SerpApi.Org
The Hungarian Grand Prix, held at the Hungaroring in Budapest, will host the 11th round of the F1 2026 season this weekend.
Will Kimi Antonelli take another step towards a first F1 title? Can Ferrari pair Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc do anything to stop Mercedes? And how will Aston Martin’s long-awaited upgrade change things? Our writers cast their predictions…
Lewis Hamilton will lead a Ferrari one-two finish
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust
By Michelle Foster
If ever there was an opportunity for a Ferrari one-two finish, it is the Hungaroring.
With its mix of fast and slow corners, Ferrari’s chassis should on paper be the car to beat. But of course, that all depends on Mercedes.
Let’s be honest, this season is Mercedes vs Ferrari with Red Bull and McLaren not quite nailing the power unit vs chassis combination.
Lewis Hamilton vs Charles Leclerc: Ferrari head-to-head stats for F1 2026 season
F1 2026: Head-to-head qualifying records between teammates
F1 2026: Head-to-head race statistics between teammates
The Hungarian Grand Prix will be another Mercedes vs Ferrari battle, but this time Ferrari will secure the one-two.
Although Ferrari has not won in Budapest since 2017, this year, the Scuderia will dominate with Hamilton ahead of Leclerc. McLaren will join the Ferrari teammates on the podium.
Wishful? Perhaps.
But Mercedes’ reliability has let it down and I reckon Budapest will be the big blow for the championship leaders.
Fernando Alonso to make Q2 in upgraded Aston Martin
By Jamie Woodhouse
This season has been pain for Aston Martin. But at last, is that a light at the end of the tunnel?
The heavily upgraded AMR26 is scheduled to arrive in Budapest.
It will not suddenly transform this car into one with race-winning potential before the year is out, but a more competitive car, and one which gives Aston Martin a stable platform to develop from, is the goal which must be achieved.
History tells us to trust that Adrian Newey will engineer this breakthrough. The question mark is over to what extent with this first step.
Aston Martin has become detached at the back. Just going off Belgium Q1, Alonso would have needed another three seconds to make Q2. That is a colossal gap in F1 terms.
But significant upgrades are coming for Hungary, a track which will not expose the Honda engine’s shortcomings as mercilessly as Spa.
I’m backing the combination of Alonso, a B-spec AMR26 and the Hungaroring to yield Aston Martin’s first Q2 appearance of the season.
Lewis Hamilton to match unprecedented Silverstone record
By Henry Valantine
I’ll take half a sentence to brag and say I finally got a set of predictions right for Spa last time out, but none of the complaints of Belgium will be necessary at a polar-opposite circuit in the Hungaroring.
Chassis and through-corner balance are king in Budapest, so that should play into Ferrari’s hands this weekend.
With nine poles and eight wins in Hungary, I’ll stick my neck out (albeit not that far) and say Lewis Hamilton will take to the top step for the ninth time at this circuit, which would equal the all-time record he set for wins at the same track at Silverstone in 2024.
Charles Leclerc has been in resurgent form over the past two races, so he won’t have it easy, but the almost karting-like demands in Hungary have always suited Hamilton’s driving style.
If Ferrari at least matches Mercedes on pace, I’ll back Hamilton to get over the line this weekend.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will make contact on the first lap
By Oliver Harden
On the evidence of Monaco, where Ferrari were fastest of all until Kimi Antonelli summoned a lap from the gods, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton should start this weekend as favourites.
Which will create a fascinating contest now they’re effectively fighting for supremacy within the team.
After his bi-annual mid-season slump, Leclerc has re-emerged impressively over recent weeks… just as the afterglow of Hamilton’s victory in Barcelona has started to fade with a couple of tricky weekends.
Rather than combining to paint Budapest red on Sunday, Leclerc and Hamilton will meet in the middle.
Hamilton’s record in Hungary is unparalleled, but do not forget that it was here that Leclerc nabbed pole position from under the noses of the dominant McLarens in 2025.
On a circuit where passing is harder than most, the first lap will be critical between teammates for gaining free air and pit-stop priority.
Lewis will know, Charles will know that whoever makes it through the opening lap in the lead will probably win the race.
Expect tears.
Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.
You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!
Read next: Leclerc and Hamilton Spa penalty debates to top agenda in FIA driver catch-up
