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Formula One is ready for one last dash before its traditional summer break and after enduring the heat on and off the track at last week’s French race, there is bound to be a boilover in Budapest. Join The Roar from 10:50pm AEST for live blog coverage of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc famously crashed out of the lead in Les Castellet and now sits 63-points behind reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who took another commanding victory as Ferrari faltered.
The Hungarian Grand Prix is a race known for its unknowns, given the chaos that has ensued in the past and the variable weather that has caused it. 2021’s race saw a myriad of cars wiped out at Turn 1, including title hopeful Verstappen – as Esteban Ocon took a maiden win for Alpine.
Ferrari and Leclerc will need similar luck if they are to erase any of the hefty points differential to Red Bull and Verstappen. However, they’ll need to create their own luck in reliability and making correct decisions strategically.
The 70-lap race is predicted to be run as a one-stopper; however, Lewis Hamilton in 2019 to great effect used the two-stop to come back and pass Verstappen for the lead on fresh tyres. A dry race may require that sort of wit from Ferrari for example.
Overtaking opportunities are scarce around the 4.3km go-kart-like circuit, with the DRS-assisted run into Turns 1 and 2 the hotspot for passes at the Hungaroring.
It was George Russell and Mercedes that shocked during qualifying, with the Briton claiming his first pole position in Formula One, edging the provisionally leading Ferrari of Carlos Sainz by 0.044-seconds.
Having pronounced being nowhere in terms of one-lap speed on Friday, Mercedes pulled the rabbit out of the hat to start ahead of both Ferraris and Red Bulls, whom Verstappen lead down in tenth after qualifying difficulties.
Mercedes race pace has traditionally been strong in 2022, giving Ferrari an extra variable to battle despite their chief rivals in Red Bull being further down the grid. If he channels his composure from the Sakhir Grand Prix in 2020, can Russell be on for a maiden Formula One win?
An improved McLaren heads the second row of the grid with Lando Norris, as their midfield fight with Alpine hots ups after the French manufacturer overtook the Britons for fourth in the constructor’s championship. Daniel Ricciardo will start inside the top ten too.
Race Information
Lights out: 11pm (AEST)
Venue: Hungaroring, Budapest
TV: Fox Sports
Online: Kayo Sports, Foxtel
Grid
1. George Russell (Mercedes), 2. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), 3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 4. Lando Norris (McLaren), 5. Esteban Ocon (Alpine), 6. Fernando Alonso (Alpine), 7. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), 8. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), 9. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren), 10. Max Verstappen (Red Bull), 11. Sergio Perez (Red Bull), 12. Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo), 13. Kevin Magnussen (Haas), 14. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), 15. Mick Schumacher (Haas), 16. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), 17. Alexander Albon (Williams), 18. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), 19. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), 20. Nicholas Latifi (Williams)
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