Formula 1: Ferrari eyes Hungarian GP win as season heats up before break

Formula 1's exciting season, marked by new technical regulations, is heading into its final race before the summer break. The Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring this weekend is the focus, with questions swirling about whether Ferrari can maintain pressure on Mercedes, which has dominated the season with its powerful car.

Ferrari trails Mercedes by 73 points in the Constructors' Championship. However, the Italian team has shown winning pace in the last two Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc securing a victory at Silverstone. The tight and twisty Hungaroring circuit is expected to favor Ferrari's cars, and Leclerc claimed pole position there last year.

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On paper, this is a race that should suit us well. But again, Mercedes is good on both slow and fast tracks. More or less we are there, but at the same time, the last time we thought we were there was Monaco, and it went much worse than we expected. I think the lesson with these cars is that you can't take anything for granted.

While many in the paddock, including Ferrari drivers, still consider Mercedes the favorite, there's a strong sense within the Italian team that they have a good chance in Hungary. "On paper, this is a race that should suit us well. But again, Mercedes is good on both slow and fast tracks," Leclerc commented. "More or less we are there, but at the same time, the last time we thought we were there was Monaco, and it went much worse than we expected. I think the lesson with these cars is that you can't take anything for granted."

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I think we should have won the last two races. In Spa, we were much more competitive than we thought. We are making progress and hope to be able to fight with them this weekend.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who recently moved to second in the drivers' standings after a fourth-place finish in Spa, has a remarkable record at Hungaroring, with eight victories. He is undoubtedly a top contender for a podium finish, possibly even a win. "I think we should have won the last two races. In Spa, we were much more competitive than we thought. We are making progress and hope to be able to fight with them this weekend," Hamilton stated.

McLaren's Lando Norris acknowledged a desire to remain patient despite new upgrades, but his speed in Belgium was evident. He believes a podium finish was possible without a penalty for modified parts. McLaren hopes for similar performance at Hungaroring, a track where they've achieved 1-2 finishes in previous seasons. Oscar Piastri, another McLaren driver, has voiced dissatisfaction with the hybrid engine's reliance on battery power, noting that sometimes drivers feel more like passengers than racers. "Sometimes, yes. It's hard to understand the driving principle of a car that practically loses half its power before the end of a straight," Piastri said.

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Sometimes, yes. It's hard to understand the driving principle of a car that practically loses half its power before the end of a straight.