F1: Hungarian Grand Prix Preview and Betting Tips

This weekend marks the last race before the teams conclude the first half of the season and head for a well-deserved summer break.

With the gap between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris sitting at 16 points in the Formula 1 drivers’ championship, the Hungaroring race is bound to be crucial in the title fight.

Piastri broke Norris’ run of two consecutive wins to take McLaren’s first win in Belgium in 13 years and score the team’s 10th win in 13 races this season. The Australian has fond memories of the Hungaroring, having scored his maiden Formula 1 victory there in 2024.

Interestingly, McLaren is the most successful team in Budapest with 12 wins, followed by Williams and Ferrari, both with seven.

Let’s look ahead to this weekend’s Hungarian GP, the forty-first iteration of the race.

The Track

The Hungaroring’s lack of straights and several low-to-medium speed corners, and the teams opting for high downforce, similar to that used at Monaco.

The track is 4.381km long and features two DRS zones. Due to its tight and twisty layout, the Hungaroring is a tough track to pass other cars. In last year’s race, the number of overtakes was uncharacteristically high with a total of 65.

The best opportunity to overtake is at the first corner, which is a high braking zone. That means starting on pole and getting a good run on the 618 metre main straight down to the first corner is vital.

The drivers will need to focus on all 14 corners to ensure they avoid costly errors, as starting further down the grid will reduce their chances of scoring a podium or points. The last four pole-sitters in Hungary all failed to win the race. Lewis Hamilton has the most pole positions (9) and wins here (8).

In terms of tyres, Pirelli announced that the compound choices mirror those of last year’s race: C3 as Hard, C4 as Medium, and C5 as Soft.

Will it be another Piastri and Norris Battle?

The smart money is on another McLaren win this weekend. Both Piastri and Norris are at level odds (2.625) to take victory on Sunday.

Piastri’s move on Norris at the end of the Kemmel Straight last weekend underscored the Australian’s ability to handle pressure in difficult conditions. 

And speaking about pressure, the ball is in Norris’s court as he will be determined not to slip further back in the drivers’ standings.

Charles Leclerc has displayed consistently strong performances this season, despite Ferrari not matching McLaren’s pace up front. The Monegasque driver has scored four podium finishes in his last six races and is at 2.375 for another podium finish.

Lewis Hamilton is installed at 3.25 for an unlikely visit to the podium as he continues to struggle with the SF-25. However, Ferrari will relish the slower nature of the Hungaroring compared to Spa last weekend, and the car rides curbs better than most of its rivals.

We could see a surprisingly good result for the Italian outfit, particularly if Hamilton performs well at a track he has conquered in the past.

Further down the grid, Alex Albon is getting the most out of Williams. The British Thai driver has secured four top-six finishes this season, and is an outsider at 6.00 odds to add a fifth this weekend. 

Drivers who have a strong chance of finishing in the top 10 include rookies Liam Lawson and Gabriel Bortoleto, while veteran Fernando Alonso is also in contention. Lastly, Pierre Gasly is singlehandedly helping Alpine to move off the bottom of the constructors’ standings. The Frenchman has scored three top 10 finishes in his last five races.

Predictions

Grand Prix Winner: Piastri

Grand Prix Podium: Piastri, Norris, Leclerc

Pole Position: Leclerc

Top 4 and 5: Verstappen, Hamilton

Finish in the points: Albon, Sainz, Lawson

Race Winning Margin: Under 5 seconds

Fastest Lap: Hamilton

First to Retire: Tsunoda

First car to retire: Red Bull

Most Team Points: McLaren

Both Cars Qualify for Q3 Shootout: Ferrari

Ferrari Practice 1/2/3 Winning Car: Leclerc / Ferrari

Safety Car: No

Fastest pit stop: Ferrari