As Formula One rolled into Hungary, the paddock buzzed with talk of cheating. Red Bull, which began the year strong, showed signs of struggle with their RB20 car. It performed well initially, securing a 1-2 finish at the Chinese Grand Prix. However, the streets of Monaco proved challenging, and the team faced further issues in Austria. Rumors suggested that the FIA had intervened regarding suspect components on the Red Bull car, which might explain their recent performance drop.
The same situation seemed to plague Ferrari. Since their Barcelona upgrade, they’ve been outperformed by Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull over the last six races. Ferrari hopes that a new revision to its floor for this weekend’s race will resolve the issues that have been troubling their drivers since Monaco.
Meanwhile, the FIA suspects other teams might be using ‘illegal’ components, particularly ‘flexi-wings.’ McLaren’s recent upgrades have been incredibly successful, making the MCL38 arguably the fastest car on the grid. Mercedes, on the other hand, seems to have finally resolved their issues with the W15, winning back-to-back races for the first time since 2021.
FIA officials have been conducting stress tests on the front wings of top teams, but they remain unsatisfied with the current testing process. For the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix, cameras and fixed points on the wings will be used to detect any illegal movements. All front-running teams have passed the static tests requiring weights to be attached to the bodywork. However, further analysis by camera will be conducted this weekend at Spa Francorchamps.
The rivalry between Red Bull and McLaren is heating up, with Zak Brown and Christian Horner exchanging jabs publicly over the past weeks. Brown criticized Horner for ‘lack of transparency’ in an investigation and accused him of disrespect following a collision between McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at the Austrian Grand Prix. Despite the tension, Norris remains confident heading into Hungary, noting that while their car is fast, there’s still room for improvement.
Red Bull Racing is feeling the pressure as Mercedes and McLaren catch up. The RB20, once seemingly invincible, struggled in Monaco due to suspension issues and faced challenges in Austria. Both teams are now focused on bringing significant upgrades to their cars. Red Bull, in particular, is bringing their biggest upgrade of the season to the Hungarian Grand Prix, hoping to regain their dominant form.
Lando Norris set the fastest time in the second practice session, with Max Verstappen in a heavily-upgraded Red Bull. Despite being nearly a quarter of a second behind Norris, Verstappen remains optimistic. Norris highlighted the need for more comfort in the car’s balance. He expects a challenging race due to high temperatures, which could make driving uncomfortable and necessitate proper hydration.
As the Hungarian Grand Prix approaches, the drama, allegations, and intense rivalries promise an exciting race weekend. With significant upgrades and potential FIA interventions, the competition is tighter than ever. Stay tuned to see how these developments unfold.
