Motorsports
Key Takeaways from F1 Hungary
BUDAPEST, Hungary – Ferrari left the Hungarian Grand Prix with mixed emotions after Charles Leclerc started from pole but finished fourth, and Lewis Hamilton ended a disappointing 12th. Yet despite the results, the team showed they still have the pace to fight for wins this season.
Ferrari’s Bad Day Hides Progress
On the surface, Ferrari’s weekend looked like another missed chance. Leclerc complained that a pit stop change to his front wing ruined his race, but later learned the real problem was something else that cost him about two seconds per lap. Team boss Fred Vasseur didn’t reveal the cause but pointed to Leclerc’s recent pole in Hungary and podium in Belgium as proof their upgraded car is competitive.
Rivals agree. McLaren’s Andrea Stella believes Ferrari will be “a contender for victories” in the remaining races. Vasseur and Mercedes’ Toto Wolff also defended Hamilton, who had called himself “useless” after the race. Wolff reminded everyone the 40-year-old is still “the GOAT” and capable of winning an eighth title.
Norris Shows a Different Side of F1
Formula One’s culture has shifted in recent years, becoming more open and compassionate. Carlos Sainz defended former McLaren teammate Lando Norris for his honesty with the media.
“He’s the only guy being 100% genuine… and then people go back at him,” Sainz said.
Norris, who has won three of the last four races, reduced teammate Oscar Piastri’s championship lead to nine points with his victory. Still, he admitted he needs to improve to make life easier for himself in the title fight.
Alonso’s Example for Hamilton
If Hamilton needed a reminder that age is just a number, Fernando Alonso delivered it. The 44-year-old Aston Martin driver shrugged off a back injury to finish fifth, his best result this year.
Alonso, a two-time champion with 417 race starts, took two years away from F1 in 2019–2020 to recover from burnout. His strong performance in Hungary showed that even veterans can still deliver when it matters.
Alain Gabriel Alzona claimed two Super Sporting Class victories as the Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippine Cup made its Batangas Racing Circuit debut during Race Weekend 3.
The Toyota Gensan/Davao Racing driver won Sprint Races 7 and 9. Red Diwa of Toyota Isabela denied him a sweep after taking Sprint Race 8 ahead of Joaquin Garrido and Alzona.
Alzona’s final victory came after a well-timed pass on Michael Bryan Co before the first turn. Co stayed close but could not regain the lead and finished second. Diwa completed the podium.
The Sporting Class produced a close fight between Bern Zaragoza and Joshua David Marquez. Zaragoza won Sprint Races 7 and 9 for Resultado Racing, while Marquez took Sprint Race 8 for Obengers Racing. Mike Santos earned two third-place finishes before Raymond Paul Base placed third in the final sprint.
Obengers Racing also secured two Tamaraw Class victories. Jesse Garcia led Iñigo Anton and Potenciano Andaman II in Sprint Race 7, while Anton won Sprint Race 8 ahead of Oliver Aquino and Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippines driver Enzo Ison.
Raymond Cudala of R Racing-Toyota Dagupan captured the final Tamaraw race. Anton finished second, followed by Aquino.
Tamaraw Sprint Race 9 included several late incidents. Ison spun after contact with teammate Will Lucas, while Garcia and Russel Reyes were also removed from contention following separate collisions.
Paolo Ang completed a clean sweep of the Legacy Class for Madkart-R Racing. He won Sprint Races 5 and 6 ahead of Gabie Desales and Oliver Estrella.
The weekend marked the Philippine Cup’s first appearance at BRC in its 13-year history. It was also the second leg of Toyota Motor Philippines’ “rolling laboratory” for sustainable racing. The Vios one-make cars used an E20 bioethanol blend, while the Tamaraw race vehicles ran on B5 coco-biodiesel.
The fourth and final race weekend will be held from September 10 to 12 at Clark International Speedway.
WASHINGTON, United States | US President Donald Trump took center stage as IndyCar made its street-racing debut in Washington, but Kyle Kirkwood left the capital with the victory.
Trump completed a ceremonial lap aboard his armored limousine, known as “The Beast,” before waving the green flag to start the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.
The 147-lap race covered 250 miles around a 1.7-mile street circuit that passed the US Capitol, Washington Monument, National Archives and several museums. Cars reached speeds of up to 185 mph.
Kirkwood won after two hours, 40 minutes and 42.9548 seconds. The American crossed the line 3.09 seconds ahead of Denmark’s Christian Lundgaard, while Australian Will Power finished third.
Kirkwood survived a late restart when New Zealand’s Scott McLaughlin crashed while attempting to pass him. He then held the lead to secure the seventh IndyCar victory of his career.
“This is a big moment for us. A big moment for America,” Kirkwood said after the race.
Trump created the Freedom 250 through an executive order as part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Before the start, the president met IndyCar owner Roger Penske and the seven Indianapolis 500 winners among the 25 drivers. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump then toured the circuit aboard the presidential limousine.
Pre-race activities included flyovers by a stealth bomber and Air Force One. Air traffic at nearby Reagan National Airport was temporarily suspended during the event.
IndyCar and Penske Racing shouldered most of the estimated $35-million cost of staging the race. Organizers said about 215,000 spectators attended the two-day event.
Penske said the series had been trying to organize a race in Washington for two decades. He described the inaugural event as an iconic addition to the US anniversary program.
Power called meeting Trump before the race a surreal experience for someone who grew up in a small Australian town.
The event could also return next year. Freedom 250 chairman Bud Denker said Trump wants the race to continue for another five years, although organizers must determine whether it can generate the same level of revenue.
Much of the circuit infrastructure, including its protective walls, will be stored nearby.
Denker said Melania added to the expectation of a second running when she told organizers that she looked forward to seeing them again next year.
George Russell secured pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix sprint race after edging world champion Lando Norris in qualifying at Zandvoort.
The Mercedes driver produced a fastest lap of one minute and 11.567 seconds as Formula One returned from its month-long summer break.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc qualified third, followed by Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli managed only fifth after topping the weekend’s sole practice session.
“The lap felt really good, to be honest. It all came together nicely,” Russell said.
“I’m really happy to come back. It’s been a little while since I’ve done one of these interviews.”
Russell won the opening Grand Prix of the season but has since struggled to match the pace of Antonelli, who dominated the first half of the campaign.
The Italian teenager has won six of the first 11 races, including five in succession. He enters the second half of the season with a 50-point lead over Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton.
Antonelli appeared less comfortable once sprint qualifying began. He struggled for grip and spun during the opening session before recovering enough to claim a place on the third row.
Home favorite Max Verstappen qualified sixth for Red Bull as thousands of orange-clad supporters filled the grandstands around the seaside circuit.
The session followed early morning rain, although the track had dried by the time the drivers began their qualifying runs.
The close margins suggest Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull could all contend during the weekend. Mercedes controlled much of the first half of the season, but the team has admitted that its development program is currently “out of sync” with improvements introduced by its rivals.
McLaren arrived with momentum after Norris claimed his first victory of the season at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The team also has a strong recent record at Zandvoort, where Norris won in 2024 before Piastri followed with victory in 2025.
Ferrari also showed competitive pace, while Verstappen will seek to give his home supporters a final victory at the circuit. The Dutch Grand Prix will leave the Formula One calendar after this year following the organizers’ decision to end the event.
“Thanks to the fans. You guys always give us a great race, and it’s a very unique circuit,” Russell told the Zandvoort crowd.
Pingback: Marquez Masters Hungary Sprint for Seventh Straight Win - ridenetwork.ph
Pingback: Cadillac Brings Back Perez and Bottas for Bold F1 Debut - ridenetwork.ph
Pingback: Dutch Drama Awaits as F1 Returns to Zandvoort - ridenetwork.ph
Pingback: Leclerc Lights Up Silverstone - ridenetwork.ph