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Andrea Kimi Antonelli expects Ferrari to pose a greater threat this weekend in Hungary than they did during last week's Belgian Grand Prix. The championship leader, who arrives in Budapest with a 45-point advantage, believes the Hungaroring's technical layout will favour the SF-26 and force Mercedes to extract every available tenth from their package.
Antonelli secured his sixth victory of the season at Spa-Francorchamps, holding off Charles Leclerc in a tense battle to extend his points lead over Lewis Hamilton. The win came as redemption after a technical failure cost him victory at Silverstone. But the Italian is under no illusions about the challenge ahead.
"With the car Ferrari has now, they will be a serious opponent in Hungary," Antonelli said. "At Spa we ran a low-downforce setup, but in Budapest we return to a different configuration. Ferrari will be very strong there, so we have to make optimal use of every practice hour to deliver a good result again."
Circuit characteristics shift the balance
The Hungaroring's character changes the competitive order. Where Mercedes benefited from Spa's long straights and low-drag philosophy, the tight, twisty Hungarian venue demands high downforce and strong aerodynamic efficiency through medium-speed corners. Ferrari's SF-26 is widely regarded as one of the strongest cars in that window this season.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella shares Antonelli's assessment, naming Ferrari as favourites for victory in Budapest. The combination of the SF-26's aerodynamic platform and the Hungaroring's technical demands makes Ferrari the car to beat this weekend.
Hamilton's Hungaroring pedigree meets new reality
Hamilton holds every major record at the Hungaroring: most wins, most pole positions, and the outright lap record. The seven-time champion has historically thrived on the circuit's technical nature. This season, however, his form has been transformed since moving to Ferrari.
After a winless debut campaign in red last year, Hamilton currently sits second in the championship. The Briton's adaptation to Ferrari's machinery under the current regulations has been far more successful than his difficult 2025 season, when he failed to reach the podium once. Whether he can challenge his former team and current teammate's main rival remains one of the weekend's central questions.
Championship stakes in Budapest
Antonelli's 45-point cushion offers breathing room, but Ferrari's expected pace at the Hungaroring presents the first significant threat to his momentum since Silverstone. Mercedes will need to respond with setup precision and race execution if they are to maintain their championship trajectory. Hamilton, meanwhile, faces the prospect of watching his former team and current employer battle for supremacy at one of his most successful venues.
Ferrari have not confirmed their own expectations publicly, but Leclerc is understood to be tempering internal optimism despite the SF-26's aerodynamic strengths. The weekend will reveal whether Antonelli's caution is justified or simply championship-leader pragmatism.
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