The Papayas are running away with this year’s Formula 1 constructors’ title, as their drivers continue to get race win after race win. After an abject collective performance in the Canadian Grand Prix, McLaren have had three straight one-two finishes in the Red Bull Ring, Silverstone, and Spa, with Lando Norris winning the first two and Oscar Piastri winning the most recent one.
Piastri still leads the drivers’ standings with 266 points, but teammate Norris is behind him at 250, and Max Verstappen is in third place with 185. McLaren have accumulated 516 points from the first 13 races, with Ferrari and Mercedes behind them at 248 and 220. Ferrari and Mercedes have a lot of catching up to do, and they must pick up more points, starting in this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Without further ado, here are the latest Hungarian Grand Prix 2025 updates, courtesy of SBOTOP.
Hamilton and Ferrari show signs of life
Lewis Hamilton endured a rough start to his weekend at Spa, as he struggled to handle his upgraded SF-25 and suffered two early exits from the qualifying. He spun out of control during the Sprint qualifying, and Hamilton exceeded track limits in Q1 on Saturday, losing his best lap time to be eliminated. However, the seven-time world champion bounced back in Sunday’s race, as he started from P18 and finished at P7.
Hamilton made several impressive overtakes in the first part of the race before he timed his pit stop perfectly to sustain his momentum and eventually earned the Driver of the Day honours. After the race, Hamilton said he felt he was making progress with the new Ferrari upgrades, including a new rear suspension.
Teammate Charles Leclerc finished third on the grid after fending off Max Verstappen’s late challenge. It was a solid bounceback performance for him after finishing 14th in the British Grand Prix. The Monegasque driver has now secured three P3 finishes in his last five outings.
Mercedes’ Antonelli takes a huge step backwards
While Hamilton was able to fight back and score points coming from a disadvantageous position last Sunday, the same can’t be said for the driver who took his seat at Mercedes. Kimi Antonelli also had a rough outing at Spa, as he dropped out in the first part of the qualifying sessions and only managed to finish 16th in the race. The young Italian admitted he’s lacking confidence in the past few races.
After a bright start to his rookie season, Antonelli has been up and down. He has suffered four retirements in his last seven races, though he managed to finish third in Canada last month. In a recent interview, Antonelli said he plans to return to the old suspension of his W16 that brought him positive results at the start of the year.
History
Located on the outskirts of Budapest, the Hungarian Grand Prix has been a regular fixture of the Formula 1 calendar since 1986, normally taking place between mid-July and late August. It was first held in 1936 over a 5-kilometre track laid out in Nepliget, but the event was on a 50-year hiatus due to politics and World War II.
Lewis Hamilton is the winningest driver in Hungraroring, and it’s not close. The seven-time world champion has eight victories, including a three-peat from 2018 to 2020 as a driver for Mercedes. Max Verstappen is the only active driver with at least two victories, having won in 2022 and 2023.
Lando Norris took pole position last year, but teammate Oscar Piastri won the actual race after Norris lost his position at the start. The 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix was McLaren’s first one-two finish since the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.
What are the odds?
It sounds like a broken record, but McLaren are expected to have another eventful weekend at Hungaroring. The Hungarian Grand Prix 2025 odds have Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri priced at 2.40 and 2.50, while Max Verstappen is third at 6.00 to win on Sunday. Charles Leclerc (10.00), Lewis Hamilton (21.00), and George Russell (26.00) are distant challengers for a podium berth. The Papayas are pegged at 1.25 to be the winning team, with Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes behind them at 5.00, 5.50, and 17.00.
Moreover, Gabriel Bortoleto has picked up form with two points finishes in his last three races (Austria and Belgium), and he has a realistic shot at achieving the same result this weekend. The young Brazilian is priced at 251.00 for the 10th spot, level with Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz Jr.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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