.

Mercedes has secured a place in the leading group in the most exciting Formula 1 season since Max Verstappen ended Hamilton’s reign in 2021.

Hamilton and team-mate George Russell have won the last two races – Russell in Austria and Hamilton at Silverstone – so the team arrives at the Hungarian Grand Prix full of enthusiasm after a long period of soul-searching.

Hamilton’s victory at Silverstone was his first since the penultimate race of the 2021 season.

The seven-time world champion knows better than anyone how to win on the Hungarian circuit. He holds the record with eight victories at the Hungaroring, but his last was in 2020. Last year he managed to secure pole position in qualifying.

“The battle is still open and we want to win as many races as possible,” Hamilton said ahead of the weekend.

Hamilton caused shockwaves when he announced he would join Ferrari in 2025. He has since insisted he is fully focused on his final months at Mercedes. “We are united as a team and we will make sure we finish the season on a high,” he said.

A class apart?

Five different drivers have won the last seven races, so the idea that Verstappen and Red Bull are in a class of their own is no longer valid.

Verstappen still holds a comfortable lead in the standings with 255 points, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris on 171 points. But the reigning three-time world champion now faces rivals from three different teams, including Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

The Dutchman admitted that his lead over the rest of the field is not what it used to be. “We were not the fastest in the last few races. I don’t expect that to suddenly change,” said Verstappen, who has won the last two Hungarian Grands Prix.

“Yes, we have made some updates to the car this weekend and we hope to see some improvements. But for now, let’s see how it goes this weekend,” he added.

Red Bull is under a bit more pressure in the constructors’ standings. Red Bull has collected 373 points so far, Ferrari 302, McLaren 295 and Mercedes 221.

This is mainly due to the poor performance of Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, who remarkably took 17 points^and rank two weeks ago in Silverstone. “I’m the first to say I’m not happy with my last races, my last results. I want to get back in the front group and that’s my goal this weekend,” Perez said.

Test day

The Hungarian Grand Prix marks the start of the second half of the season.

Sainz set the fastest time during the first practice session on Friday, ahead of Verstappen and Leclerc.

Hamilton settled for 10^and rank, just behind Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.

Oliver Bearman drove Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas car, but he had to settle for 20^and and last row.

Norris was then fastest in the second session, ahead of Verstappen and Sainz. Stroll had to settle for 17th place.^and rank.

The second session was interrupted for a few minutes after Leclerc went off track. He lost control of his car coming out of a corner and then hit the wall on the other side. The Monegasque’s car was so damaged that he did not return to the track.

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