F1 Today: Alonso, Newey summoned for Hungary as Vasseur makes Ferrari prediction

The Hungaroring will host round 11 of the 2026 campaign, with several teams looking to close out the opening half of the season on a high. The Budapest race weekend could provide a fresh shake-up in the competitive order, with McLaren and, in particular, Aston Martin arriving with significant upgrades aimed at improving their respective fortunes.

The weekend format will follow the same structure as the Belgian Grand Prix, with three practice sessions setting the stage for qualifying before Sunday's main race.

Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin managing team principal Adrian Newey will headline the list of drivers and team representatives scheduled to face the media ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

The opening drivers’ press conference will take place on Thursday, 23 July, at 14:30 local time (13:30 BST), with Alonso joined by Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Williams driver Carlos Sainz.

The second session, scheduled for 15:00 local time (14:00 BST), will feature Haas rookie Oliver Bearman, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Red Bull Racing’s Isack Hadjar. The remaining drivers, including Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, will complete their media duties later in the day from their respective team hospitality units.

The team representatives’ press conference will follow on Friday, 24 July, at 15:30 local time (14:30 BST), with Newey joined by Mercedes deputy technical director Simon Resta and Red Bull technical director Pierre Waché. As usual, Saturday’s schedule will conclude with a post-qualifying press conference featuring the top three qualifiers, while Sunday’s post-race media session will include the top three finishers.

Fred Vasseur has struck an optimistic tone ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, with the Ferrari team principal believing the characteristics of the Hungaroring could play into the strengths of the SF-26.

The Maranello-based outfit has enjoyed a recent resurgence, particularly following Lewis Hamilton’s victory in Barcelona. Ferrari then continued its strong run with Charles Leclerc’s triumph at Silverstone before the Monegasque driver secured another podium finish last time out in Spa, taking second place at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Reflecting on Ferrari’s recent performances, Vasseur expressed satisfaction with how the team has maximised its opportunities over the past two race weekends. The Frenchman also suggested that the Hungaroring’s technical layout and flowing sequence of corners could provide a more favourable challenge for the SF-26.

However, Vasseur warned that circuit characteristics alone will not guarantee success. With Ferrari facing strong competition from its rivals, the team principal stressed the importance of delivering another complete and error-free weekend if the Scuderia is to head into the summer break on a positive note.