It’s the 40th Hungarian Grand Prix in the history of Formula 1

In 1986, the then owner of Formula 1 Bernie Ecclestone pulled off a major coup to host a Grand Prix in Hungary, and crucially, behind the Iron Curtain. While Liberty Media is credited for bringing newer fans (read: younger) fans to Formula 1, Ecclestone is credited for the true globalisation of a sport with European origins.

The contract for the Hungarian Grand Prix was extended to 2032 and this year, the local promoters welcomed the Formula 1 circus to new facilities that included a pit building and main grand stand. The upgrades cost approx. €198 million and official figures claim that the Hungarian Grand Prix contributes €43 million (HUF 17.4 billion) to the country’s GDP annually.

Max Verstappen’s leverage

After only a few weeks of Christian Horner’s sacking from Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen confirmed that he would be racing for the team in 2026. Strangely enough, Verstappen’s contract with Red Bull Racing runs till the end of 2028 but the 4-times World Champion has made it clear that a “fast car” is what he needs to see through his commitment.

Verstappen’s confirmation suggests a few things - first, Verstappen (or Verstappen’s camp) had a role in Horner’s sacking. The chronology of the events suggest so. Why else would Verstappen end months of speculation of him joining Mercedes only a few weeks after Horner’s exit? Maybe the continued pressure of the speculation forced the Red Bull GmBH management to act.

Second, Verstappen is willing to give Red Bull Racing a chance to produce a “fast car” in 2026. It’s a sensible move given the wide-scale change in Formula 1’s regulations for the coming season and Red Bull Racing’s attempt to build their own power unit in partnership with Ford.

However, the third point to note is that he confirmed “only” 2026 with Red Bull Racing. Could this mean Mercedes could lure Verstappen for 2027? It all depends on which team has a “fast car”, and understandably that’s Verstappen’s only focus.

His leverage is that he is Max Verstappen and he can choose who he wishes to race for!

Ferrari chooses stability

The other speculation that ended in the build up to the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix was that of Frederic Vasseur’s future as the Team Principal of Ferrari. After a recent media backlash in the Italian media that cast doubts on Vasseur’s extension at the famed Italian marquee, Ferrari confirmed a “multi year” contract extension with the Frenchman.

This extension is a deviation from Ferrari’s recent “hire and fire” strategy when it came to Team Principals who struggled to produce results aka win races and championships. In Vasseur’s 2+ years at Ferrari, the team might not have produced dominant racing cars, but they certainly seem a sharper and more agile unit than before.

In his debut season with Ferrari in 2023, Vasseur led the team to finish 3rd in the Constructors’ Championship. They went one better in 2024 with a 2nd place finish under Vasseur’s leadership.

The other win for Ferrari under Vasseur was the signing of Formula 1 mega star Lewis Hamilton. In my view, Vasseur’s position at Ferrari is strong so long as Hamilton is racing for the team. The big hope for Vasseur-Hamilton, and hence, Ferrari, are the new regulations being introduced in 2026. Ferrari and the tifosi’s impatience might grow at a faster pace if better results don’t follow suit from next season.

The lure of Formula 1

In 2026, Sauber will transform to become the official works racing team in Formula 1 for Audi, the German car manufacturer. Interestingly, Audi has already sold a title sponsorship for their team despite their official entry being over 9 months away!

In similar reign, the other incoming works team in 2026, Cadillac, has sanctioned an official documentary with Hollywood star Keanu Reeves to take fans behind-the-scenes on their efforts to join the Formula 1 grid.

From struggling to sign sponsors, Formula 1 teams are now signing sponsorship and content deals before they even line up on the start grid!