Verstappen's Red Bull battling three-headed threat as F1 season hits midpoint in Hungary

Just when Lewis Hamilton decided he needed to switch teams, Mercedes finally gives him a competitive car.

Mercedes has elbowed its way into the most tightly contested Formula 1 season since Max Verstappen wrested the mantle of serial winner from Hamilton in 2021.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton and Mercedes teammate George Russell have won back-to-back races; Russell was first in Austria and Hamilton surprisingly took the victory at Silverstone, and the team arrived this week at the Hungarian Grand Prix with renewed hope after a long spell of self-doubt.

Hamilton's win at the British GP was his first victory since the second-to-last race of 2021.

The British driver also knows better than anyone how to win on the Hungaroring's tight corners. He holds a record eight wins here, with his last triumph in 2020. He also took pole position on this track last year.

"It’s game on, we’re fighting, we’re chasing, and we’re going to try and win as many races or compete for as many wins as possible,” Hamilton said while preparing for the race weekend.

Hamilton stunned the series by announcing he was leaving for Ferrari in 2025. He has since insisted his focus is completely on making the most of his final months with Mercedes.

“We are united as a team, and we’re going to try and make sure we finish the season on a high."

With five different winners in the last seven races, it is clear that it is no longer a foregone conclusion that Red Bull will sweep up most of the victories.

Verstappen still commands a healthy lead on 255 points, with McLaren’s Lando Norris in second with 171. But the Dutch driver is facing fast challengers from three different teams when you include the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

Verstappen acknowledged that the gap between his car and the best of the rest has largely disappeared.

“The last few races we’ve not been the quickest car, so I don’t expect that to suddenly now be any different,” said Verstappen, who has won here the past two years.

“Of course we will bring upgrades, hopefully that will give it a good boost, but at the moment just want to try and see how that will work this weekend.”

Red Bull is under more pressure in the constructors’ championship, which combines the points taken from each team’s two drivers. Red Bull has 373 points, Ferrari 302, McLaren 295, and Mercedes 221.

That is largely due to the slump by Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Pérez. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said his poor performances were “unsustainable” after the Mexican driver finished 17th at the British GP two weeks ago.

“I’m the first one that is not satisfied with the past races, with the past results, and I’m the one that wants to get back to our top form. that’s the main objective for us this weekend,” Pérez said.

Norris has had a very fast car recently and has lamented not scoring a second career win after coming out on top at Miami in May. He was in the running for victory in Canada, Spain and Britain before coming up short.

“We’re still learning from these things,” Norris said. “It hurts, those tough times.”

The Hungarian GP marks the start of the second half of the season. Qualifying is on Saturday for Sunday’s race.

Leclerc crashes in practice

Norris topped practice on Friday, right in front of Verstappen, with the top lap times. Sainz was the third fastest.

Leclerc gave Ferrari's mechanics extra work after he spun off and smacked the rear of his car into the barrier during the second hourlong session. He was whisked back to the garage while a crane lifted his damaged ride off the track before practiced resumed.

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