- oldest first
- latest first
- 8
- 16
- 32
Long runs
Mercedes was behind on one lap yesterday. But the impression that Ferrari is clearly ahead is deceptive. In fact, the balance of power seems to be much closer than the standings suggest.
The long runs with a high fuel load at the end of the second practice session painted a completely different picture. World Championship leader Antonelli, who had to abandon his soft qualifying simulation after a red flag and an error on his second attempt, completed the strongest long runs in the entire field by a clear margin.
You can find our complete long run analysis here.
Read more Ferrari Gala in Budapest: Why Leclerc warns despite dominant Friday
Mercedes: “Most difficult Friday of the year”
Yesterday, Ferrari was ahead in Hungary. Mercedes only finished P5 and P13, which is of course not representative. Nevertheless, Andrew Shovlin emphasizes that it was “not an easy day.”
“At the start of the first practice session, we didn’t have the car in the right window,” he explains and reveals: “Rear grip was poor and this problem worsened during the lap.”
“On our first attempt to readjust the car’s balance, we went the wrong way. Towards the end of the session, however, we found a direction for the long run.”
“Before the second practice session, we made some extensive changes to the mechanical setup. Although it still wasn’t perfect at the front, we managed to get the car into a better window through further adjustments.”
“Similar to the first practice, the long run looked good, which is encouraging. However, we clearly still need to find some pace over one lap. We have already started working on that.
“It was probably our most difficult Friday of the year in terms of pace with low fuel in the tank. But we have managed to get the W17 working well on all other tracks. We hope to achieve that tomorrow as well,” said Shovlin.
Read more Fernando Alonso: Aston Martin update gives us hope for the future!
Qualifying day
Hello and welcome to a new edition of our Formula 1 live ticker. It’s Saturday, and today in Hungary, the last qualifying session before the summer break is on the program.
Qualifying in Budapest starts at 4:00 PM, and the third and final practice session awaits us as early as 12:30 PM. Here in the ticker, we will provide you with pictures, information, and voices directly from the paddock, as usual.
Ruben Zimmermann will accompany you through the day here, and for questions, suggestions, or complaints, you can use our contact form. You can also find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
You can read our yesterday’s live ticker again here.
Read more McLaren tests revolutionary rear wing: What the drivers say!
