Will Mercedes secure their third consecutive victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix?

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Mercedes Formula 1 team is currently on an impressive streak, aiming for a hat-trick of victories in the upcoming race at the Hungaroring. The team's star driver, Lewis Hamilton, is set to return to the Hungarian Grand Prix, a track where he has showcased his prowess by clinching a remarkable eight wins in the past. Notably, Hamilton also holds the record for securing the 104th pole position at this event last year.

Reflecting on the unexpected turn of events, Mercedes' resurgence in the 2023 F1 season comes as a surprise to many. After facing a dominant Red Bull and Max Verstappen earlier in the season, the idea of Mercedes claiming victory in three consecutive races seemed far-fetched at the start of the year. However, the narrative has shifted dramatically, with George Russell's unexpected triumph in Austria followed by Hamilton's historic ninth win at Silverstone, solidifying their position as a force to be reckoned with in the current championship battle.

The team's remarkable comeback underscores their resilience and ability to adapt in the highly competitive world of Formula 1. As they gear up for the challenging race at the Hungaroring, all eyes will be on Mercedes as they strive to maintain their winning momentum and further solidify their position at the forefront of the championship standings.

“I love Hungary,” Hamilton expressed after his moving win at home brought him to tears. “So, yeah, I definitely am really looking forward to that, to go in there, but just also the trajectory we’re on and the fact, you know, the car is starting to really, really come alive and feel great.”

In his debut season in 2007, Hamilton clinched victory in Hungary with McLaren, repeating the feat in 2009 and 2012 before transitioning to Mercedes. With Mercedes, he continued his winning streak in 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020. This will mark his final appearance in Silver before he moves to Ferrari in 2025.

If Hamilton secures a top-three finish this weekend, it will mark his 200th podium, while capturing another pole position would extend his record to 10 poles at the circuit. Russell secured his first F1 pole position in Hungary in 2022, finishing third behind Hamilton in second and Verstappen in first place.

Mercedes has dominated the last four pole positions in Hungary, a circuit often likened to 'Monaco without the walls,' where overtaking is challenging, and qualifying holds significant importance.

Verstappen, a triple champion, has claimed victory in the last two races and is aiming for a Hungarian hat-trick to prevent Red Bull from enduring its longest winless streak since 2021 when he battled Hamilton for the championship.

Despite facing a new threat at the front of the F1 grid, Verstappen remains positive, holding an 84-point advantage over McLaren's Lando Norris after 12 races out of 24. “We had a brilliant race in Hungary last year and have good memories here as we achieved (a record) 12 wins in a row.

“Hopefully, we can have a great race again this year and achieve another good team result,” added

Verstappen, who beat second-placed Norris by a whopping 33.7 seconds in Hungary last year, with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez third, as the champions set a record for most successive F1 wins.

McLaren is unlikely to repeat the gap they had before, especially with Australian driver Oscar Piastri contributing solid points. They currently have one of the fastest cars on the track and just need to steer clear of errors.

Checo Perez urgently needs a strong and flawless weekend as he has only scored 15 points in the last six races. His future at the team is now being questioned, despite signing a new contract just last month.

Ferrari is aiming to carry some momentum into the August break to avoid being overtaken by McLaren, who are now only seven points behind in the standings.

Following Hungary, Belgium will conclude the first part of the season before the break. Ferrari is striving to catch up after facing issues with an upgrade package, forcing them to revert to an older specification.

“We will bounce in turns 4 and 11 (at the Hungaroring) but until something better comes we may have to live with bouncing for a while,” Carlos Sainz, the Ferrari driver, believed.