Verstappen's Red Bull battling three-headed threat as F1 season hits midpoint in Hungary
Lewis Hamilton decided he needed to switch teams, Mercedes finally gives him a competitive car.
Mercedes has elbowed its way into the most tightly contested Formula 1 season since Max Verstappen wrested the mantle of serial winner from Hamilton in 2021.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton and Mercedes teammate George Russell have won back-to-back races; Russell was first in Austria and Hamilton surprisingly took the victory at Silverstone, and the team arrived this week at the Hungarian Grand Prix with renewed hope after a long spell of self-doubt.
Hamilton's win at the British GP was his first victory since the second-to-last race of 2021.
The British driver also knows better than anyone how to win on the Hungaroring's tight corners. He holds a record eight wins here, with his last triumph in 2020. He also took pole position on this track last year.
«It's game on, we're fighting, we're chasing, and we're going to try and win as many races or compete for as many wins as possible,» Hamilton said while preparing for the race weekend.
Hamilton stunned the series by announcing he was leaving for Ferrari in 2025. He has since insisted his focus is completely on making the most of his final months with Mercedes.
«We are united as a team, and we're going to try and make sure we finish the season on a high.»
With five different winners in the last seven races, it is clear that it is no longer a foregone conclusion that Red Bull will sweep up most of the victories.
Verstappen still commands a healthy lead on 255
