The certificate of maturity: The next crime thriller at the Hungaroring

LEWIS HAMILTON: The last race before the summer break was exactly to the world champion's liking: Lewis Hamilton had the last word. The talk about Max Verstappen had recently gotten a bit out of hand from the world champion's point of view, and quite a few people think that the Dutchman is now the best driver in Formula 1. Hamilton was therefore happy in Budapest that there was a direct duel - and in the end he was obviously relieved that he had won it. That wasn't a given, even if the Englishman once again made it seem that way: When his car and tires were in the perfect working window, he couldn't be stopped, "then he'll eat you up," said Mercedes Motorsport Director Toto Wolff later. Poor Max Verstappen.

MAX STAGES: But the Dutchman really doesn't have to worry. Formula 1 has been delivering exciting races in a row for around a month, and that has a lot to do with Red Bull's recovery - and that in turn is very closely linked to the exceptional young driver. In the end he was three laps short of winning in Hungary, which would have been his third victory in the last four races. What Verstappen is doing with the opportunities at Red Bull this year cannot be overstated. The 21-year-old makes the difference, he is third in the World Championship standings, well ahead of both Ferraris and just behind Valtteri Bottas in the superior Mercedes - and what Verstappen gets out of the car also becomes clear when comparing it with teammate Pierre Gasly. He lapped it on Sunday. After 50 of 70 rounds.

FERRARI: The Scuderia has not yet decoded its own car, that became clear in Hungary. The problem that the SF90 has on tracks with slower corners is a fundamental one. There's a lack of downforce, and that's due to the design of the entire car, which can't even be changed. “We are making progress, but it is too small,” said Sebastian Vettel after his third place and the realization that Ferrari was not at all prepared for the fight with Mercedes and Red Bull at the Hungaroring. It won’t be for the World Cup this year more, but there is still light at the end of the tunnel: After the summer break, in four weeks we'll go to Spa and then to the home game in Monza - both are absolute power routes, and Ferrari has exactly the right car for that. Maybe then we'll finally get our first win of the season.

FORMULA 1: It was exactly six weeks ago that Formula 1 felt like it was in the intensive care unit. The French Grand Prix was the worst bore in a while, and things didn't really go well before that either. “Everyone was complaining about how bad our sport had become,” says Lewis Hamilton. But at the beginning of August the world is different. “We have now had four great races in a row,” said the Brit. Austria, England, Germany and now Hungary, those were four real crime thrillers, “and I think it will continue like this.” The reason: Mercedes is strong almost everywhere, Red Bull has made a leap, and just like Ferrari they have a “ Special vehicle” for certain route types. The color red is likely to play a pretty big role again in Spa and Monza.

SAYING OF THE WEEKEND: “Meditate a bit, get up early enough to see sunrises, read books. But that doesn't mean I'm getting old! I can still party.” (Lewis Hamilton on his plans for the summer break, which are quite different from those of previous years.)

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The certificate of maturity: The next crime thriller at the Hungaroring

In our Monday maturity certificate section, we evaluate the protagonists of the racing weekend, choose the best statement and take a look at the overall situation in Formula 1.

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