George Russell says Ferrari has emerged as the team to beat in Hungary, although Mercedes remains confident it can make significant progress before qualifying.

George Russell believes Ferrari has established itself as the benchmark at the Hungarian Grand Prix after a difficult opening day for Mercedes. Although the British driver admitted the W17 was not competitive enough on Friday, he remains optimistic that the team can unlock more performance before qualifying.

Furthermore, Russell explained that the Hungaroring is not the ideal circuit to determine whether Mercedes has fully solved the straight-line issue that affected the team in recent races.

Ferrari Sets the Early Pace

Friday’s practice sessions confirmed Mercedes’ biggest concern.

According to George Russell, Ferrari looked exceptionally strong throughout the day, particularly over a single lap. Meanwhile, Mercedes struggled to extract maximum performance, leaving Russell well behind the fastest times.

However, the British driver noted that the team’s long-run pace appeared more competitive. As a result, he believes Mercedes has a stronger foundation than the final standings suggest.

George Russell believes Ferrari has been the strongest team at the Hungaroring so far.

Mercedes Still Has Work to Do

Russell admitted the W17 was far from its ideal setup during Friday’s sessions.

Additionally, teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli lost valuable track time after missing the opening practice session, making it even harder for Mercedes to evaluate its full potential.

Despite those challenges, Russell remains confident. He believes setup changes and evolving track conditions could significantly improve the car before qualifying.

Mercedes expects to improve its performance before Saturday’s qualifying session.

Hungary Doesn’t Reveal Mercedes’ Biggest Improvement

One of the main talking points heading into the weekend was whether Mercedes had solved the deployment issue that cost Russell valuable performance in Belgium.

However, the British driver explained that the Hungaroring is not the right circuit to measure that progress. Because the track features short straights and places less emphasis on top speed, any improvement would be far less noticeable than it was at Spa-Francorchamps.

Moreover, Russell said he trusted Mercedes’ engineers to resolve the problem and focused entirely on driving rather than monitoring the system during practice.

Russell says the Hungaroring is not the best circuit to evaluate Mercedes’ straight-line improvements.

George Russell Still Expects Mercedes to Fight Back

Although Ferrari currently appears to have the advantage, George Russell believes Mercedes can still become a contender this weekend.

Overall, the team expects setup improvements and changing weather conditions to help close the gap. If Mercedes can maximize the W17 overnight, Russell remains confident the team can fight much closer to the front during qualifying.

Oscar Piastri believes McLaren’s new upgrade package is delivering the expected gains, but insists it is not a game-changing development ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Oscar Piastri believes McLaren has made progress with its latest development package, but he insists the updates should not be viewed as a dramatic transformation. After a challenging Friday at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Australian admitted he still has work to do before qualifying.

Moreover, Piastri expects to evaluate the new package himself after missing the opportunity to use it during Friday’s practice sessions.

A Difficult Friday for Piastri

Piastri completed only the second practice session after reserve driver Leonardo Fornaroli took over his McLaren during Free Practice 1.

As a result, the Australian lost valuable track time on a circuit that proved difficult for every driver. Strong winds and recently resurfaced sections of the Hungaroring created low-grip conditions throughout the day.

Consequently, Piastri finished eighth, nearly a second behind teammate Lando Norris, while acknowledging that missing an entire session made it much harder to find the right setup.

Oscar Piastri says missing the opening practice session made Friday much more challenging.

McLaren’s Upgrades Deliver Expected Results

Although Piastri did not run the new aerodynamic package, he confirmed that Norris’ data suggests the upgrades are working as planned.

However, he emphasized that the improvements should not be considered a major breakthrough.

Instead, Piastri explained that the package provides incremental gains rather than completely changing the behavior of the car. Furthermore, he expects to test the upgrades himself during Saturday’s running.

McLaren’s latest upgrade package appears to deliver steady improvements rather than a dramatic performance gain.

Ferrari Sets the Pace Ahead of Qualifying

While McLaren remains optimistic, Ferrari emerged as Friday’s benchmark at the Hungaroring.

Lewis Hamilton topped the second practice session ahead of Charles Leclerc, demonstrating impressive pace throughout the day. Meanwhile, Mercedes proved more difficult to evaluate after showing inconsistent performance across both sessions.

Nevertheless, Piastri believes the field remains extremely close. Therefore, he expects qualifying to be highly competitive if McLaren can maximize the car’s potential overnight.

Oscar Piastri expects a much stronger performance after testing McLaren’s upgrades on Saturday.

Oscar Piastri Expects More From Saturday

The Oscar Piastri McLaren Upgrades story is far from over.

Overall, the Australian remains confident that additional track time and the new development package will allow him to move closer to the front of the field. Although Friday was challenging, McLaren still believes it has the pace to fight near the top when qualifying begins.

Nissan Formula E Team heads to its home event in Tokyo for Formula E’s first-ever night races, debuting a special NISMO livery while fighting for valuable championship points.

The Nissan Formula E Team is set for one of the biggest weekends of its season as Formula E returns to Tokyo for the championship’s first-ever night races. The Japanese manufacturer will compete in front of its home fans while unveiling a unique one-off NISMO livery to celebrate the occasion.

Moreover, the double-header represents a crucial opportunity to score valuable championship points as the season approaches its conclusion.

Tokyo Hosts Formula E’s First Night Races

This year’s Tokyo E-Prix marks a historic milestone for Formula E, with both races taking place under the lights for the first time.

The Tokyo Street Circuit, which surrounds Tokyo Big Sight, stretches 2.582 kilometers and features 18 challenging corners. Furthermore, its combination of long straights, technical sections and fast corners makes it one of the most demanding venues on the calendar.

Additionally, Saturday’s race will include the mandatory Pit Boost strategy, while Sunday’s event returns to the traditional Formula E race format.

Nissan Formula E Team returns to Tokyo for the championship’s first-ever night races.

A Special NISMO Livery for Nissan’s Home Event

To celebrate its home race, the Nissan Formula E Team will compete with a special edition NISMO livery.

The exclusive design combines grey and black with NISMO’s signature red accents while preserving the team’s iconic cherry blossom graphics. As a result, the car reflects both Nissan’s motorsport heritage and its Japanese identity.

Meanwhile, drivers Oliver Rowland and Norman Nato will wear matching race suits throughout the weekend.

Nissan will debut a unique NISMO-inspired livery during its home Formula E weekend.

Championship Battle Intensifies

The Tokyo double-header is the penultimate race weekend of the Formula E season, making every point increasingly important.

Oliver Rowland arrives in Japan sitting third in the Drivers’ Championship after collecting six podium finishes and one victory this season. In addition, he has enjoyed remarkable success in Tokyo, earning one win and three consecutive pole positions at the circuit.

Consequently, Nissan expects to challenge for another strong result in front of its home supporters.

Fans Will Play a Key Role

Nissan will once again benefit from strong support at its home event.

The team’s dedicated grandstand overlooking the main straight has already sold out. Furthermore, fans will be able to visit The NISMO Pit, an interactive experience featuring customized Nissan road cars, the Formula E GEN3 Evo race car, live entertainment and themed activities celebrating Nissan’s racing history.

Nissan expects strong home support as fans fill the grandstands for the Tokyo E-Prix.

Nissan Formula E Team Looks to Finish Strong

The Nissan Formula E Team enters its home event with momentum and clear objectives.

Overall, the first-ever Tokyo night races offer the perfect stage for Nissan to showcase its special NISMO livery, reconnect with its passionate fanbase and strengthen its championship campaign. With valuable points available and home support behind the team, Tokyo could become one of the defining weekends of the Formula E season.