MotoGP Hungarian Grand Prix have finally arrived in Hungary, and the unsuspecting crowds at the Hungaroring got a hardcore introduction to the sport on Sunday as the first-ever Hungarian Grand Prix threw up so many twists we were left dizzy. It is an unforgiving track in Formula 1 due to its tight corners, and unmerciful rhythm, but it would provide an original test in the two-wheeled world of precision, tyre management, and composure of the rider. Some also felt the pressure cooker and got out of it, others turned into mush. So what do we learn from a weekend that will go down as one of the most unforeseeable in weeks? Let us break it down, highlighting the winners, losers and the lessons learnt.

The most obvious in Budapest was Jorge Martin. After coming close to victory twice in Australia, the Pramac Ducati rider needed a breakthrough performance and an emphatic statement was just that. Martin qualified so smartly not only that but he then managed to back that up with a truly intelligent race. Brilliant pace-setter on a circuit that is notoriously tricky to pass on, Martin showed great composure in establishing his rhythm at the head of the field. Each time a competitor made up some ground he increase his pace enough to fend him off. It was a timely reminder of just why this rider still remains a viable title contender though in the past he has been accused of losing his head in big pressure situations.

However, in case the triumph of Martin was the first row of the Hungarian GP, the story behind it was the success of Pecco. The current world champion acted like a hunter in Budapest pursuing Martin through the race giving him no chance to breath. But his efforts were not quite enough at the last moment to open a pass. On the one hand, Bagnaia will be going home angry that he did not pick up maximum points. On the other hand, he can console himself with the fact that he did not do too much damage in the championship race. His physical appearance in parc ferme was a sheet telling it all as he looked disappointed but not defeated. Occasionally in a long season, it is smart to bank on selling into second place.

Marc MArquez, though, could end up in being the real tale of the weekend. Making up a lot of space on a circuit that did not forgive any errors, Márquez proved once against why he is the most adventurous racer on the grid. Having struggled with his start on the grid and not having had it any higher, Antonelli nevertheless rose to the task with the aggression that has made him so popular with fans and, on this occasion, he rode superbly through the field. His run through the field was so dramatic into the higher ranks that the stands rose. What is more important, he demonstrated that the process of adapting to the Ducati machines is becoming fluent. This was not a mere accumulation of points on the table to Márquez but rather the message that he is now moving ever nearer to once again being a podium threat on a weekly basis.

Another name that has to be mentioned is that of Pedro Acosta. The rookie phenom has been rewriting the book about expectations all year, but Hungary perhaps provided his most serious test to date. The senseless demands and a minimal margin of error are the reasons that bring down the riders who have no experience, but Acosta managed it like the most experienced riders. His steady race in race after race as well as some smart tyre management helped him place another top six finish on the card. There are races where youngsters make news by virtue of their bravery; Acosta is living up to it through his unique ability to combine bravery with an almost intuitive ability to manage the race. That is a scary thought to his competitors, considering how young he is in his MotoGP career.

Budapest was not to everyone liking. Fabio Quartararo was one of the losers of the weekend. Again, the Frenchman was in a lose battle with the constraints of the Yamaha kit. In an arena where braking power and radial acceleration are paramount, Yamaha was unable to pull Quartararo to the front. To his credit, he posted a hard charge trying to get the maximum out of the bike but at this point it is a gap too wide to close. This is a weekly pain in the neck to a once former champion and it must be like running uphill with a parachute strapped to his back, on weekends like this. Unless Yamaha can resolve the problems soon, Quartararo may end up, again, in purgatory.

The same with the case of Honda, which in its current position is sinking deeper into the competitive abyss. The Hungaroring revealed all the shortcoming of the RC213V: a cornering grip, an inadequate drive, and braking instability. Joan Mir and Luca Marini had to press and see how far they could go, but just could not get into the positions needed. It just makes you an off-the-podium in racing terms; it is another one to appear as also-rans in a new track where everybody is a beginner. The feeling of stagnation at Honda is also noticeable now, and unless they acquire a serious change of attitude, riders are bound to spend more and more weekends like this one.

On the one hand Aprilia was satisfied to leave Hungary with mixed-feelings. Maverick Viñales was also fast in the free practices to the point where he suggested that he could possibly do a podium challenge but this too silly now as a podium challenge. Even his teammate Aleix Espargar, could not deliver the best of the RS-GP when it counted. This is the frustrating part about Aprilia because it is clear they do have a bike that is capable of fighting in podiums and yet somehow they can not get it together. Tyres, set-up calls or just nerves on the day, things just aren’t getting into place. But time is running out: a manufacturer with aspirations of becoming a serious rival to the likes of Ducati and KTM has little time to find answers before an another season is lost.

KTM was not so fortunate but Brad Binder did a lot. The South African flourishes on circuits that reward bravery, and with his elbows-out driving style he was a perfect fit to race at Hungary, the circuit that demands bravado overtakes. Binder did not impress to be on the podium, but he was the embodiment of harshness and never give up which are some of the reasons the rider is the most valuable asset of KTM. Team mate Jack Miller had a more difficult afternoon though. Located in the midst of this problem of grip and unable to stay with Binder in his consistency, Miller lost during the critical phases of the race. The gap between the two KTM riders is increasing at every round and this may jeopardize the future of Miller in KTM.

Behind the main-stage action, the Hungarian GP also produced plots that deepened the grid in terms of its complexity. There were scraps in the pack like Marco Bezzecchi and Franco Morbidelli, who were battling as hard as they could to make sure the rest of the world knows they cannot be broken, so they might as well have the does not equal yes attitude because it makes people think, just as they are doing too. The difference in laps times was minimal, the difference in finishing positions on the other hand was enormous, evidence of the punishing nature of simultaneous circuit, and sport, itself.

Strategically, too, the race pointed up the tight lines between triumph and fiasco. Tyre handling was dominant and those drivers that managed to maintain traction were rewarded late in the race. Play-riders who had gambled early did so at their peril, and found themselves thrown viciously backwards, with the rear type in furious cry. Hungary is, like Sachsenring, not a circuit that rewards the hasty and this was intriguing, as various tactics played out when under the television lights.

In a more macro look, the Hungarian GP added more juice into the fighting title framework. Victory by Martin put some pressure on Bagnaia, M Rquez returned to his finest hours, spicing the matter of internal politics within the team of Ducati, and Acosta continued to exhibit maturity, building hopeful expectations of the future. Simultaneously, the misfortunes that Yamaha and Honda have been going through also acted as a reminder of the rapidly changing fortunes in MotoGP. The players who could rule the roost are lost, the starlets and newcomers are the center of attention.

To fans, this is what MotoGP must be: unpredictable, dramatic and tightly fought. Hungary is not a staple of the calendar but after this weekend it feels like the Hungaroring is definitely in the right place. The peculiarities of the track challenged each of the participants, which made the competition a spectacular show that will not be easily forgotten.

The Hungarian Grand Prix in the end was not a victory of a particular person, who won and who lost. It was about momentum that has changed hands with matching stones across the board in a championship more open and unpredictable than at any time. Martin showed his pace, Bagnaia reaffirmed his champion strength, M arquez flashed his recollection of his best and Acosta rode on in his fairy-tale lift. The struggles in the case of Quartararo, Mir and Honda will continue well past the chequered flag. That is the magic of MotoGP, however: Each race marks a new possibilities of redemption, and Hungary gave us twists enough to contend with throughout the rest of the season.