Hungarian GP Preview: Last chance for Ferrari?

The last Grand Prix before Formula 1’s customary summer vacation will take place at the Hungaroring this weekend.

The 4.38km-long circuit has a single straight that leads cars from the final Turn 14 past the pit lane and into the Turn 1’s intense braking zone. Because of the track’s narrow and winding second sector, a strong downforce setup is required.

With a shock winner last year, what can we expect this year?

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What happened last year?

Esteban Ocon was the most significant winner of the rainstorm that completely altered Formula One’s final race before the summer break. Esteban Ocon took the top spot for Alpine-Renault, marking the team’s first victory since the 2013 Australian Grand Prix and the first for a Renault-badged engine since the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix. After Sebastian Vettel was disqualified from second, Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz Jr. finished off the podium.

Naturally, Fernando Alonso, a man who has consistently been recognised for putting the team’s welfare above his own personal interests, played a significant role in Ocon’s victory.

Lewis Hamilton was making what he believed would be a race-winning assault on brand-new medium tyres when Alonso made it as tough as he could for Hamilton to pass him for fourth place.

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Ferrari’s glimmer of hope

Following his retirement from the last race in France, which put the Ferrari driver 63 points behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the Formula 1 World Championship, Charles Leclerc will be fighting for victory at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

Even if Leclerc’s prospects of winning the title are slim, he will at least have the opportunity to retaliate immediately in Budapest.

The high-downforce F1-75 will almost probably be the car to beat over the twists and turns of the Hungaroring. This circuit is sometimes compared to as Monaco without the walls, based on Ferrari’s front-row lockout in Monte Carlo earlier this year.

Leclerc will be expected to spearhead Ferrari’s assault because he has seven pole positions in 12 races. Still, Carlos Sainz also poses a danger because he had his best performance of the year in France despite receiving an engine penalty.

Mercedes has high hopes

Mercedes achieved four P3 finishes and one P2 finish in the recent four races. At least in terms of current outcomes, the team has been showing improvements. They appear to have lessened some of the advantages that Ferrari and Red Bull had at the beginning of the season.

Hamilton has won the Hungarian Grand Prix eight times, making it one of his favourite races. The Briton may produce some surprises given Mercedes’ rising trend and consistency.

Has Vettel kicked off silly season?

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel announced on Thursday via Instagram that he will retire from Formula 1 at the end of the 2022 season.

Despite his desire to do so, there is still uncertainty on when Fernando Alonso will sign an extension. Along with the futures of Nicholas Latifi and Oscar Piastri, Daniel Ricciardo’s is a big question mark. In addition, many F1 fans are unaware that neither Mick Schumacher nor Guanyu Zhou are under contract for the upcoming season.