Hungarian Grand Prix updateThe Hungarian Grand Prix saw F1's longest ever season move past the halfway point of the season and, as it did so, Lewis Hamilton took the lead in the WDC for the first time in 2016. The optimism surrounding Red Bull's potential to fight for a win faded as their two drivers spent the race never really looking like a threat for the victory, instead using the latter laps to successfully repel the Ferrari duo of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen. But what does all that mean for the Group Pick'em? And can Jenson's Understeer possibly get through this update without a single terrible Hungary/hungry joke? It's pretty doubtful!
The champagne moment There are few things in life that are guaranteed, but next to birth, death and taxes comes the fact that a good weekend for Red Bull means the trio of Hamilton_Jar, Herb and TypingChicane will be fighting for the win. Hungary was no different, despite a whole host of jokers being deployed (more on that later!) as the top three in the Championship filled out the podium for the third successive race. While Herb may have taken victory in Silverstone it was TypingChicane who edged to the front this time, tying the Championship leader in taking their third victory of the year. A 136-point effort was only four points shy of a personal best, but was the late decision to pull the use of an Alonso joker a misstep? Only time will tell. As always, Herb wasn't far behind, claiming another strong result with a 129-point score. It's the first time we've seen someone score four successive podiums, and a sixth such result in seven races. Rounding out our familiar faces is Hamilton_Jar, who with a 124-point result perhaps may rue not using any jokers. Instead it's a fourth podium appearance without a victory, but certainly keeps them at the sharp end of the standings.
TypingChicane - 136Herb - 129Hamilton_Jar - 124TypingChicane's winning team: Hamilton (25); Raikkonen (8); Ricciardo (15); Kvyat (0); Alonso (6); Nasr (0); Grosjean (0); Mercedes (43); Red Bull (25); Toro Rosso (4); Haas (0); Verstappen joker (10)
Because we can't all be winners While Herb, TypingChicane and Hamilton_Jar fight amongst themselves, the rest of us - we may as well be dubbed the 'Class B Championship' at this point! - were again left to scrap for the rest of the positions. Predictably, the sheer amount of jokers in use lead to a lot of us getting onto the right side of 100; the average score of 101.13 being just the third time (after Canada and Russia) where it has topped a century. It led to a crowded midfield battle as only 11 points separated the eight names from fourth through to eleventh. Icemanjee1 came out on top in that regard with a 112-point round, reaching triple figures for the fifth time this season. Next was Schumacher forever#1, posting a seventh 100+ score in 2016 with 110. Fountoukos13 and Jenson's Understeer were a further point back on 109, with theferret (107), Exediron (103), Remmirath (102) and Jezza13 (101).
Icemanjee1 - 112
Schumacher forever#1 - 110
Fountoukos13 and Jenson's Understeer - 109
theferret - 107
Exediron - 103
Remmirath - 102
Jezza13 - 101
coulthard's chin - 98
Mayhem - 94
Black_Flag_11 - 87
Jokers updateAfter two races without any jokers, did we ever make it for it in Hungary! A total of 11 were in-play when the race commenced, the majority of which were either for Max Verstappen (TypingChicane, Schumacher forever#1, Remmirath and coulthard's chin) or Fernando Alonso (theferret, Jenson's Understeer and Herb). But it was Icemanjee1 who picked up the most bonus points, sensibly using their Driver Group 1 joker on Lewis Hamilton. Despite an uncharacteristic accident in FP2, and being unable to set a faster lap in Q3 thanks to Alonso's spin, the Brit still came out on top, bagging Icemanjee1 an extra 25 points. At the other end of the scale, Exediron took a risk on Romain Grosjean and came away with no points, the only one of the ten of us who used a joker not to pick up at least a point.
The Max Verstappen joker may have been a missed opportunity, however. 10 points would not be the return those who used it would've hoped for, and indeed with Daniel Ricciardo finishing third, it wasn't even the maximum return from a Red Bull driver. Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, failed to repeat his fifth place from 2015, or indeed match the result he secured in Canada, but unless McLaren make a major step forward then you might think decent points hauls will be hard to come by.
Herb - G3 joker on Ricciardo in Monaco; G4 joker on Perez in Azerbaijan; G5 joker on Alonso in Hungary - 39 points
Fountoukos13 - G1 joker on Hamilton in Monaco; G2 joker on Raikkonen in Hungary; G4 joker on Hulkenberg in Spain; G5 joker on Button in Hungary; G6 joker on Nasr in Australia - 33 points
Jenson's Understeer - G1 joker on Rosberg in China; G5 joker on Alonso in Hungary - 31 points
theferret - G1 joker on Rosberg in Monaco; G2 joker on Bottas in Canada; G5 joker on Alonso in Hungary - 27 points
Icemanjee1 - G1 joker on Hamilton in Hungary - 25 points
Jezza13 - G1 joker on Hamilton in Canada - 25 points
Remmirath - G1 joker on Rosberg in Spain; G2 joker on Bottas in Canada; G3 joker on Verstappen in Hungary - 25 points
Exediron - G1 joker on Vettel in China; G4 joker on Sainz in Monaco; G6 joker on Grosjean in Hungary - 22 points
Schumacher forever#1 - G3 joker on Verstappen in Hungary; G5 joker on Alonso in Monaco - 20 points
Coulthard's Chin - G3 joker on Verstappen in Hungary; G4 joker on Hulkenberg in Canada; G5 joker on Alonso in Spain - 14 points
TypingChicane - G3 joker on Verstappen in Hungary - 10 points
Mayhem, Black_Flag_11 and Hamilton_Jar have yet to use a joker.
Spare a thought for... Fountoukos13. The only person to use two jokers in Hungary, the potential was there for a big points boost that might've resulted in just a second podium finish of the season. One went on Kimi Raikkonen, a decision quickly rendered unfortunate when the Iceman was the first driver to set his final lap in Q2 and spent the next 90 seconds tumbling down the order. While he recovered to sixth, eight points for a driver who has twice finished second isn't ideal. The other was burned on Jenson Button, which looked like it might at least result in some points after the Englishman made it into Q3. Instead Button was the only driver not to complete the race, whilst his teammate came home in seventh to nab six points, doubling the frustration for Fountoukos13. Two jokers resulting in eight points? You might say it left Fountoukos13 ...hungry... for what might have been.
/Jenson's Understeer ducks as tomatoes are hurled onto the stage.
Overall standings after HungaryHerb - 1219 (-)
TypingChicane - 1173 (-)
Hamilton_Jar - 1160 (-)
Jezza13 - 1106 (-)
Schumacher forever#1 - 1099 (-)
Fountoukos13 - 1064 (-)
Icemanjee1 and theferret - 1058 (+1) and (-)
Jenson's Understeer and Mayhem - 1021 (+1) and (-)
Exediron - 1012 (-)
Coulthard’s Chin - 995 (-)
Black_Flag_11 - 969 (-)
Remmirath - 961 (-)
TypingChicane victory takes seven points out of Herb's lead, reducing it to 46 points, a total which still looks pretty secure. It also allows them to edge away from Hamilton_Jar, expanding the gap from a single point to 13. With the scoring so closely bunched up there is little-to-no movement around the rest of the standings. Jezza13 falls further away from the top three and sees Schumacher forever#1 gain nine points in the battle for fourth, while Icemanjee1 moves into a tie with theferret for seventh place. Jenson's Understeer was the only other mover, also moving into a tie (with Mayhem), giving us the unique scenario whereby two entrants managed to gain a position but nobody technically lost one. Unless you're one of these people who would suggest that rather than Icemanjee1 and theferret being tied for seventh, they are actually tied for eighth (and, by extension, Jenson's Understeer and Mayhem are tied for tenth, not ninth) then it would mean two people lost a place without anybody gaining one. But for some reason I'm favouring the glass-half-full approach here

Germany next, the last race before F1 goes off on its summer vacation. Will we see another round dominated by Herb, TypingChicane and Hamilton_Jar? Or will Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen take each other out and give us a little variation in the result?! We shall find out soon!