Hungarian F1 Grand Prix weather: sunny on Friday and Saturday, threatening on Sunday
The thirteenth round of the Formula 1 World Championship takes place this weekend in Hungary. For the occasion, the Hungaroring circuit inaugurates a completely renovated paddock. But beyond the new infrastructure, it's the weather that could have a major impact on the event. As with every Grand Prix, Motors Inside brings you the full weather report, which could influence strategies and the final outcome.
General situation
Hungary is currently under the influence of an anticyclone centered over Romania, which favors dry and sunny weather for Friday morning. However, starting Friday afternoon and Saturday, slight instability will begin to develop, leading to a low risk of isolated showers, especially in the afternoon. This risk will increase on Sunday, with more pronounced instability likely to cause more significant precipitation as well as a marked drop in temperatures.
Friday, August 1st: Free Practice 1 (1:30 PM) and Free Practice 2 (5:00 PM)
The morning and early afternoon are expected to be largely sunny, under a clear sky with rapidly rising temperatures. From mid-afternoon, cloudiness will gradually increase, but conditions should remain dry.
The air will oscillate between 27°C and 28°C during the two sessions, while the track temperature will reach between 42°C and 46°C. The relative humidity will remain moderate, around 40%. A light to moderate northwesterly wind will blow between 5 and 15 km/h, with occasional gusts up to 25 km/h. A factor that should not significantly affect the aerodynamic behavior of the single-seaters.
In the evening, a deterioration is possible, with a risk of localized thunderstorms to monitor.
Saturday, August 2: Free Practice 3 (12:30 PM) and Qualifying (4:00 PM)
For Saturday afternoon, conditions will remain summery, with air temperatures reaching up to 28°C. The track temperature, on the other hand, could climb between 35°C and 45°C, which could significantly influence tire management, especially during qualifying. The wind will remain light, blowing mainly from the south.
Uncertainty will mainly come from the sky, which will be cloudy. The risk of precipitation will gradually increase over the hours, particularly from 3 PM. A rapid evolution of weather conditions cannot be ruled out, which will require teams to stay vigilant and ready to adjust their strategy in real time.
Sunday, August 3: The race (3 PM)
For the race, the weather conditions in the Budapest area will be at the forefront of concerns in the paddock. A moderate risk of rain is expected from the morning and in the early afternoon.
At the start of the race, which consists of 70 laps, the probability of precipitation will be moderate with the possibility of heavy showers and even storm cells. Temperatures will noticeably drop compared to previous days, with maximums around 24°C in the air and up to 34°C on the track.
The winds will also be stronger than in previous sessions, ranging between 10 and 20 km/h, with gusts reaching up to 35 km/h, which could impact the stability of the single-seaters and aerodynamic performance.
