Under the searing Hungarian sun, Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team had a rough day on the track. “Today’s not been a good day, really,” Hamilton said after Friday’s practice sessions for the Hungarian Grand Prix. The car just wasn’t up to scratch in the sweltering heat.
Despite riding high off victories in Austria and Silverstone, Mercedes felt the burn in Hungary. Track temperatures soared to almost 60°C in the first practice session, making it a tough day for Hamilton and his teammate George Russell. Hamilton finished 10th in FP1 and bumped up to 7th in the second session, while Russell managed to snag 4th and 5th place finishes.
Hamilton didn’t mince words about the car’s performance. “The car hasn’t felt good set-up-wise,” he admitted, adding that while the team had some ideas for improvement, the day didn’t offer the best prep. Small tweaks between the sessions didn’t make much difference, with Hamilton noting a specific adjustment that might need rethinking. “It just felt as bad as it does normally when it’s hot,” he stated plainly.
Meanwhile, Russell echoed Hamilton’s sentiment but with a hint of optimism. He noted that Lando Norris and Max Verstappen were likely to dominate the weekend, as they had done in Spain and Austria. “In the cooler conditions in Silverstone and Montreal, we’re ahead of those two,” he pointed out, implying that Mercedes performs better in cooler climates.
Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin weighed in on the matter as well. He acknowledged that circuits like the Hungaroring in hot conditions are a weak spot for the team. Still, he saw it as a golden opportunity to tackle their issues head-on. “It’s a good circuit to test that,” Shovlin said, emphasizing the importance of understanding their problems even if it means facing challenges.
As the weekend unfolds, all eyes will be on the Mercedes team to see if they can overcome the heat and deliver a strong performance. With race day looming, it’s clear that Hamilton and his crew have their work cut out for them. Stay tuned to see how they handle the Hungarian heat!
Source: Motorsport
