Hungary – Qualifying: Hamilton takes pole between the raindrops ahead of Bottas

The rain had so far spared the track during the practice sessions, but it decided to pour down on the Hungaroring as the qualifying session approached. One thing is certain: Q1 will be held on a wet track, with intermediate tires, as the rain is very sparse.

There’s moisture in the air as Qualifying approaches 😮#HungarianGP 🇭🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/jD3C8OBqpy

— Formula 1 (@F1) 28 juillet 2018

Red Bull is very pleased with these showers a few minutes before taking to the track, Christian Horner says it’s fantastic for us, it is welcome. The Austrian team is aiming for the first or second row to clinch the victory tomorrow, which is the goal for this weekend before the break.

The Q1

With an 80% risk of rain, the drivers are bottling up at the exit of the pits. It’s important to get on the track as quickly as possible on intermediates because if the rain intensifies, lap times will drop.

C’est parti pour la Q1 de ce #HungarianGP 🇭🇺 ! 🚦

La pluie ne devrait pas tarder à arriver ! 🌧️ pic.twitter.com/nJsQRctaWy

— La F1® sur CANAL (@LaF1SurCanal) 28 juillet 2018

Bottas and Hamilton are the first to chase the clock. The Finn crosses the line first, but Hamilton and then Räikkönen push him back. Räikkönen holds the best time with 1:25.988 for this first stint. An astonishing Hülkenberg also displaced Bottas from the podium.

Happy to see the rain, the Red Bulls are only 6th and 13th, with Verstappen far ahead of Ricciardo. The track dries quickly and it becomes difficult to keep the green marked tires over several flying laps. Verstappen manages to improve for the 3rd fastest time.

While the rain looms ominously behind the pit lane stands, many drivers are gambling on ultra-soft slicks because the track is dry. Sainz wins his bet and improves Vettel’s best time by 2.4 seconds. The German took a long time before switching to the ultra-softs. With 7 minutes left in the session, the leaderboard is reversed. Verstappen, Hamilton, Bottas, Ricciardo, and Vettel are in the elimination zone.

Sent back on track with soft tires, Ricciardo struggled to get out of the elimination zone. In a final attempt, he moved up to 11th place, which was quite reassuring. Ahead, the top teams had regained their positions. Vettel set the fastest time ahead of Verstappen and Hamilton.

The Q1 eliminations: Vandoorne, Leclerc, Ocon, Pérez, and Sirotkin

Q1 CLASSIFICATION

An incredible first session sees Vettel on top in wet-dry conditions as Ricciardo squeaks through on the soft tyre 😮 #HungarianGP 🇭🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/sEQpJMZqWC

— Formula 1 (@F1) 28 juillet 2018

The Q2

As in Q1, the rain is semi-present on the circuit. Occasionally, lightning can be seen and thunder heard in the Hungarian sky. At the green light, Grosjean and Magnussen are the first, ahead of Sainz and Hülkenberg. The four drivers have taken to the track on the ultra-soft tires, while Ferrari gives the benefit of the doubt and chooses intermediates for Vettel.

The German seems to have made the best choice as a deluge hit the last sector. All the drivers are returning, only Vettel is on track. He finishes with a 1:28.636 while more deterioration than improvement in conditions was expected. Magnussen is the first after Vettel to cross the line after making a detour in the last corner.

The conditions are hellish in the last sector where rain tires would be recommended. In the second sector, Lance Stroll makes a mistake and causes a brief yellow flag.

WATCH: A trip to the barrier for Lance Stroll as the rain gets heavier
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Räikkönen also makes a mistake at the exit of the chicane. The conditions become impractical for improving lap times. As it stands, the Toro Rosso team surprises with Gasly in 5th and Hartley in 7th. Ricciardo is only 13th. The first survivor of Q1, Ericsson takes a chance on wet tires to improve, but he is more than 6 seconds behind on the line.

On the radio, an exchange between Alonso and his engineer provokes smiles. Changing the tires wouldn’t do anything, we could even put a rocket in the trunk and it would not change a thing. The last sector is impassable. The Spaniard finally takes to the track for a lap on full wets, without success.

📻: “Fernando, do you want new inters or wets?”

ALO: “I think we should go to the garage… I dunno mate. Put whatever tyre you want. Even if you put a rocket ship, we will stay P11”#HungarianGP 🇭🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/acNbqsRyc3

— Formula 1 (@F1) 28 juillet 2018

The Q2 eliminations: Alonso, Ricciardo, Hülkenberg, Ericsson, Stroll

Q2 CLASSIFICATION

Vettel times his lap on Inters to perfection, while others struggle round on full wets ☔️ Ricciardo the biggest casualty of Q2 #HungarianGP 🇭🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/R02K79b6qv

— Formula 1 (@F1) 28 juillet 2018

The Q3

Verstappen kicks off to have the best visibility, he’s sliding in the fast turn 4 but controls it, he’s wide in turn 12 and completes his lap in 1.38.923. Bottas then Hamilton improve by over a second ahead of the Red Bull driver. Räikkönen is the closest to the Mercedes, 0.205s behind Hamilton’s time.

In a second attempt, Hamilton drives the point home and puts a full second on Bottas and Vettel. Räikkönen fares better but is still 7 tenths behind the Briton. Behind the Mercedes and Ferraris, Gasly is a solid 5th ahead of Verstappen, who returned to the pits.

Just as we began to see a pole from Hamilton due to his multiple improvements by several tenths over the rest of the field, Räikkönen surprises by taking the provisional pole. His 1:36.186 is 462 thousandths faster than Hamilton. In turn, Sainz astonishes by securing the third fastest time, just over a tenth behind Hamilton.

The sun reappears less than two minutes before the end of the session, Räikkönen, Hamilton, Bottas, and Gasly among others went back to put on a new set of wet tires. In a last attempt, the Mercedes take the lead. Hamilton takes pole position ahead of Bottas.

The standings at the end of the qualifying session

Q3 CLASSIFICATION

A Qualifying session for the ages in Budapest, with Hamilton splashing his way to pole, earning a 60th front row lockout for @MercedesAMGF1 💪#HungarianGP 🇭🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/2Xi6Eb9sG3

— Formula 1 (@F1) 28 juillet 2018