Strange things have been happening this Formula One season, one of which includes a love-in between arch-rivals Toto Wolff and Dr. Helmut Marko. Earlier this season, when there was talk of Verstappen leaving his Red Bull team, Wolff attempted to woo the current world champion together with his mentor. With Dr. Marko and Max Verstappen inseparable, the Mercedes boss suggested he had a role vacant in Brackley, which was a perfect fit for the 81-year-old Austrian.
Wolff joked that they were missing their old mascot and would just take Helmut, saying, “He’s the right age. He doesn’t have a red cap, but then he’ll come to us.” Wolff went on to compliment Marko, calling him “a real racer,” and added, “If the [Red Bull] team loses Helmut, it will certainly be a loss for Red Bull and for the team.”
The Mercedes F1 team comes to the Hungaroring on a high, having won back-to-back races for the first time since 2021. Lewis Hamilton finally broke his 56-race win drought and became the only driver in F1 history to win nine times at the same circuit. Hamilton could equal that record this weekend in Hungary, another of his favorite circuits over the years. However, Dr. Helmut Marko believes that inherent problems with the W15 car will prevent Lewis from reaching this milestone, and it appears Toto Wolff agrees with him.
Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Dr. Marko does not believe Mercedes will be the biggest threat to Red Bull and Max Verstappen this weekend if the race is ‘normal,’ unlike at the recent British GP where changeable weather played havoc with the field. The temperatures expected this weekend will be the hottest of the year to date, which is something Mercedes has struggled with in recent years. Marko believes this and tire degradation will be troublesome for Mercedes, and Toto Wolff appears to agree. “The doctor is not wrong,” Wolff told OE24. “But if we prove the opposite, then that would confirm the positive development we are having.”
Mercedes claimed the last two pole positions in Hungary, but Friday practice showed both drivers were lacking in one-lap pace. While the circuit plays to Mercedes’ advantages requiring higher downforce setups to handle the tight and twisty layout, the hotter temperatures may mitigate this advantage as the W15’s tires degrade. The race simulations weren’t encouraging either. Hamilton on the soft tire averaged a time of 1:24:796, while Russell on the medium was quicker with 1:24:403. Yet, Sergio Perez was quickest on the long runs, clocking an average time of 1:23:939 on the same tires as Russell.
George Russell confirmed Marko’s observation after FP2 when he told Sky Sports F1, “In the race run, Lando and Max look a little bit out in front. We need to understand because in the hot conditions of Austria and Barcelona, we were off the pace of those two drivers. In the cooler conditions of Silverstone, we were ahead of those two. That’s something we need to work on,” admitted Russell. He identified Barcelona and Styria as venues where Mercedes struggled more, with Norris and Verstappen’s race pace being almost identical. Verstappen’s pace was slightly ahead, and Hamilton was 0.3 seconds off the leaders’ pace in Spain.
In Austria, the story was similar, with Norris just a tenth of a second slower than Verstappen, while Russell was 0.4 seconds off the pace. Again in FP2 at the Hungaroring, Russell was four-tenths down on the benchmark set by Sergio Perez on the medium tire, which is expected to be the favored tire for the Grand Prix. Mercedes’ trackside director of engineering, Andrew Shovlin, revealed why Hamilton is trailing his teammate in qualifying this season. Despite holding the record for the most F1 pole positions, Hamilton has only qualified at the front of the grid once since the introduction of the new cars in 2022. “George has always set a very high bar in qualifying,” Shovlin explained. “Lewis hasn’t disguised the fact that Saturdays were his tough day. He’s struggled with this whole generation of car, really, not suiting his style. He’s been working on how he drives.”
Hamilton has decided to leave Mercedes for Ferrari, believing the Italian team offers his best chance for a record-breaking title. However, Ferrari has slipped from being Red Bull’s closest rivals to the fourth-quickest team over the past six races. Charles Leclerc has repeatedly pointed out that Ferrari cars are on a knife edge, which is something Hamilton doesn’t like. As he ages, his split-second reactions may be letting him down. With no regulation changes until 2026, Hamilton will likely face the same issues when he arrives in Italy next year. There’s little respite for Hamilton, as the regulations will retain the underfloor method of creating downforce, a feature he is known to dislike.
The Hungarian Grand Prix promises to be a thrilling race, with temperatures soaring and teams facing significant challenges. While Red Bull remains the favorite, the unfolding drama and shifting dynamics ensure that surprises are always just around the corner. Keep an eye on the track as the season continues to defy expectations!
