Hungarian Grand Prix: Comments before the stage

      Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team

      Toto Wolff: "In the previous races, we showed that the car has the necessary speed. But so far, we have not been able to fully convert that potential into results. We lost points due to our own issues and understand that we need to work better. The team is doing everything it can to understand the reasons, fix them, and provide both drivers with everything they need to maximize the car's capabilities at every stage. Hungary will be a completely different challenge compared to the recent races. Silverstone and Spa are tracks where capabilities are limited by available energy, while in Budapest, there is significantly more available energy. This changes the requirements for the car and the approach to the weekend. As always, competition is very tight, and everything will depend on the details. Our goal is simple – to conduct the weekend cleanly and without problems and earn as many points as the car allows before we go on our summer break."

      Scuderia Ferrari

      Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal: "We head to Budapest after two encouraging weekends, where thanks to the excellent work of the team, we were able to achieve maximum results. This adds confidence, but we understand that each Grand Prix presents us with its unique challenges. Theoretically, the Hungaroring suits our car better, but that alone is not a guarantee of success. As always, the decisive factor will be the execution of all tasks set. We need to approach this weekend with the same concentration, discipline, and attention to detail that we demonstrated during the last two races. We have a cohesive team, two motivated drivers, and the support of all our tifosi. Our goal is to continue moving in the same direction and to perform as well as possible each day, starting from Friday, to secure the best possible position in qualifying and the race."

      McLaren Formula 1 Team

      Randy Singh, Racing Director: "In Hungary, the team faces a completely different challenge, and this will be the last race before the summer break. At the Hungaroring, the car needs to be set up for a high level of downforce. Additionally, efficiency on braking and acceleration is important here. The combination of high temperatures, continuous sequences of corners, and a small number of straights makes effective tire management one of the key factors. As throughout the season, we will focus on maximizing the energy usage of the power unit throughout the lap and understanding how the changed overtaking characteristics affect strategy. This weekend, we will also introduce an update package. In such tight competition, every improvement is important, so it is crucial to gather as much information as possible about the new components during practice. Our goal is to maximize all opportunities, maintain positive momentum before the summer break, and create a solid foundation for the second half of the season."

      Leonardo Fornaroli: "I am looking forward to working behind the wheel of the MCL40 in the first practice at the Hungaroring this weekend. This will be another fantastic opportunity to continue developing the valuable experience that the team and I gained in Barcelona. Every session gives a chance to learn more, gain confidence, and contribute to the team's efforts throughout the weekend. In the past few weeks, I have been very busy in Woking, preparing for this session both in the simulator and at the McLaren Performance Hub to be as ready as possible. I am very grateful to everyone in the team for the support they have given me. I can't wait for Friday to hit the track, enjoy it, and make the most of every lap to help the team."

      Red Bull Racing

      Max Verstappen: "The Spa race was positive for us. Throughout the weekend, everything went quite smoothly, and it was nice to earn my 130th podium together with the team. In Hungary, we have the last race before the summer break, so a final push is ahead. The Hungarian track is completely different from Spa, so we need to understand how the car will behave and find the optimal setup. A lot depends on how the weekend starts. I hope we can immediately get to a good level to be as competitive as possible. It will be interesting to see what we can achieve in Hungary. Our team is always supported by local fans, so we are looking forward to returning."

      Isaac Hajar: "It's great that after such a successful weekend in Spa, we are heading straight to Budapest, and we can maintain that momentum. Throughout the weekend, the car was very fast, and the result confirmed that. It's a shame we had to start at the back of the pack, but we made the most of the situation and now start a new weekend with a clean slate. The Hungaroring should suit us a bit better due to the many slow corners. This should help us use the power unit's energy more effectively. The team and I have been working hard since January, and now we have the final push before the summer break. I hope we can go into it with a good result."

      Haas F1 Team

      Ayo Komatsu, Team Principal: "In Spa, we made some progress in understanding the VF-26's characteristics and improving its performance, although the final result on Sunday was very disappointing. We head to the Hungaroring for the last race before the summer break, where we will face completely different challenges compared to Spa. On Friday, we have some testing to do to better understand the car. Rio will replace Oliver in the first practice, and we are very interested to see how he can build on his success after participating in the practice in Spielberg. As always, competition is very high, but we intend to make the most of the opportunities available before the long-awaited summer break."

      Rio Hirakawa: "First of all, I want to thank Toyota and Haas for the opportunity to drive the car again in the first practice in Hungary. This will be my second experience working with the VF-26 after a challenging first session in Austria, where aerodynamic tests and red flags prevented me from completing several fast laps. Next week, I will have that opportunity, and it is very encouraging. The track is really challenging, quite short and narrow with many slow and medium-speed corners. It will be very interesting to push to the limit and provide the team with useful information that will help find effective car settings for the second practice and the rest of the weekend."

      Oliver Berman: "Given our recent results, it would be logical to think that we are already counting down the days to the summer break. But honestly, the whole team wants to finish the first half of the season with a strong result. This week, I will miss the first session as my car will be driven by Rio. I am interested to watch the practice from the sidelines and hear his feedback. His input is very important for the team. The Hungaroring is a technical track that somewhat resembles karting, but it requires a lot of downforce. Right now, my main task is to maintain the level of stability that I have shown recently and keep the team's fighting spirit during this challenging period. Everyone continues to work on finding extra speed, and I am very proud of that. That's all we can ask for from the team."

      Esteban Ocon: "The Hungarian Grand Prix is one of my favorite races of the season. I look forward to hitting the track again, and every year I receive great support from Hungarian fans here. In 2021, I had my best day in Formula 1 at the Hungaroring, so returning here is always special. During race week, the city literally comes alive, which makes the atmosphere even better. I can't wait to return and hope we have a good weekend ahead."

      Alpine F1

      Paul Aron: "I am looking forward to the opportunity to conduct my first practice session behind the wheel of the A526 this season. All year, I have been working with this car in the simulator in Enstone, and now it will be very useful to hit the track and feel how it behaves in real conditions. Last season, I successfully completed three first practice sessions with the team, and now I want to build on that experience and do everything possible to help the team in the remaining part of the race weekend."

      Pierre Gasly: "After Spa, I had a few days of rest, and I am ready for the race at the Hungaroring. Our goal is to go into the summer break with a positive mindset. In recent weeks, it has become significantly more challenging for us, as some competitors have made serious gains, making the battle for the top ten much more intense in both qualifying and the race. We understand what needs to be done to improve, but we also realize that quickly solving these issues won't be easy. There are several aspects in which we can get better, and that is what we will focus on this weekend. We need to execute all the details well and achieve the best possible result. The Hungaroring is very different from Spa and Silverstone, where the last two races took place. It is a much more technical track with different conditions, and it will be interesting to see how the current generation of cars performs on it. I was disappointed that I couldn't score points in Spa, so I am heading to Budapest with a strong desire and motivation to help the team achieve a good result."

      Franco Colapinto: "I was very happy to earn a point on Sunday in Spa after a long battle with Pierre and Liam Lawson. There was a lot of fighting, and the race was eventful. In Belgium, we looked a bit stronger compared to our closest rivals than in previous races, and we will try to maintain that form in Budapest, although the Hungaroring presents completely different challenges. I am well acquainted with the track from my time in junior series, where I achieved decent results. I look forward to