As the Hungarian Grand Prix approaches this Sunday, Mercedes is pushing for a hat-trick. Lewis Hamilton is returning to a track where he has dominated, with eight wins to his name and a pole position from the previous year. Given how Red Bull and Max Verstappen swept the 2023 season, the idea of Mercedes being competitive enough to win three races in a row seemed impossible back in March. But the current form tells a different story, following George Russell's win in Austria and Hamilton's record-breaking ninth victory at Silverstone.
Mercedes will be aiming a hat-trick at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, as Lewis Hamilton returns to a track where he has won a record eight times and claimed pole position last year. The idea of Mercedes being in a position to win anything, let alone three races in a row, after a 2023 season dominated by Red Bull and Max Verstappen had looked like wishful thinking back in March. It’s true today, though, when George Russell won in Austria and his seven-time champion teammate Hamilton won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone for a record ninth win.
After an emotional and tearful win at his home race, Hamilton shared his excitement for the upcoming event in Hungary, a place he truly loves. He highlighted the team's current upward trajectory and noted that the car is finally starting to feel great and perform as it should.
Hamilton's track record in Hungary is stellar, beginning with a win for McLaren in his rookie year in 2007, and continuing in 2009 and 2012. His dominance continued with Mercedes, where he took the top spot in 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020. This weekend represents a huge milestone: a top-three finish would be his 200th podium, and another pole position would be his 10th at this specific circuit. Meanwhile, George Russell also has history here, having secured his first-ever F1 pole in Hungary back in 2022, where he eventually finished third behind Verstappen and Hamilton.
Mercedes has dominated qualifying in Hungary for the last four years. The track is often described as 'Monaco without the walls' because it's slow and overtaking is a nightmare, making the qualifying session absolutely critical. However, the challenge remains steep; Max Verstappen has won the last two races and is hunting for his own hat-trick to prevent Red Bull from enduring their longest winless streak since the 2021 title fight with Hamilton. Notably, Mercedes has already become the first team since Ferrari in 2022 to beat Red Bull in two consecutive races.
Reflecting on last year's success, Max Verstappen recalled a fantastic race in Hungary, noting it as a place of great memories where the team achieved a record-breaking 12 straight wins. He expressed hope for another strong team performance this year. Currently, the Dutchman maintains a comfortable lead in the standings, sitting 84 points ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris with half the season remaining.
On the other hand, Sergio Perez is under immense pressure. After managing only 15 points over the last six races, he desperately needs a clean, high-scoring weekend to silence critics who are questioning his place in the team, despite having signed a new contract just last month.