#F1 #HungarianGP 2024 Preview. #Formula1 #HungarianGrandPrix
Formula 1 Qatar Airways Hungarian Grand Prix 2023 Race Start, Hungaroring, Mogyorod, Budapest, Hungary. Image credit to Andrea Diodato/NurPhoto via Getty Images. 2024 Hungarian GP Preview, F1 Hungarian GP Preview, 2024 F1 Hungarian GP Preview, Hungarian Grand Prix Preview, 2024 Formula 1 Hungarian GP Preview.
2024 Hungarian GP Preview – After Sir Lewis Hamilton held off a charging Red Bull of Max Verstappen to win his home British GP at Silverstone, round 13 of the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship returns to the Hungaroring in Budapest, Mogyorod, Hungary this weekend for the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix 2024. This will be the 38th edition of the Hungarian Grand Prix as part of the world championship. This will be a back-to-back race with the Belgian GP before the sport’s traditional summer break.
2024 Hungarian GP Preview – A look at the Hungaroring
The Hungaroring is a permanent racing circuit in Mogyoród, Hungary where the Hungarian Grand Prix has been held since 1986. In 1986, it became the first Formula 1 Grand Prix held behind the Iron Curtain. Bernie Ecclestone wanted a race in the USSR (now held in Sochi), but a Hungarian friend recommended Budapest. They wanted a street circuit similar to the Circuit de Monaco to be built in Nepliget, Budapest’s largest park but the government decided to build a new circuit outside the city near the major highway.
Construction works started on October 1, 1985. It was built in eight months, less time than any other Formula One circuit. The first race was held on March 24, 1986, in memory of Janos Drapal, the first Hungarian who won motorcycle Grand Prix races. According to a survey put together by the national tourism office of Hungary, Mogyoród ranks third among Hungarian destinations visited by tourists, behind the Danube Bend area and Lake Balaton, but ahead of Budapest.
The Grand Prix is held in the middle of summer, which is usually very hot and dry in this region. It’s very first wet Grand Prix race was in 2006. The circuit is normally dusty due to underuse throughout the rest of the year and its sandy soil. As the circuit is in a valley about 80 percent of it can be seen from any point.
Normally, an underused circuit becomes faster over the weekend as the track surface gathers more rubber; however, with the Hungaroring this generally does not happen, because the track can get dusty so quickly. The track becomes faster during a qualifying session, which leads competitors to try for their best lap as late as possible. Described as “Monaco without walls” by Ricciardo, the Hungaroring is also a circuit less reliant on engine power meaning the field could be closely bunched than in recent races. Teams run their maximum downforce packages in Hungary to cope with the many slow corners. The issue that will occupy the minds of engineers during the practice sessions is the need to maximise traction to get the best return from the many low-gear acceleration points.
The twisty and bumpy nature of the circuit makes overtaking very difficult in dry conditions. Nonetheless, the Hungaroring has been the scene of some several memorable races such as the duels of Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell’s lost wheel in 1987, Mansell’s win from 12th on the grid after a dramatic overtake on Ayrton Senna in 1989, Damon Hill’s almost victory with Arrows in 1997, Michael Schumacher’s change in strategy to beat the McLarens of Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard in 1998 and maiden victories for Hill in 1993, Fernando Alonso in 2003, Jenson Button in 2006 in the track’s first wet Grand Prix, Heikki Kovalainen in 2008, and the second win for Daniel Ricciardo in 2014, overtaking the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Alonso’s Ferrari using very degraded soft tyres in the penultimate lap, grabbing an incredible victory.
The current Grand Prix circuit layout is 4.381km (2.722mi) in length and runs in a clockwise direction with 16 corners.
Race distance is 306.663km (190.560mi) with 70 laps in total.
Lewis Hamilton holds the fastest lap record set at the 2020 event with a 1:16.627 in his Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport F1 W11 EQ Performance racer.
Lewis Hamilton holds the record for most wins at the Hungarian Grand Prix with eight to his name.
McLaren are the most successful constructor at the Hungarian Grand Prix with 11 victories.
2024 Hungarian GP Preview – Onboard Lap of the Hungaroring
Here is the onboard pole position lap of the Hungaroring from last year’s event, set by Sir Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team F1 W14 racer. The seven-time world champion posted a blistering 1:16.609. You can watch the footage right here at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4kx5PFk8jU
2024 Hungarian GP Preview – The Last Five Winners
2023: Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing. 2022: Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing. 2021: Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team. 2020: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1. 2019: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1.
2024 Hungarian GP Preview – Tyres
Sole-tyre supplier Pirelli will be bringing with them to the Hungaroring, the white-side walled C3 (Hard) tyres, the yellow-branded C4 (Mediums) and red-marked C5 (Soft) rubber alongside the green-marked (Intermediates) and blue-branded (Full Wets) in case of rain.
2024 Hungarian GP Preview – DRS Zones
There will be two DRS zones sharing a detection point 5 metres before turn 14. Activation points are 130 metres after the apex of turn 14 and 6 metres after the apex of turn one.
2024 Hungarian GP Preview – Pitlane Speed Limits
Pitlane speeds will be 80km/h during practice, qualifying and the race.
ICYMI: Hamilton holds off charging Verstappen to take home British GP victory
Mercedes’ Sir Lewis Hamilton held off a charging Red Bull of Max Verstappen to score his 104th Formula 1-career victory at a wild British GP by 1.465 seconds as McLaren’s Lando Norris rounded out the top three after the latter’s strategy faltered.
Hamilton jumped Norris on the beginning of lap 40 after the latter suffered a slow pit-stop to take the lead and held on to break his race-winning drought, which ran since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and score his 150th podium for Mercedes and 199th podium overall.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was the first retiree of the Grand Prix after a gearbox issue struck the Frenchman’s A524 before the race started.
When the 52-lap British GP began, pole-sitter Russell got a solid start as his team-mate Hamilton tucks in behind as they head towards Abbey as behind them Verstappen made his way ahead of Norris at the Loop around the outside of the McLaren.
Behind them 11th place starter, Charles Leclerc made his way up into eighth place.
At the beginning of lap two, Russell held a 0.800 second lead over team-mate Hamilton with Verstappen third as the two McLaren’s of Norris and Oscar Piastri completed the top five.
Hamilton was told over the radio that rain was expected to hit the track in 25 minutes.
With DRS assistance Norris caught right up the back of Verstappen’s RB20 as they approached Brooklands, but the former could not get by.
Race leader Russell broke out of DRS range from Mercedes team-mate Hamilton as he brought the gap to 1.2 seconds.
On the sixth tour, Russell’s lead increased to 1.513 seconds over Hamilton with Verstappen 1.554 seconds further off in third, Norris fourth and Piastri rounding out the top five.
Verstappen was told by Giampiero Lambiase over the radio that increased rain will hit on lap 16.
A lap later, Ferrari’s Leclerc drew ever closer to the back of Stroll’s AMR24 entry in the battle for seventh place as they charged down the Wellington Straight. Later on in the lap, the latter managed to keep the Ferrari behind.
Leclerc was given news that rain will hit the Silverstone Circuit in seven laps and lasting for ten minutes.
On the 10th lap, Russell’s lead over team-mate Hamilton was sitting at 1.539 seconds with Verstappen holding third, Norris fourth as Piastri completed the top five runners.
Norris was told over the radio that they would keep it simple in terms of their calls once the rain comes through.
In the battle for seventh place and with DRS down the Hangar Straight, Leclerc made a move to the inside of Stroll and overtook the Aston Martin just before Stowe to grab the position.
Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu was the first to pit to swap his softs for a fresh set of the C2 mediums.
On lap 15, the rain was slightly hitting as Norris caught up to the back of Verstappen’s RB20 racer.
Norris was picking up the slipstream off Verstappen as they ran out of Woodcote and headed towards Copse Corner. Then with DRS assistance, Norris got right into the slipstream off the Red Bull down the Hangar Straight making his move on the inside to re-take third place before reaching Stowe.
Leclerc was told over the radio that heavy rain was approaching soon.
On lap 17, Russell’s lead increased to 1.9 seconds over team-mate Hamilton with Norris third, Verstappen fourth, Piastri fifth as the Ferrari pairing of Carlos Sainz and Leclerc rounded out the top seven runners.
Piastri, like his team-mate was starting to close in on Verstappen’s Red Bull and like Norris, made the same move on the Dutchman to move up into fourth place.
Lap 18 saw Russell begin to struggle in the slippery conditions as Hamilton caught up to the back of his race-leading team-mate and with DRS on the Hangar Straight, the latter made his move on the inside and swooped past his team-mate to take the lead.
The next tour saw both Mercedes slip off into the opening corner run-off area as the track became more slippery due to the rain, Norris made the move onto the inside of Russell at the Loop to move up into second place.
On the 20th lap, Norris made his way ahead of Hamilton on the main-straight to take the lead as further back Piastri also moved up into third overtaking Russell.
Leclerc, Perez and Ocon all stopped for the intermediates to emerge in 15th, 17th and 18th respectively.
Meanwhile on the Hangar Straight, Piastri with DRS assistance made a move on the inside to overtake Hamilton to make it a McLaren one-two.
On lap 21, the team said to Hamilton it was time for inters, to which the Briton replied “NO!”
The 23rd tour saw Norris’s lead over Piastri at 1.808 seconds with the two Mercedes of Hamilton and Russell following in third and fourth as Verstappen and Sainz completed the top six.
On the 24th lap, the larger cell of rain started to hit the Hamilton Straight as Leclerc and Perez were overlapped by the top six.
The 26th lap saw Sainz catching the back of Verstappen in the battle for fifth place as the former ran deep at the end of the Wellington Straight.
Further upfront, Piastri caught up to the rear of Norris as both Verstappen and Sainz pitted to switch their mediums for intermediates whilst Hulkenberg and Stroll also came in for the green-branded rubber.
Piastri remained out on track as Norris was called in to box as Hamilton and Russell also stopped for a set of intermediates on lap 28.
Piastri was called in for his stop later on in the lap as Leclerc also pitted.
Piastri emerged out of the pits in sixth place behind Sainz as Hamilton is told by his team that it’s “his time”.
On lap 30, Norris’s lead was at 3.296 seconds over Hamilton with Verstappen third, Russell fourth, Sainz fifth as Piastri completed the top six.
Lap 32, Hamilton was told over the radio that the rain will stop in six laps as the seven-time world champion responded, “it’s not raining anymore mate.”
Second-placed Hamilton also said over the radio that his intermediate “tyres were falling apart.”
Meanwhile, Piastri was closing in on Sainz in the battle for fifth place.
Lap 33, Piastri was keeping close to Sainz as Russell is told over the radio to “retire the car”.
Russell parked it into the pits due to a water system issue becoming the second retiree of the race.
Further behind, Magnussen also had a wild moment out of Stowe and managed to successfully hold it.
On lap 36, Hamilton brought the gap down to race leader Norris to 2.426 seconds as Verstappen was third, Sainz fourth as Piastri rounded out the top six.
A tour later, Hamilton ate further into the lead of Norris, bringing the gap to 1.7 seconds with the latter suffering a snap of oversteer out of the final corner on the kerb.
Norris responded back, getting the lead up to two seconds as they got up to Brooklands.
Lap 38, Verstappen was told he was faster than the top two out front as Magnussen and Ricciardo switched for the softer tyre.
On lap 39, both Hamilton, Verstappen and Piastri all pitted for softs, hards and mediums respectively as race leader Norris and Sainz remained out on track.
Norris was told by his team to box as Leclerc also stopped for a set of the C3 red side-walled tyre.
Norris put on his set of softs and suffered a slow 4.5 second stop as Hamilton jumped the McLaren into the lead as the former exited the pits.
Sainz pitted for a set of hards to come out in fifth place behind Piastri.
Hamilton was told by his team that Norris was on the same tyre to which the Briton responded, “leave it to me mate.”
With eleven laps remaining, Hamilton’s lead was at 2.649 seconds over Norris with Verstappen third and closing in on the front-two as Piastri sat fourth with the fastest lap as Sainz rounded out the top five.
Third-place Verstappen on the harder tyre could be beneficial towards the end of the Grand Prix and was sitting 2.627 seconds behind second-placed Norris.
The gap between Hamilton and Norris was sitting at 2.088 seconds as Verstappen brought the gap down to 2.227 behind the McLaren.
Verstappen was told by his team that the top two’s left tyres were beginning to degrade.
A lap later, Verstappen was drawing ever closer to second-placed Norris as the latter’s softer rubber was losing further grip.
Verstappen was close to reaching DRS range down the Hangar Straight as he brought the gap to Norris down to 1.3 seconds.
Verstappen got into DRS range on the Hangar Straight a lap later as the Dutchman was getting closer to the rear of the MCL38.
On lap 48, Verstappen was only at 0.387 seconds behind Norris’s McLaren and with DRS assistance down the Hangar Straight, the former makes the move around the outside of the Briton to move up into second place.
The gap between race leader Hamilton and second-placed Verstappen was at 3.3 seconds on the 49th tour.
Lap 50 saw Hamilton and Verstappen making their way through the backmarkers as the latter brought the gap down to 2.921 seconds.
On the 51st tour, Verstappen brought the gap to down to 2.780 seconds behind Hamilton.
Hamilton crossed the line to become a record nine-time British GP winner finishing ahead of Verstappen by 1.465 seconds as Norris completed the top three a further 4.062 seconds off his fellow British-compatriot.
The other McLaren MCL38 entry of Piastri settled for fourth and ahead of the lead Ferrari of Sainz who finished fifth and grabbed the fastest lap bonus point.
MoneyGram Haas F1 Team’s Nico Hulkenberg took sixth and in-front of Aston Martin pairing Stroll and Fernando Alonso who were seventh and eighth respectively as Williams Racing’s Alexander Albon and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda rounded out the top ten.
The second Williams FW46 entry of Logan Sargeant finished outside the points in 11th place and ahead of Haas’s Magnussen who was 12th and RB’s Daniel Ricciardo who placed 13th as Ferrari’s Leclerc who settled for 14th after an early wrong strategy call.
Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas followed in 15th and in-front of Alpine’s Ocon, Red Bull’s Perez and the other C44 of Zhou who all finished two laps off the lead.
2024 Hungarian GP Preview – The Situation
Following Hamilton’s much awaited triumph at his home British GP at Silverstone, Formula 1’s thrilling 2024 campaign continues with this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring.
Hamilton became the sixth different winner of the 2024 F1 season, highlighting the unexpected unpredictability that has developed after championship leader Verstappen’s strong start to his campaign.
Whilst salvaging second place last time out in Britain ensured Verstappen to extend his World Driver’s Championship lead over McLaren’s Lando Norris to 84 points, the Dutchman looks set to be pushed to the limits at every race weekend at the moment.
The Red Bull drivers’ next challenge comes at the Hungaroring, a famous track loved by the drivers and fans.
Hamilton will be aiming to build upon his 56-race winless streak, and the eight-time Hungarian GP winner has the chance to equal the record he set at Silverstone, for scoring nine victories at the same race.
Mercedes, who have clinched back-to-back victories with George Russell in Austria, have claimed pole in Budapest for the last two seasons and look to be a major threat to both Red Bull and McLaren.
The battle between Verstappen and Norris took a break as Hamilton triumphed at Silverstone, but Norris was left dejected as another opportunity of a victory slipped amid a string of poor strategic decisions.
The low-speed nature of the Hungaroring circuit also gives the possibility of Ferrari making a return to form, with the Maranello-marque having fallen back since Charles Leclerc won his home Monaco Grand Prix in May.
Verstappen returns to Hungary sitting on top of the World Driver’s Championship with 255 points and an 84-point lead over McLaren’s Norris who is second on 171 points, whilst Ferrari’s Leclerc is a further 105 adrift of the Dutchman on 150 points.
Oracle Red Bull Racing head to the Hungaroring in P1 of the World Constructors Championship with 373 points and a 71-point advantage over nearest rivals Scuderia Ferrari who are second on 302 points, whilst McLaren Formula 1 Team are a further 78 off the Milton Keynes based-outfit on 295 points.
2024 Hungarian GP Preview – 2025 F1 Sprint Format Rounds Announced
Formula 1 and sport’s governing body, the FIA, announced on Thursday July 11 the venues that will host the F1 Sprint rounds on the 2025 FIA Formula 1 World Championship calendar, with six circuits to play host to the 100km dash next campaign.
In 2025, the year, which will mark the 75th-year anniversary of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship and the fifth season of the Sprint – Interlagos will keep up it’s run of hosting the Sprint every year since 2021, whilst the Circuit De Spa-Francorchamps returns for the first time since 2023.
Shanghai and Miami are set to host the Sprint format for a second consecutive year, while the Circuit of the Americas and Lusail International Circuit return to the Sprint calendar for the third time.
The format has brought excellent racing in the past four campaigns and multiple winners across the field, including Verstappen, Valtteri Bottas, Russell, Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri.
The 2025 F1 Sprint Calendar
| Date | Country | Venue |
| March 21-23 | China | Shanghai International Circuit |
| May 2-4 | USA | Miami International Autodrome |
| July 25-27 | Belgium | Circuit De Spa-Francorchamps |
| October 17-19 | USA | Circuit Of The Americas |
| November 7-9 | Brazil | Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace |
| November 28-30 | Qatar | Lusail International Circuit |
President and CEO of Formula 1 Stefano Domenicali stated: “The Sprint has been a great success for Formula 1, bringing all our fans more action and racing on the track. We are seeing the proof of this in our audience data, fan attendance on Fridays and from the promoters and partners. As we prepare to celebrate our 75th anniversary in 2025 we will always celebrate our incredible history, but we must always be looking ahead, innovating, and improving to deliver the best for our growing and diverse fanbase. The Sprint is a great example of bringing new elements to our sport in a way that is respectful of the Championship, and I want to thank the six venues that will host the Sprint in 2025 and look forward to those incredible events throughout the season.” Domenicali concluded. Credit to F1 for the quote.
So far in 2024, live audience figures for Sprint Qualifying and the 100km Sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix were up 40% across the top 15 markets compared to the average Free Practice sessions for the opening two rounds.
The live broadcast of the F1 Sprint in Miami reached 946,000 viewers on ESPN, making it the largest ever US audience for a Sprint since the format was introduced in 2021 and for this year’s Austrian Grand Prix, live viewership of the Sprint Qualifying was 76% up against the FP2 sessions in the last two European rounds.
This follows a successful 2023 campaign, which saw Sprint races increase overall viewership, with the Azerbaijan and Belgian Grands Prix amongst the best performing weekends, seeing increases of both 15% and 22% respectively.
Click here for the 2024 Formula 1 World Driver’s (Top 10) and Constructors Championship Standings.
The Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix 2024 weekend begins Friday July 19 with Free Practice 1 and 2, followed by Free Practice 3 and Qualifying Saturday July 20 and the 70 lap Race Sunday July 21.
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