Formula One has reached round 13, the Hungarian Grand Prix, and what started as another dominant early-season campaign from Red Bull has delivered some thrilling racing since Miami, with surprise winners and an increasingly intense battle.
The season has so far produced six different winners and has seen a resurgence for Mercedes, with Lewis Hamilton returning to winning ways at the British Grand Prix. Meanwhile, Ferrari, initially a rival to Max Verstappen and Red Bull, have found themselves with just one podium finish since Charles Leclerc's Monaco Grand Prix victory in May.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton has the most pole positions and wins at the Hungaroring, but of course Red Bull remains the team to beat.
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Circuit statistics and history
The Hungaroring became the first venue to host a Grand Prix behind the Iron Curtain in 1986 and has since become a mainstay of the F1 calendar.
Often compared to a go-kart circuit due to its narrow layout and lack of straights, the 2.7-mile track has only received minor changes, including a successful attempt to make passing easier in Turn One in 2003.
Known for its exciting and unusual races, it has been the scene of five maiden victories, including Damon Hill's in 1993, Fernando Alonso's in 2004 and Jenson Button's in 2006.
Laps: 70 laps of 4.3 km. Total distance 306 km.
Lap record: 1:16.627 – Hamilton (2020)
More victories: Hamilton with eight (2007, 2009, 2012-2013, 2016, 2018-2020). Among current drivers, Verstappen (2022, 2023), Fernando Alonso (2003), Daniel Ricciardo (2013) and Esteban Ocon (2021) have won here.
Most posts: Hamilton would go on to win nine times (2007-2008, 2012-2013, 2015, 2018, 2020-2021, 2023). Among current drivers, George Russell (2022), Verstappen (2019) and Alonso (2003-2009) have all claimed pole here.
What happened last year?
In qualifying, Hamilton claimed his first pole position since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but the lead only lasted until the first corner when Verstappen overtook him to claim first place after a better start.
The Red Bull driver never looked back from that point on, securing victory by more than 30 seconds over the McLaren of Norris in second, Perez in third and Hamilton in fourth.
On the podium, Norris accidentally smashed Verstappen's trophy, getting a little too excited with a large bottle of champagne…
Who will win?
The Hungaroring represents the return of slow, medium-speed corners, which could help Ferrari regain a more competitive position. But at a circuit where Verstappen dominated last year, it is hard to ignore that Red Bull is the favourite for victory.
Watch on ESPNEWS and ESPN+ (U.S. only). Live coverage in the UK is on Sky Sports F1 and BBC Radio 5 Live. For news, analysis and updates, follow the coverage with The ESPN F1 Team Nate Saunders and Laurence Edmondson in Budapest and on social media. Friday Saturday Sunday Verstappen continues to dominate the standings and shows no signs of stopping, with an 84-point gap to second-placed Norris. Although Mercedes have been more competitive of late, they are 60 points behind Norris, so both teams (and Ferrari) would need a run of consecutive wins to have any chance of closing that gap. The constructors' championship is a tight one between McLaren and Ferrari, and both teams will have to prevent Red Bull from scoring too many points to catch up. Standings | Calendar | TeamsHow to watch the GP
Free Practice 1: 12:30-13:30 BST
Free practice two – 16:00-17:00 BST.
Third free practice: 11:30-12:30 BST
Qualifying – 15:00-16:00 BST.
The race starts at 14:00 BST.This is what the championships look like
