Gear ratios and top speeds at the Hungaroring

The analysis of the shift points and of the maximum speeds on Budapest's straights shows how gearbox and hybrid deployment choices affect the final run to the braking point.

Muretto · Redazione tecnica25 July 2026·Hungaroring · FP2

The torque curve Gear management and engine speeds on the run

At the Hungaroring the drivers mainly use the middle gears (third to sixth). The analysis of the shift points shows how Mercedes use a longer seventh gear to exploit the power at the end of the straight, touching 318 km/h before the braking point for Turn 1.

McLaren prefer closer ratios to maximise the pick-up out of Turn 14, accepting a top speed of 308 km/h at the line.

In 7th, engine speed rises with speed according to the ratio: the McLaren lines are steeper (shorter gearing), the Audis flatter. At 280 km/h the gap is 1527 rpm.

Energy deployment Clipping at the end of the straight and recovery under braking

Under the 2026 regulations, managing the battery's state of charge is decisive: cutting the electrical power in the last 50 metres before braking saves energy without losing significant lap time.

7th gear ratio per car (axis truncated from 36 to read the differences). Higher = shorter 7th. The two McLarens are clear at the top, the two Audis at the bottom.

Technical summary The traction that offsets the top speed deficit

The comparison between ratios shows that on twisty tracks the drive torque at mid-corner clearly outweighs pure straight-line speed.

Each point is a car: 7th gear ratio (horizontal) against median top speed (vertical). The cloud has no slope (Spearman -0.04): gearing does not predict top speed in practice.