The Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring delivered one of Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team’s most complete performances of the season. George Russell’s charge to third place, paired with Kimi Antonelli’s gritty drive to P10, brought another double-points finish and the team’s seventh podium of the year marking an important boost in their fight at the sharp end of the Constructors’ standings.
The Budapest circuit, with its tight corners, flowing rhythm, and limited overtaking zones, demands precision in both strategy and execution. Russell, starting fourth on the grid, wasted no time in making his intentions clear. Into Turn 1, he swept around the outside of Lando Norris, signalling an afternoon where every decision and every pass would be critical.
Mercedes opted for a Medium–Hard–Hard tyre strategy for Russell, a choice that kept him competitive against the high-degradation challenges of the Hungaroring. His pace in the middle stint kept the pressure on Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and in the closing laps, he made a calculated move to get ahead. When Leclerc later received a time penalty for speeding in the pit lane, Russell’s podium finish was confirmed.
Antonelli’s race told a quieter but equally impressive story. Lining up 15th, the young Italian drove with a measured touch, balancing pace and tyre preservation over the long runs. Running Medium to Hard and stretching his final stint close to 50 laps, he found himself defending against fresher-tyred rivals in the final stages. Holding off advances from Isack Hadjar and Lewis Hamilton, Antonelli’s performance reflected maturity and racecraft well beyond his years helped by the team’s return to its earlier rear suspension configuration, restoring balance and confidence in the car.
Team Principal Toto Wolff described the result as “a step forward,” crediting both drivers and the renewed stability in the W16. With no major aerodynamic upgrades planned for the remainder of the season, the focus shifts to maximising every detail of the current package vital in the tight battle for second place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin highlighted how well the strategy came together, pointing to Russell’s controlled pursuit of Leclerc and Antonelli’s calm, calculated defence as proof of the team’s growing strength in both pace and adaptability. “It was a performance that set a strong tone for the second half of the season,” he said.
Next on the calendar is Zandvoort, where the banked curves and unpredictable coastal weather will present a very different kind of test. Whereas Budapest rewarded patience and precise tyre work, the Dutch Grand Prix will call for versatility and the ability to react quickly to shifting conditions.
The race in Budapest may not have been the year’s most chaotic spectacle, but for Mercedes, it was exactly the kind of clean, disciplined execution that builds momentum. In a championship where the smallest margins can tip the balance, the qualities shown at the
Hungaroring could prove decisive in the battles to come.
