Budapest, Hungary (AFP) — 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 of a race dominated by runaway leaders, McLaren.

Ferrari turmoil masks 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 the simple conclusion is inaccurate.

Leclerc grumbled that 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 set-up change, during a pit-stop, was his undoing, but Ferrari said it was something else that cost him around two seconds a lap.

Boss Fred Vasseur did not reveal the problem. Still, he stressed that Leclerc’s recent form, including pole in Hungary and a podium in Belgium, confirmed their upgraded car was competitive — a view shared by rival team chief Andrea Stella of McLaren.

He said he thought Ferrari would be a “contender for victories for the remainder of the season,” while both Vasseur and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said Hamilton would shine again, after the 40-year-old declared he was “useless” and should be replaced.

“He’s demanding,” said Vasseur. “But I think it’s also why he’s a seven-time world champion... I understand him, and he will be back.”

Wolff, who guided Hamilton to six drivers’ titles, said: “That is Lewis, wearing his heart on his sleeve. It’s what he felt very much when asked straight after that session, and it was very raw.

“But he is still the GOAT (greatest of all time) and he still has it (the talent to win an eighth title).”

Norris’ honesty reflects the new age

Once a bastion of gladiatorial sporting combat with a testosterone-fuelled culture, Formula One has in recent years developed a more compassionate culture.

This was in evidence as Carlos Sainz defended his friend and former McLaren teammate Lando Norris’ honesty.

“He opens up to the media and to people more than any other driver on the grid — and people use that against him,” said the Spaniard.

“What you see on TV is what he is as a human being. He’s very good at showing himself. I find it ironic and frustrating — he’s the only guy being 100 percent genuine... and then people go back at him.”

After three wins in four races, Norris’ triumph on Sunday cut McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri’s championship lead to nine points to quieten those critics who had accused him of being mentally weaker than the cool, more introverted Australian.

“It’s tough already and going to be tougher,” said Norris. “It’s pretty small margins between us... Even if the results look great, I’m not making life easy for myself, so I need to work on a few things to be in a better place.”

Alonso offers inspiration for Hamilton

If Hamilton needed inspiration on Sunday, it was found at Aston Martin, where Fernando Alonso, a two-time champion who failed to land a title at Ferrari, shrugged off a back injury to land his best result of the year as he finished fifth.

Once bitter team-mates at McLaren, the pair are now respectful colleagues and F1’s elder statesmen.

“Big points for the team before the summer break, it feels good,” Alonso said after he showed he’s still got it at 44.

Alonso began his career in 2001, claimed his maiden win in Hungary two years later, and has taken part in 417 Grands Prix (Hamilton has started 370), but perhaps significantly took two years off in 2019 and 2020 to recover from exhaustion.