Formula 1 heads to Hungary for final race before summer break

BUDAPEST, Hungary - Formula One heads to the Hungaroring this weekend for the Hungarian Grand Prix, the 11th round of the 2026 season and the final race before the sport’s annual summer shutdown.

While championship leader Kimi Antonelli arrives with momentum after his victory at Spa-Francorchamps, much of the paddock’s attention will focus on development packages, young-driver appearances and a circuit that traditionally places a premium on qualifying, tire management and precision.

Often compared to a giant go-kart track, the 4.381-kilometer Hungaroring features 14 corners and just one significant straightaway, making overtaking notoriously difficult. With newly resurfaced sections at Turns 1 and 12, teams will face a slightly revised challenge on a circuit where track position remains critical.

Pirelli will bring its softest tire allocation of the season, featuring the C3, C4 and C5 compounds. High temperatures and heavy rear-tire degradation are expected to play a major role in strategy decisions, with one-stop and two-stop races projected to be closely matched in overall pace.

“Track temperatures at the Hungaroring are typically the highest recorded throughout the season,” Pirelli noted in its race preview, highlighting thermal degradation and tire management as key factors expected to shape Sunday’s race.

Among the teams looking to gain ground is McLaren, which arrives in Budapest with a substantial aerodynamic upgrade package for the MCL40.

The development package includes a new floor and additional aerodynamic components intended to improve performance at high-downforce circuits such as the Hungaroring and Zandvoort. McLaren will also evaluate a revised experimental rear wing during Friday’s opening practice session.

The upgrades come after a frustrating Belgian Grand Prix weekend where McLaren showed encouraging pace but left Spa with only a fifth-place finish for Oscar Piastri and a seventh-place result for Lando Norris.

“We have an upgrade package arriving this weekend and in such a competitive season every development is important,” said Randy Singh, McLaren’s senior director of racing. “Our aim is to maximize everything we have available, carry positive momentum into the shutdown and put ourselves in the strongest possible position for the second half of the championship.”

McLaren has a strong recent history at the Hungaroring. Piastri earned the first victory of his Formula One career at the circuit in 2024, while Norris captured victory there one year ago in 2025.

Friday’s first practice session will feature two notable driver changes.

McLaren development driver Leonardo Fornaroli will make his second Formula One FP1 appearance, taking over Piastri’s car after previously participating in practice at Barcelona earlier this season.

“I’m looking forward to driving the MCL40 in this weekend’s Free Practice 1 at the Hungaroring,” Fornaroli said. “Every session is a chance to learn more, gain confidence and contribute to the team’s programme for the weekend.”

Alpine also will field a reserve driver during FP1, with Paul Aron taking over Franco Colapinto’s car as the team fulfills its mandatory young-driver running requirements.

“I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the A526 for my first Free Practice 1 with the team this season,” Aron said. “It will be very valuable to get on track and get a feel myself for the real thing.”

Alpine enters the weekend hoping to capitalize on encouraging signs shown during the Belgian Grand Prix.

Colapinto scored a valuable point at Spa, while teammate Pierre Gasly narrowly missed the points after battling in the midfield throughout the race.

“I was disappointed not to score in Spa, so I go to Budapest hungry and motivated for a good team result,” Gasly said.

Colapinto, meanwhile, believes the Hungaroring’s layout could better suit the current Formula One cars.

“The track is one I’ve had some success at in my junior career,” Colapinto said. “We will be pushing hard all weekend to bring home a good result and score more points before we head into the summer break.”

The venue also holds special significance for Alpine. The team’s first Formula One victory under the Alpine name came at the Hungaroring in 2021 when Esteban Ocon delivered a surprise win in changing weather conditions.

The Hungarian Grand Prix marks the midpoint of the season and the final opportunity for teams to secure momentum before Formula One’s summer shutdown.

Development has become increasingly important in one of the closest competitive eras in recent history. Several teams, including McLaren, are introducing major updates this weekend, knowing that gains made now could influence the championship battle throughout the second half of the season.

For drivers, the challenge is equally demanding. The combination of constant cornering, hot temperatures and limited opportunities to rest creates one of the most physical races on the calendar.

The weekend begins Friday with Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 before qualifying Saturday and the 70-lap Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.