Ferrari need to show their best in Hungary

Ferrari are targeting a one-two win in Hungary this weekend to ease the pain of Charles Leclerc’s costly crash while leading in France last weekend.

Charles Leclerc leads the French Grand Prix
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Leclerc’s self-confessed error at Le Castellet left the Monegasque a mighty 63 points behind Red Bull’s championship leader Max Verstappen, with Ferrari 82 adrift in the Formula One constructors’ standings.

“We need to turn the page and look to Hungary and do a one-two there,” team boss Mattia Binotto said after Leclerc’s blank.

“There is plenty of reason why we need to smile. Our objective should not be winning but a one-two.

“There is no reason why not to win 10 races from now to the end.”

Ferrari started the season with a one-two in Bahrain but have yet to repeat the feat, getting both drivers on the podium on only two further occasions in Saudi Arabia and Miami.

Leclerc, despite seven poles, has retired from the lead on three occasions while team mate Carlos Sainz has suffered four retirements in 12 rounds.

Red Bull expect Hungary, where the weather is again likely to be hot and tyre management will be key, to play more to their rivals’ strengths.

“I don’t expect Hungary to be particularly our best track because I do think we are lacking a bit of downforce compared to Ferrari, and that’s what you need to run there,” said Verstappen.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner agreed, saying the Hungaroring “will probably play more to the Ferrari’s strengths than our strengths.”

The race is the last before the August break, with Verstappen already sure of leading into September. If results go his way, he may not need to win again after Sunday.

Ferrari last won in Hungary with Sebastian Vettel leading Kimi Raikkonen one-two in 2017.

Leclerc collided at the first corner last year with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll while Sainz ended up third.

Lewis Hamilton
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon won, his first victory in Formula One, ahead of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes who dropped from pole to last and back up to second.

Hamilton, now on the longest streak of his career without a win, felt after finishing second in France that Hungary, where he has won a record eight times, could be a better weekend.

“It’s going to be hard to beat the Ferraris and the Red Bulls, you see they have their pace advantage still,” he told reporters, adding Verstappen’s advantage made it ‘pretty smooth sailing’ for the Dutchman.

“But I’m hoping we will bring some sort of upgrade to that track and hopefully take a step forward closer to them.”

Ferrari-powered Haas will have their first major performance upgrade of the season on Kevin Magnussen’s car, with Mick Schumacher having to wait a while longer due to a shortage of new parts.

Formula One statistics for the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring outside Budapest, round 13 of the 22-race championship:

Lap distance: 4.381km. Total distance: 306.630km (70 laps)

2021 pole position: Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes, one minute 15.419 seconds.

2021 race winner: Esteban Ocon (France) Alpine

Race lap record: Hamilton, 1:16.627 (Mercedes, 2020)

Start time: 1300GMT (1500 local)

HUNGARY

Lewis Hamilton has won a record eight times in Hungary (2007, 2009 and 2012 with McLaren, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020 with Mercedes) and also been on pole a record eight times.

Another win would be a record for the most at any one grand prix. Michael Schumacher won the French GP eight times and Hamilton has won eight times in Britain.

Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and Ocon are the past winners still active.

The lowest winning start in Hungary was Jenson Button from 14th on the grid in 2006.

This weekend will be the 37th Hungarian Grand Prix, with 16 of them won from pole. The race debuted in 1986 as the first in eastern Europe.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took his first F1 pole in Hungary in 2019. Current team mates Alonso and Ocon took their first wins there in 2003 and 2021 respectively.

RACE WINS

Red Bull have won eight of 12 races this season and Ferrari the rest. Verstappen has won seven, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz three and one respectively, and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez one.

Hamilton has a record 103 wins from 300 starts. He last won a race in Saudi Arabia last December.

Ferrari have won 242 races since 1950. McLaren have 183 wins, Mercedes 124, Williams 115 and Red Bull 83.

POLE POSITION

Leclerc has had seven poles this year, Verstappen three, Perez and Sainz one each.

Hamilton has a record 103 career poles, most recently in Saudi Arabia last year.

FASTEST LAP

Six drivers have taken fastest laps this season.

Leclerc took the bonus point in the first three races, Verstappen in Imola, Miami and Austria, Perez in Spain and Azerbaijan, McLaren’s Lando Norris in Monaco, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in Canada and France and Hamilton in Britain.

POINTS

Verstappen leads Leclerc by 63 points. Red Bull lead Ferrari by 82 points in the constructors’ standings.

Williams’ Nicholas Latifi is the only race driver yet to score this season.

Mercedes are the only team to have scored in every race and Hamilton the only driver to have reached the chequered flag throughout.

MILESTONE

Double world champion Fernando Alonso now holds the record for most laps completed by any driver, reaching 18,672 after last Sunday’s French Grand Prix. Kimi Raikkonen held the previous record of 18,621.

The French Grand Prix was the 50th time that Verstappen and Hamilton have stood together on the podium. Another second place would be Hamilton’s 50th in Formula One.

Red Bull are chasing their 150th front row start.

-Reuters