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Toto Wolff admitted he was taking a “glass half empty” view of the Hungarian Grand Prix, despite Kimi Antonelli strengthening his lead over Lewis Hamilton in the Formula 1 drivers’ championship.
Antonelli arrived at the Hungaroring 45 points clear of his Ferrari rival. By the chequered flag, that advantage had grown to 50 points, with the 19-year-old claiming his ninth podium of the season. On the numbers alone, Mercedes had achieved a valuable result at the final round before the summer shutdown.
Yet Wolff believed the outcome fell short of what Antonelli could have delivered. The Mercedes team principal felt the Italian had lost the opportunity to finish second after a late strategy change and a badly timed virtual safety car, triggered by Oscar Piastri’s retirement.
Mercedes did not have its usual level of performance in Hungary, while Ferrari appeared better suited to the Hungaroring’s twisty, technical layout. Hamilton looked particularly well placed through the early part of the weekend, making the eventual result more frustrating for Ferrari than the final standings might suggest.
The seven-time champion’s challenge was then compromised by a three-place grid penalty, also applied to Antonelli, followed by a five-second penalty during the race. Hamilton ultimately finished fifth.
Asked whether Antonelli’s recovery from seventh on the grid had the qualities of a champion’s drive against stronger opposition, Wolff was unequivocal.
“Absolutely,” the 54-year-old told media. “Lewis was the one to win this race on Saturday morning and all of Friday, and we come out of this with a few points gained.”
That assessment captures the contrast in Mercedes’ Hungarian GP weekend: the team gained ground in the championship, but did not maximise its race result. Wolff’s comments also underline how closely performance and execution remain linked when the car is not operating at its strongest level. Mercedes’ decision to delay major upgrades for the second half of the season has already framed the team’s wider push beyond the break, as outlined in its second-half development plan.
“That’s great, but I’ve always been a miserable guy; the glass is half empty,” Wolff said. “We could have had P2; we should have had P2.”
He nevertheless acknowledged the broader balance. With Hamilton carrying the penalties and Antonelli extending his points advantage, Mercedes could leave Budapest satisfied with the championship arithmetic—even if Wolff remained convinced that second place had been within reach.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
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