Lewis Hamilton has urged Ferrari to "come and fight for the win" as the Hungarian Grand Prix approaches, while McLaren team principal Andrea Stella predicts the Italian squad will be "extremely competitive" on the tight, twisty circuit of the Hungaroring. Over the past four rounds the championship has seen an even split of victories between Ferrari and Mercedes, each team taking two wins. Despite this parity, the Silver Arrows have generally held the advantage when it comes to sheer straight‑line speed throughout the season. Kimi Antonelli, who now enjoys a 45‑point lead over Hamilton and a 50‑point cushion ahead of George Russell in the drivers' standings, displayed blistering form at the Belgian round at Spa‑Francorchamps.
Even after being denied a pit stop under a Virtual Safety Car, Antonelli managed to out‑maneuver Charles Leclerc on Sunday, underscoring his growing momentum. Ferrari’s performance at Spa was closer than many had anticipated, a sign that could bode well for Budapest. The Hungaroring is a circuit dominated by a multitude of corners rather than long straights, and that characteristic traditionally plays into Ferrari’s strengths, especially in cornering speed and aerodynamic efficiency.
"I think in Hungary, the Netherlands we will see Ferrari back to probably being the fastest car we see in the corners there. Extremely competitive," Stella told Sky Sports F1, emphasizing the expectation that the Italian team’s chassis will excel on these down‑force‑heavy tracks. Hamilton, a record holder with eight victories at the Hungarian Grand Prix, has struggled to convert his pace into wins this season.
Five‑second penalties handed down in the previous two races have kept him off the top step since his triumph at the Barcelona‑Catalunya Grand Prix last month. "I’m hoping we can be competitive.
I need to come correct this week and make sure I deliver the way I know I can deliver in Budapest," Hamilton said, acknowledging the pressure to perform and his desire to return to winning ways. Ferrari have set the benchmark for cornering this year, though their power unit has lagged behind the hybrid giants Mercedes and Red Bull. Recent upgrades have narrowed that gap, but the Hungaroring’s layout means that outright engine power will matter less than the car’s aerodynamic package and mechanical grip.
The last two circuits—Silverstone and Spa—rewarded strong power‑unit performance because of their long, high‑speed sections. By contrast, the Hungaroring is essentially a technical playground where the best‑designed chassis can dominate.
Energy deployment strategies, which have been crucial at other venues, will be less decisive here, allowing the cars with superior down‑force and handling to shine. Former driver and Sky Sports F1 analyst Karun Chandhok believes this could lead to a repeat of the Barcelona scenario, where Hamilton’s mastery of the circuit secured him victory despite the broader power‑unit battle. "Ferrari have been behind Mercedes if you look at the trend across the season, apart from Barcelona where I think Lewis Hamilton genuinely had the outright pace to beat Mercedes," Chandhok explained.
"I think Ferrari will be very strong in Budapest. We saw in Barcelona the aerodynamic package and the cornering speeds of the Ferrari are very strong." Sky Sports F1 commentator Bernie Collins added another perspective, highlighting that both Hungary and Zandvoort— the next race after the summer break—are circuits where straight‑line speed is not the primary performance metric.
"These are down‑force circuits where you are trying to get the most out of the car through those corners and that will promote Ferrari," Collins said, reinforcing the view that the Italian team’s chassis development could give them a decisive edge. The optimism surrounding Ferrari is not new.
Ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix in June, many pundits expected the team to be a front‑runner, and Antonelli turned that confidence into a pole‑to‑victory performance. Charles Leclerc offered a cautious take on pre‑race expectations, noting the difficulty of predicting a team’s performance level.
"I think it’s very difficult to predict the level of performance of every team. I recall very well what the overall feeling was before Monaco, and we arrived in Monaco and were under‑performing compared to what everybody thought we would, so I think we need to be cautious," Leclerc said.
"We just need to do our homework, just like we do at every different track. I think what we did particularly well over these last two weekends was to really make sure that we maximised our package, and that’s the mentality we should keep for Budapest, without thinking about expectations." Since Monaco, Ferrari have introduced further upgrades aimed at enhancing cornering performance. Team principal Frederic Vasseur, however, remains measured in his optimism, reminding everyone that development is a race‑wide phenomenon. "I think everybody will bring upgrades and we don’t know the picture of the performance.
Everybody is pushing," Vasseur said. "You have a lot of performance in the execution on tyre management, tyre preparation, set‑up, and the layout of the track. I think if we do the same quality of work as this weekend, it will pay off, but it is not a given.
It’s not a given for us and not a given for the others. Each weekend we are starting from scratch." He continued, "For sure on paper the layout like Silverstone and Spa are probably a bit more difficult than some others. But on the other hand, in Monaco, we are not shining. That means we have to continue to push, to keep the same approach and never think that it will be easy, because it is never easy." The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend schedule is packed with action across the Formula categories.
Thursday, July 23, will feature the Drivers' Press Conference at 2 pm followed by the Paddock Uncut at 5 pm. Friday, July 24, begins with F3 practice at 8:50 am, F2 practice at 10 am, and the first Hungarian GP practice session at 12:30 pm, followed by qualifying sessions for the junior categories and the F1 show later in the afternoon.
Saturday, July 25, sees the F3 sprint at 9 am, the third practice session for the Hungarian GP at 11:30 am, and the F2 sprint at 1:10 pm. The crucial qualifying session for the Grand Prix starts at 2:15 pm, with the official qualifying taking place at 3 pm.
The day concludes with Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 5 pm. Sunday, July 26, opens with the F3 feature race at 7:35 am, the Porsche Supercup at 9:05 am, and the F2 feature race at 10:20 am. The Hungarian Grand Prix itself begins its build‑up at 12:30 pm, with the race kicking off at 2 pm. Post‑race analysis, including the Chequered Flag reaction and Ted’s Notebook, will follow in the late afternoon.
All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, and viewers can stream the coverage via NOW without a long‑term contract, offering flexibility to cancel at any time. In summary, the combination of a chassis‑focused circuit, recent Ferrari upgrades, and the strategic insights from team leaders and analysts suggests that Budapest could become a pivotal battleground in the 2026 championship. Hamilton is eager to prove his mettle and reclaim his dominance at a venue where he has historically excelled, while Ferrari aims to leverage its cornering advantage to challenge the Silver Arrows. The outcome of the Hungarian Grand Prix may well shape the narrative of the title fight between Hamilton and Antonelli as the season progresses.