It’s the Formula One summer break, but there’s still plenty of storylines raging despite the lack of on-track action.
A thrilling Hungarian Grand Prix, won by Lando Norris, concluded the F1 action before the break in what’s been a gripping first half of the season. We’ve had a Drivers’ title fight, Red Bull drama and a Lewis Hamilton Ferrari crisis in an action-packed run of races.
Now that we have a moment to breathe, we can take a look at the biggest talking points for every team on the F1 grid.
McLaren, The gloves are off between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris
The Constructors’ Championship is all but won for McLaren. That means the gloves can come off in the Drivers’ Championship battle between Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Piastri had an edge over Norris going into Hungary and looked good to beat his teammate once again before the summer break. However, a bold strategy call meant Norris held onto a win at the Hungaroring, resulting in a 14-point swing.
| Position | Drivers' Championship | Points |
| 1 | Oscar Piastri | 284 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | 275 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | 187 |
Piastri now leads Norris by only nine points going into the summer break. He said on the radio in Hungary that he didn’t care about winning the race. He only cared about beating his teammate.
That was the first real indication that this teammate battle is heating up, so expect fireworks when F1 returns.
Ferrari’s Heartbroken Lewis Hamilton hopes to re-find form
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was downbeat in Hungary. He said Ferrari needs to find another driver after another poor qualifying performance, and he reiterated this after his 12th-place finish in the race.
Hamilton said the Ferrari is difficult to drive, and he has struggled to get to grips with his new team after making one of the biggest driver moves in F1 history. He lost his podium streak at Silverstone and had poor weekends at Spa and Hungary for the first time in a decade.
He said he would probably shed tears over the summer break. But Hamilton has been a better driver in the second half of the season for much of his career, so Ferrari will hope Hamilton will reset over the break and come back stronger.
Mercedes, George Russell’s contract saga
While Max Verstappen confirmed he will be staying at Red Bull for the 2026 season, George Russell still doesn’t have a contract.
Verstappen’s rumoured move to Mercedes was the reason given for Russell’s lack of a deal, but now the rumours have been squashed, the Brit still hasn’t been signed.
Russell revealed that Mercedes spoke with Verstappen at the Austrian Grand Prix, and former Red Bull boss Christian Horner said he believed it was a negotiation tactic to put pressure on Mercedes.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has said he plans to move forward with his driver pairing of Russell and Kimi Antonelli, so we will wait to see if a contract is agreed over the summer break.
Red Bull hoping to avoid falling into the midfield after Christian Horner’s sacking
The major plot points surrounding Red Bull were resolved in recent weeks. Team Principal Christian Horner was sacked, replaced by Laurent Mekies, and Verstappen stated that he will remain with the team next season.
However, their performance raised yet more questions about the team’s future in Hungary. Verstappen finished ninth, and Red Bull’s second seat problems continued as Yuki Tsunoda is yet to score a point for the team.
They won the Sprint Race in Spa and had problems at Hungary last year, but Red Bull appears to be falling back into the pack.
Early reports about Red Bull’s new 2026 power unit are worrying for the Milton Keynes-based outfit. With the loss of the legendary aero specialist Adrian Newey, are they at risk of becoming a midfield team next season?
Williams’ early-season form is fading
Williams’ red-hot start to the season saw a continuation of their meteoric rise since Team Principal James Vowles’ arrival. Alex Albon finished fifth in the first race at Melbourne, and the team were solidly in fifth in the standings.
That was one of three fifth-place finishes for Albon through the first seven races of the year, but since then form has dipped. The Thai driver retired in three straight races between Spain and Austria. Meanwhile, his teammate Carlos Sainz is not yet up to speed after he moved from Ferrari.
Sauber’s recent form means Williams’ grip on fifth is loosening. Will they recapture their early-season results when they return, or are they being caught by the rest of the midfield?
Aston Martin’s Hungary performance showed flashes of what’s to come
For the first time this season, Aston Martin looked quick in Hungary. They finished fifth and seventh, Fernando Alonso picking up the team’s best result of the season. That was a far cry from their Spa performance, where Alonso and Lance Stroll qualified 19th and 20th.
Aston Martin has, for several years, been a team of untapped potential. They have one of F1’s all-time greats in Alonso and the billionaire backing of owner Laurence Stroll. Now, they have F1 legend Newey helping to design the car.
The first signs of improvement were evident in Hungary, and with Newey focusing on 2026, expect significant developments from the team next season.
Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto is a star in the making
Sauber, competing in their final season before they transition to Audi for 2026, may have stumbled across one of F1’s next stars in Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto. He finished sixth in Hungary behind Alonso, who called him the best rookie of his generation after the race.
While Alonso is Bortoleto’s manager, an odd situation, the rookie’s results speak for themselves. He’s scored points in three of the last four races and has shown incredible pace in qualifying leading up to the break.
His teammate, Nico Hulkenberg, got his first podium in Silverstone, highlighting Sauber’s impressive form as of late. Under the leadership of former Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto, they hand over the keys to Audi in a solid position.
Haas, Qualifying woes holding back results
Haas raised eyebrows in pre-season testing as they opted only to conduct long runs, rather than qualifying runs, throughout. They may want to reconsider that in 2026.
Despite showing points-scoring form throughout the season on race day, the Haas has only started in the top 10 three times so far this season, forcing innovative strategy calls and adverse conditions to secure points.
Haas are ninth in the standings, but may feel like they don’t deserve to be. If they can sort out their qualifying form and keep rookie Oliver Bearman from making mistakes, they can rise in the rankings in the second half of the year.
Racing Bulls, How to handle Isaak Hadjar’s development
Racing Bulls, who have had solid performance from the first race this season, look to have a young star on their hands in rookie Isaak Hadjar. But how they deal with his eventual progression to Red Bull is delicate.
Red Bull’s second seat has held back the careers of countless young talents, including Hadjar’s teammate Liam Lawson, who lasted two races in the Red Bull. Hadjar stated he wants more time to learn at Racing Bulls before he moves to Red Bull. Is he scared of the seat?
He’s scored points on four occasions this season, including a sixth-placed finish in Monaco. But how Racing Bulls handle his progression could make or break the Frenchman’s career.
Alpine, in danger of a last-place finish
If they weren’t sounding off already, alarm bells are ringing at Alpine. They are dead last in the Constructors standings and showing no signs of recovery.
The team have been on a downward spiral for many years. Alonso left, Piastri forced his way out, their Team Principal left, and the controversial Flavio Briatore returned to oversee operations.
Briatore’s management hasn’t helped the team. His ruthlessness saw Jack Doohan dropped for Franco Colapinto after six races, and Colapinto hasn’t done much better than the man he replaced.
Pierre Gasly has put the team on his back to keep them from complete disarray. He’s picked up 20 points and is miraculously 14th in the Drivers’ championship. But Alpine are bottom, and unless there is a miraculous turnaround, they’ll stay there.