REACTIONS: What did drivers have to say after the Hungarian Grand Prix?

Regardless of a sensational pole place from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on Satuday, the Hungarian Grand Prix resulted in a one-two end for McLaren, its fourth in a row and the sixth this season. F1Technical’s senior author Balazs Szabo delivers drivers’ reactions from the Hungaroring.

Lando Norris, 1st
“The right outcome immediately. One other 1-2 and I’m actually happy to win the 2 hundredth Grand Prix for McLaren. It means rather a lot to me, and it’s much more rewarding as a result of it was a tricky race.

“We weren’t planning on the one-stop initially, however after the primary lap it was the one choice to problem the vehicles round us. I knew our tempo was good, even within the first stint behind George, so I knew I may push in clear air. It’s all the time a chance, nevertheless it additionally requires no errors, good laps, good technique and good pit stops, and that’s what we had immediately.

“Credit score to Oscar who put up a very good cost. I stay up for lots extra of those after the summer season break.”

Oscar Piastri, 2nd
“It is all the time irritating to overlook out on the win by such a small margin, however total, one other nice outcome for the staff. It is easy in hindsight to say the one-stopper would have been faster, however there was solely a second in it, so it is one thing we’ll assessment as a staff.

“It was an entertaining and enjoyable race all issues thought of, and the staff executed nicely, particularly on the pit stops. Now for a well-earned break, due to the staff for all of their work to this point this season.”

George Russell, third
“It’s nice to be again on the rostrum. We’ve taken a step ahead with the automotive this weekend, so it’s a deserved reward for the arduous work of everybody at Brackley and Brixworth. It seemed like we had been on for a lonely P4, however we closed on Leclerc within the closing phases.

“The overtake itself was a little bit dicey; I dedicated to the nook, and he clearly moved underneath braking, for which he was given a penalty. Fortunately there was no hurt achieved and we had been capable of take P3.

“This outcome provides us encouragement heading into the summer season break and we will stay up for the ultimate 10 races of the 12 months now with extra confidence. We will’t get carried away as we didn’t count on to be within the prime three this weekend.

“We all know the aggressive order behind McLaren is tight and we’ll have to be at our greatest to combat for podiums persistently within the second half of the season.”

Kimi Antonelli, tenth
“That ultimate stint was a really lengthy one. It felt endless! I did near 50 laps on that Exhausting tyre and by the top, I used to be simply hanging on out of the ultimate nook every lap and defending into flip one.

“The vehicles behind had superior grip however I used to be capable of hold them behind. It felt nice to get that ultimate level as our tempo in free air was good. If I can begin nearer the entrance after the summer season break, then I do know we will combat for good factors every weekend.

“I’m actually completely happy that my confidence within the automotive has come again this weekend. I depart Budapest feeling rather more snug after transferring again to the earlier rear suspension. Yesterday’s qualifying was only a disgrace because the tempo was clearly there. We will take this sense into the second half of the season and stay up for it with optimism now.”

Charles Leclerc, 4th

“This isn’t the result we hoped for however there was nothing we may have achieved to regulate it contemplating the problem we had. I acquired some extra perception into what was occurring after getting out of the automotive and it seems that we had a difficulty on the chassis that began nearly once I started to really feel a distinction in how the automotive behaved.

“It’s irritating, as a result of I believe we may have gained immediately, however we’ll return after the summer season break and provides it our all to come back again stronger.”

Lewis Hamilton, twelfth
“It’s been a difficult weekend and one to maneuver on from. We weren’t capable of make the progress we hoped for however I’m grateful for the hassle everybody within the staff put in all through the weekend. Now we head into the break. I’ll be utilizing the time to reset, recharge and are available again stronger. I’m not the place I need to be but, however the combat’s not over – don’t depend me out.”

Fernando Alonso, fifth

“As we speak’s race went to plan for us and we maximised the efficiency of the automotive this weekend. It was a very good job by everybody within the staff and we’re completely happy to have scored 16 factors. We had some threats to cope with within the race, however we managed to maintain them behind.

“The efficiency we have proven right here has been a pleasant shock, however we have to analyse every thing from Spa and Budapest so we will higher perceive why we had been a lot sooner right here in Hungary. I’ll benefit from the brief break now and I stay up for racing once more in Zandvoort.”

Lance Stroll, seventh
“It was an amazing day for the staff and a stable weekend from begin to end. Heading into the summer season break with 16 factors is an enormous uplift for us. However we’ve heaps to study from this weekend as a result of we do not totally perceive why we had been extra aggressive right here.

“We have to be in a spot the place we will put the automotive in that window at extra tracks as a result of in the end, we need to be at this degree of competitiveness extra persistently. We’ll see how we go in Zandvoort after the break as a result of it is a very completely different form of monitor.”

Isack Hadjar, eleventh
“It’s pure frustration simply lacking out on factors. The tempo was sturdy all weekend, and I felt assured going into the race. Sadly, we didn’t get an amazing launch at the beginning.

“I gave it every thing on lap one, however acquired overtaken and ended up getting caught behind different vehicles. On the Medium tyres, our tempo was stable. It’s a very good outcome for the staff and for Liam, there are undoubtedly loads of positives to remove. The automotive has the potential, I simply have to put every thing collectively when it counts.

“We’ve been a bit unfortunate in the previous couple of races, however I’m optimistic in regards to the second half of the season. I’ll keep targeted on what’s forward and are available again stronger after the summer season break.”

Liam Lawson, eighth

“I am very pleased with immediately’s outcome. It was a tricky race and looking for a window for boxing was tough with all of the site visitors. The pace was actually good in addition to the degradation on the tyres, so every thing was nicely executed by the staff.

“It is by no means straightforward preserving a driver like Max behind you, however our technique meant that we may hold place till the top. It is clearly nice to have extra consistency over the latest races, however the important thing factor is for us to maintain the momentum going following the much-deserved summer season break.”

Max Verstappen, ninth
“Sadly, the entire weekend wasn’t good for us and we have to perceive why that was. It has been fairly robust as we acquired caught in between vehicles throughout the race and struggled for grip.

“Though the excessive pace was okay, the low and medium pace wasn’t good. There are a number of issues to grasp because the automotive has been tough all weekend and we couldn’t flip issues round sadly. Like we all the time do, we’ll analyse every thing and take learnings from the weekend to search out extra efficiency as we go into Zandvoort.

“Finally, this weekend hasn’t gone to our liking, however it’s now summer season break and I can get pleasure from time with household and buddies and never suppose an excessive amount of in regards to the racing facet of issues. There are a lot of extra races left and we will look to do higher after the break. We need to goal to be extra constant and all the time attempt to regardless that it was a disappointing outcome we’ll hold our head up.”

Yuki Tsunoda, seventeenth
“This weekend has been a tricky one for the Group. We knew coming into immediately that it will be tough to maneuver up into the factors, and as soon as I had harm to the entrance wing our race was successfully over.

“The gurney flap fell off midway via and that value us a number of tempo and worsening grip, so we then misplaced the power to make a constructive technique name that might profit us. Wanting again on the season to this point I can really feel fairly constructive, we have made progress, particularly for the reason that new ground upgrades had been dropped at Spa.

“The hole with Max continues to shut, it could not really feel like we’re getting there however on paper we’re just one/tenth off his tempo, I am unsure many different drivers may get as near him.

“I’m heading straight to the manufacturing facility tomorrow to enter the Sim, we have to examine the place we went flawed and put in some arduous work over the summer season break in order that we do not begin the subsequent half of the season how we completed this one. It is irritating however we’ll keep constructive and bounce again stronger.”

Alex Albon, fifteenth
“It was a really robust weekend. I got here into this weekend optimistic, and I really feel like we’re a little bit bit uncovered round this monitor and the automotive did not actually go well with it. We struggled within the race greater than I believed we’d. We have to do our homework as a result of I do know we’d do a greater job if we had one other go at it. It will be a dogfight for the remainder of the 12 months and it is not going to be straightforward.

“I believe we favour the decrease downforce circuits and others most likely favour the upper downforce ones, so we’ll see the way it performs out. However I will combat like hell to maintain P5 within the Championship for us and I am certain Carlos feels the identical. It will be a combat to the top.”

Carlos Sainz, 14th
“It was a cleaner weekend for us; it’s only a disgrace it’s not on a weekend the place the automotive is powerful. P13 seemed like the utmost, which is the place we’d’ve been with out the incident with Gasly.

“We tried to do a one-stop however that was most likely too optimistic going from the Mushy to the Exhausting, however we tried to do one thing completely different earlier than switching to the two-stop. I’m leaving the primary half of the season barely dissatisfied as we didn’t maximise the weekends the place we had been stronger, however hopefully the second half of the season is the opposite method round.

“A giant due to the staff for his or her huge effort and to all our followers for his or her infinite help. We’ll reset, recharge and are available again stronger for the remainder of the season!”

Esteban Ocon, sixteenth
“It was a tough day for certain. We struggled a little bit bit, particularly in the direction of the top, as I believe the vehicles behind had been a bit faster on brisker tyres. We acquired forward of them, so we gave ourselves the chance.

“It was a stable begin, however we have to work on how we will get the automotive a little bit bit extra underneath management and get extra tempo all through the race. Taking a look at this primary half of the season, there are undoubtedly some positives – a good quantity of factors – however we’re not constant sufficient.

“Should you take a look at Spa, we had a mega efficiency within the Dash, and clearly we’re not there each single weekend, however we’re engaged on it and I’ve full belief on this staff.”

Oliver Bearman, DNF
“We managed to run in P10 for the primary stint, however I used to be actually clinging on the entire method. I used to be actually combating the sensation of the automotive, and I had huge oversteer all through. It progressed within the second stint, selecting up some harm someplace as a result of we noticed an enormous drop in masses, and by that time, it was clear that we couldn’t end the race.

“It’s disappointing as we had a good qualifying and opening lap immediately, however from there I wasn’t wanting ahead, I used to be wanting behind. We have to perceive why that was the case as a result of in the previous couple of races I’ve been feeling actually good in race trim, however this weekend it hasn’t been the case.”

Pierre Gasly, nineteenth

“We can’t be happy with the top outcome immediately, even when it felt like our execution was fairly good. Finally, we’re simply too gradual. The final two weekends we’ve been capable of maximise the situations and are available away with two good outcomes.

“As we speak was extra typical and it actually highlighted our weak spots. Nonetheless, there have been a number of enjoyable battles on the market and I felt just like the racing was typically excellent. I’m right here to race, not to surrender, and I simply gave it my greatest in all of the wheel-to-wheel fights. Now, the staff and I are staying in Budapest for a check earlier than the summer season break.

“We’ve all been working extraordinarily arduous and I’m certain everyone seems to be wanting ahead to a few weeks off. We’ll proceed the arduous work, particularly with a number of concentrate on 2026, however we’re nonetheless aiming to come back again in good condition for the rest of this 12 months.”

Franco Colapinto, 18th

“It was not one of the best of days immediately and a tough race for us as a staff. The tempo was good at occasions in clear air and I had the identical feeling as yesterday, I believe we’ve taken a very good step ahead with the automotive which has given me confidence.

“However with the blue flags and dropping time within the pitlane, it actually restricted what we may obtain immediately. The preliminary begin and getaway was good, however from there we fell again on the primary lap and misplaced locations. I used to be combating rear grip and sliding, which got here again to us later within the race. We opted for a two-stop and sadly, we encountered points on each which meant we had been held longer than we anticipated.

“As a staff, we have been excellent not too long ago with pitstops, however this stuff occur in racing. With the summer season break we have to use this chance to relaxation and reset and be able to go once more in Zandvoort and attempt to perceive the place we will hold making enhancements.”

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