F1 Hungarian GP Notebook: Mercedes Takes One Step Back, Two Steps Forward

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2 days ago

Mercedes drivers smiling again, Ferrari's latest charger clinches the Formula 3 title, and there's a new pits and paddock complex at the Hungaroring.
Autoweek rounds up some of the other talking points from the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Mercedes Takes Step Back, Looks Forward
Mercedes is not expecting any further major aerodynamic updates to its car across the rest of the campaign, after George Russell and Kimi Antonelli spoke of restored confidence after the team decided to revert back to a previous suspension component.
Both drivers had struggled, in particular Antonelli, with the feel of the W16 in the wake of an update to the rear suspension at the Spanish Grand Prix. That was taken off the car in Hungary, with Russell finishing third, while Antonelli displayed encouraging speed either side of an unfortunate early bath in qualifying.
Antonelli eventually rose to 10th spot, the highlight a dive bomb move on Carlos Sainz, to snap his streak of pointless events.
'That helped provide a much more stable and balanced car for the drivers,' Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said on reverting to a previous spec components. 'They had more confidence in it and that was reflected in their pace. It was solid throughout and that helped George score a well-deserved podium and put Kimi in a position to hold off several cars for a point, despite being on nearly 50-lap old tires.
"This result and our overall performance here at the Hungaroring give us a direction for the rest of the season.'
Antonelli agreed that 'I am really happy that my confidence in the car has come back this weekend. I leave Budapest feeling much more comfortable.'
Rolling back the update nonetheless highlights how, even in the fourth and final year of the current ruleset, the once dominant Mercedes outfit has still not got a handle on the regulations.
It nevertheless remains in the hunt for second in the championship, 24 points behind Ferrari.American Crawford Stays in F2 Hunt with Podium
American Jak Crawford remains firmly in the fight for this year's Formula 2 championship after returning to the podium in Budapest.
Crawford leapt from eighth on the inverted grid in the Sprint Race to take third position, having qualified third, a grid spot which he converted in the main Feature Race.
Crawford hounded Roman Staněk through the final stint, before ultimately having to accept there was no way past the Czech racer. A slow pit stop hindered a frustrated Crawford, but the haul of points lifted the Aston Martin junior to second in the championship, 17 points behind Leonardo Fornaroli. Fornaroli overcame a pit lane speeding penalty to triumph, his third win of the season, as he led a one-two result for Invicta Racing.
Of his feature race result, Crawford said: 'I was trying very hard, but it's super-tricky to pass on this track and as well it was quite wet off the line, so it was a big challenge to make the move," he said. 'I tried my best to get past Stanek, but unfortunately it was a bit too dirty off the line.
"The one time I was close enough to make a move, I had a lock-up going off the line and unfortunately, I was unable to make it work. I felt I had better pace than the two guys who finished ahead of me. But it's just the nature of the circuit, where even normally, it's quite tricky to pass so it didn't turn out well.'
Just 30 points separates the top five drivers in Formula 2. The campaign will resume at Monza in early September.
New Hungaroring Complex Opens
Formula 1 arrived in Hungary this year with the pits and paddock complex having been completely renovated.
The old buildings had been in place since the Hungaroring opened in 1986 and had a decidedly rustic and Soviet feel to them, and they were no longer fit for purpose. As part of Hungary's long-term contract, new facilities were required, and the new lengthy three-storey building was complete in advance of last weekend's event.
Some of the internals weren't quite finished, which was always part of the plan, with the top floor essentially just a shell, but the impressive new structure, and widened paddock, highlights Hungary's commitment to its Formula 1 event.
The main grandstand was also completely rebuilt and lengthened.
'It's impressive that it's been done from one year to the next,' Oscar Piastri said. 'It looks like it's been quite a big task, so well done.'
Esteban Ocon, who claimed his maiden victory in Hungary in 2021, said: 'I could not recognize the paddock, which is quite impressive from one year to another.'
Revolut Becomes Audi Title Partner
International financial tech company Revolut will become the title partner of Audi when the manufacturer enters Formula 1 in 2026. The team currently operates as Sauber, and has given its title partnership to Stake and Kick across the last couple of seasons, with that deal having only been expected to run through 2025.
'Audi is entering Formula 1 with a clear ambition: to use the platform as a technologically relevant and economically sustainable investment in the future of the Audi brand,' Audi CEO Gernot Dollner said. 'We firmly believe in the success of our project, which we are approaching with a realistic attitude and a mindset of continuous improvement.
"In Revolut, we have found a partner that shares our ambitions and attitude. Formula 1 is a global stage that offers us the opportunity to reach new target groups together and generate enthusiasm for our products.'
Ferrari Protégé Wins F3 Title
Ferrari protégé Rafael Camara, 20, clinched this year's Formula 3 title one round early with a commanding display in tricky conditions in Hungary.
Camara's victory from pole position gave the Brazilian an insurmountable 48-point buffer over Aston Martin junior Mari Boya ahead of the final round of the season at Monza in September. Camara mirrors the achievements of Oscar Piastri (2020) and compatriot Gabriel Bortoleto (2023) in winning the current guise of Formula 3 in his first year in the division.
Camara has set his sights on stepping up to Formula 2 in 2026.