Winners and losers: who can cheer the loudest in Hungary?

Ultimately, the Method 1 race in Hungary was a transparent affair for Max Verstappen, regardless that the Pink Bull driver solely completed second behind Lewis Hamilton in qualifying. However that the world champion wins a race is nothing new. In addition to him, who’re the large winners of the weekend? And who’re the large losers?

Winner: McLaren

The McLaren can even do it on slower tracks. After the Woking workforce’s sensational podium end at Silverstone, Hungary supplied the final word proof that it wasn’t simply the observe that made the MCL60 a prime automobile. On the Hungaroring, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had been not traded as extremely. Nonetheless, the automobile was not less than one of many three quickest within the discipline. McLaren might be anticipated on each observe for the time being, in all probability additionally subsequent weekend in Spa.

Gewinner: Sergio Perez

Crash in apply after which once more a considerably worse qualifying than Max Verstappen. Why is Sergio Perez nonetheless one of many winners of the weekend? As a result of the Mexican rehabilitated himself with a powerful race to catch up within the race and that with a collection of typically spectacular overtaking manoeuvres. Now solely the qualifying has to work, the primary Q3 entry since Miami was not less than a step in the suitable route.

Winners: Daniel Ricciardo & Pink Bull

The sacking of Nyck De Vries brought about lots of criticism. However Daniel Ricciardo proved himself and, above all, the decision-makers at Pink Bull proper on the primary weekend. The Australian proved to be a greater AlphaTauri driver in qualifying and a tire whisperer within the race, finishing 39 laps on the medium tires whereas setting a lot sooner occasions than Tsunoda on a lot youthful mediums.

Loser: Yuki Tsunoda

Yuki Tsunoda has been underneath stress at AlphaTauri for the reason that starting of the season and the sacking of Nyck De Vries did not make it any simpler. Particularly not the rationale behind it, that one would have anticipated from the start that the rookie would drive on a degree with the Japanese. A vote of confidence from the workforce appears totally different. The race weekend in Austria did not do him any favors on this regard. As talked about within the earlier paragraph: Daniel Ricciardo was the sooner pilot within the RB junior workforce – regardless of two and a half years of expertise within the AlphaTauri.

Loser: Aston Martin

Method 1 will likely be extraordinarily risky in 2023 from second place onwards. However similtaneously McLaren’s rise, Aston Martin’s downward development grew to become obvious: the Silverstone workforce was again within the midfield in Hungary. The spirit of optimism and the highest tempo from the start of the season has evaporated. Fernando Alonso, who shouldn’t be precisely identified for his persistence when he fails, did not simply blame Pirelli’s new tire development. He additionally brazenly criticized the gradual tempo of auto improvement.

Loser: Alpine

The beginning place for the French workforce was modest after many issues on the medium tires earlier than the race. However it could not have gone any worse after flip 1. After simply two laps, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon had been eradicated. Each retired in a collision via no fault of their very own. Within the 2023 Method 1 season, it’s simply one other chapter within the distress of the Enstone racing workforce. With McLaren, the workforce that was their essential competitor within the first races of the season can be stirring up the highest two. At Alpine, such a leap in efficiency is presently not in proof.

Loser: Alfa Romeo

In distinction to Alpine, Alfa-Sauber truly had all of the trump playing cards on the grid to attain end result. Nonetheless, together with a technical downside at Guanyu Zhou, the 2 Alfa drivers ruined this opportunity after just some meters. Zhou’s catastrophic mistake at Flip 1 that set off a sequence response, and Valtteri Bottas’ considerably passive driving fashion on the primary lap that knocked him out of the factors early. Ultimately, the workforce by no means recovered from these awful first corners: the automobile’s tempo did not deserve zero factors, however the drivers did all of the extra.