Hungarian Grand Prix: The prospects for the race
Lewis Hamilton for the 101st pole of his career, Red Bull in trouble, Pierre Gasly well placed...what does this Hungarian Grand Prix have in store for us?
The Hungaroring was the scene of a relatively calm qualifying session, but full of stakes, mainly in the fight for the drivers’ and constructors’ titles.
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes crushed the competition while Red Bull had to opt for an unconventional tire strategy.
Can Lewis Hamilton make it 100?
Given his performance in qualifying, one can legitimately believe in a victory for the seven-time world champion. Especially since he will start from pole position and the Budapest circuit is not very conducive to overtaking. It will be crucial not to make a mistake at the start.
He will also be able to count on his teammate Valtteri Bottas to try and hold back his championship rival, Max Verstappen.
With an 8-point gap on the Dutch, the stakes are twofold for Hamilton: not only to achieve a second consecutive victory, after Silverstone, but also to regain the lead in the championship. It would be a first since the Spanish Grand Prix last May.
It should be kept in mind that the gap was 32 points upon arriving in England… the championship has been reignited, it could now swing the other way!
Finally, a victory by Hamilton will be the 100th of his career, becoming the first driver in history to achieve such a feat.
Red Bull will have to find something.
After a good FP1, Max Verstappen couldn’t regain the lead in the following sessions.
It must be said that the pace of the race, simulated in FP2, did not satisfy the Red Bull team. Worse still, Max Verstappen was severely beaten by Hamilton in qualifying: 4 tenths! The same punishment that the Dutchman inflicted on Sir Lewis in Bahrain at the start of the season.
In an attempt to catch the black cars off guard, Red Bull decided to change its strategy: opt for soft tires, instead of mediums. The decision was made in Q2, where the tires used during the best lap will be used the next day at the start.
Verstappen and Sergio Pérez will both be on the second row, equipped with red tires, while the Mercedes, having locked out the front row, will be on medium tires.
The two residents of the Red Bull must imperatively make a good start and overtake the Mercedes. In principle, it is possible and the first turn could be hot!
The great performance of Pierre Gasly!
The Norman Grand Prix winner performed miracles! Number 10 qualified in a superb 5th place at the wheel of his AlphaTauri, and it bodes well for the race!
All the more so as he too will start on soft tires. He can benefit from good grip to try to take off well.
Failing to be able to bother the Fantastic 4 in front, there are high points possible for him. He qualified ahead of Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc, who still represent a certain threat.
And who knows, Gasly could take advantage of any twists and turns at the front of the race to seize an opportunity. Let’s not jinx him, but this 5th place is nice to see!
See you tomorrow for the Hungarian Grand Prix, which will start at 3 p.m.!
