Hamilton struggles, Alonso fights

Ferrari remain upbeat despite latest setback

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Ferrari may have endured another afternoon to forget in Hungary on Sunday with polesitter Charles Leclerc finishing fourth and Lewis Hamilton a disappointing 12th, but their underlying performance showed they could be challengers for victories this season.

Post-race analysis and reaction to Hamilton’s emotional outbursts revealed a very different evaluation ofa race dominated by runaway leaders McLaren.

AFP Sport looks at three things we learned from Sunday’s thriller at the Hungaroring:

UPWARD MOMENTUM

Two unhappy drivers and the speculation over Hamilton’s form and future suggested Ferrari continued a downward spiral, but rivals and seasoned viewers said that simple conclusion is inaccurate.

Leclerc grumbled the team wrecked the “one opportunity” to win this season, but he changed his view once he learned the cause of his car’s mid-race loss of pace while leading.

He had thought a front wing setup change, during a pit-stop, was his undoing, but Ferrari said it was something else which cost him around two seconds a lap.