F1 is heading to Budapest, Hungary, for the Hungarian Grand Prix, which marks the front end of a back-to-back race weekend before the summer break. The race will see an eight-time race-winner rejoin the grid, and a new qualifying format will be trialed. Max Verstappen enters the race as the overwhelming favorite.
The starting grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix will feature Lewis Hamilton in first place, followed by Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Zhou Guanyu, Charles Leclerc, Valtteri Bottas, Fernando Alonso, Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg, Carlos Sainz, Esteban Ocon, Daniel Ricciardo, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon, Yuki Tsunoda, George Russell, Kevin Magnussen, and Logan Sargeant.
The TV/streaming schedule for the Hungarian Grand Prix is as follows:
– Free practice 1: Friday, 7:25 – 8:30 a.m. (ESPN2, F1 TV Pro)
– Free practice 2: Friday, 10:55 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (ESPN2, F1 TV Pro)
– Free practice 3: Saturday, 6:25 – 7:30 a.m. (ESPN2, F1 TV Pro)
– Qualifying: Saturday, 9:55 – 11:00 a.m. (ESPN, F1 TV Pro)
– Pre-race show: Sunday, 7:30 – 8:55 a.m. (ESPN)
– Hungarian Grand Prix: Sunday, 8:55 – 11:00 a.m. (ESPN, F1 TV Pro)
George Russell set the top time in FP1, while Charles Leclerc topped the FP2 timesheets. The weather forecast for the weekend predicts temperatures in the mid-80s, with thunderstorms expected on Friday and Saturday. However, no rain is expected for the race on Sunday.
This weekend’s race marks the return of Daniel Ricciardo to F1, as he takes over the AlphaTauri seat from Nyck de Vries. Ricciardo previously competed for the team in 2012 and 2013, before being promoted to Red Bull. After disappointing stints at Renault and McLaren, Ricciardo is back in F1.
The qualifying format for the Hungarian Grand Prix has been tweaked, with teams now being allocated only 11 sets of tires for the weekend. Each session requires teams to run a specific tire compound: the white-striped hard tire in Q1, the yellow-striped medium tire in Q2, and the red-striped soft tire in Q3.
Max Verstappen is the overwhelming favorite to win the Hungarian Grand Prix, with odds of -350 at BetMGM. Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez are also among the top favorites.
Overall, the race in Hungary promises excitement and intense competition, with Verstappen leading the championship standings. Fans can watch the race live on ESPN or stream it on F1 TV Pro.
