Max Verstappen won the Formula 1 Hungarian GP, after starting from tenth position. The Red Bull driver, already world leader, preceded the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton (himself seventh on the grid) and George Russell, who started from pole. The Ferrari race was disappointing, fourth with Sainz and sixth with Leclerc, the latter penalized by the choice of the hard compound with 30 laps to go. At the Hungaroring Verstappen took his eighth victory of the season (the 28th in his career, conquered despite a spin in the middle of the race), which allows him to extend his pace in the drivers’ standings, reaching +80 over Leclerc. Unlike Red Bull, which preferred to alternate soft and medium compounds, the choice of hard tire for Leclerc’s car, between lap 40 and 55, did not pay off and the Monegasque fell from first place to sixth, despite having then finished the GP with soft tires.
Super overtaking on lap 31 by Leclerc who flies in command in Hungary. Behind the Englishman’s Mercedes Carlos Sainz approaches with the second Ferrari, followed by Verstappen’s Red Bull and Hamilton’s Mercedes. Meanwhile, the clouds are thickening over the Hungaroring.
After the first waltz of pit stops for tire changes, between the 17th and 21st lap of 70, Russell returned to the lead at the Hungarian GP. His Mercedes is followed by Leclerc and Sainz’s Ferraris. Fourth for Verstappen’s Red Bull, fifth for Hamilton. All the riders are now on the track with medium tires.
George Russell (Mercedes) retained the lead after the start of the F1 Hungarian GP. Behind the two Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, followed by the McLaren of Lando Norris and the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton, who recovered two positions. At the end of the first short lap, virtual safety car for debris on the track, after a contact at the start. After 5 laps also Verstappen, now sixth with his Red Bull.
EVE
The Red Bulls cancel themselves in qualifying at the Hungaroring but the Ferraris take advantage only in part, mocked at the last moment by a Mercedes that the young George Russell manages to push beyond the limits, winning his first pole, as well deserved as it is surprising. In fact, it is a truly unexpected turn taken by qualifying for the Hungarian GP, where everyone gave the Reds of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz as favorites in front of the usual Max Verstappen, leaving open a window to the unknown of rain, which he instead saved. the decisive hour after having mixed up the cards a bit in the third free practice session. Russell snatches the first position from Sainz by just 44 thousandths, even faster than Leclerc until the last, who hoped to give a strong signal by winning pole after the disappointments of the French GP and who instead will start from the second row, next to a another brilliant young man, Lando Norris with McLaren.
VERSTAPPEN AND PEREZ AT THE START WITH A NEW ENGINE
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will be at the start of the F1 Hungarian GP with a new engine on their Red Bulls, but remaining within the scope of the engine components. Therefore they will not serve penalties and respectively keep 10th and 11th place on the grid. Yesterday Verstappen accused a problem during qualifying. The pair of Red Bull drivers also opted for new exhausts. Pierre Gasly will start from the pit lane after having mounted a new engine on his AlphaTauri AT03 (the fourth, as well as a new accumulator and control electronics) without the approval of the FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer.
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Russell makes fun of Ferraris, pole Mercedes © ANSA
From the point of view of the Cavallino, the situation appears favorable in view of the race, given that the main opponent is relegated to the fifth row, last in Q3 due to a technical problem with his car. “I have no power”, denounces the Dutch leader of the world championship before facing the decisive laps and after a few seconds he raises the white flag with the definitive “Nothing works”. No excuse, however, for Sergio Perez, unable to take his Red Bull beyond Q2 and almost become a case within the team that was counting on him to protect Verstappen’s escape to the title. The shadows of the recent past, amidst mistakes, breakdowns and bad luck, have obviously not yet disappeared for Ferrari, with the two drivers who will not have to make a mistake in the race to hope to reopen the world race with a full result. The car is there, we have seen and both Leclerc and Sainz say so, but a gassed Russell and an always insidious Norris are not to be underestimated, also because both have little to lose and a great desire to make a good impression. In the end, Leclerc seems a bit surprised and almost worried by the response of the tires: “In Q3 the sun came out, the tires were no longer in the right window and I struggled a lot, but I’m confident that the pace will be there tomorrow” , says the Monegasque. “The race will be long – he predicts -. I think we are quite well prepared for that. I hope we won’t have any nasty surprises.”
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The top images of the courage of F1 drivers on the wet track of Mogyoród (ANSA)
“I improve race after race and today I felt I had the pace for pole – Sainz’s words – but I have to congratulate Russell, he did a great lap. To win? It would be important to pass the Mercedes at the start, then let’s see how the car goes. race”. At Mercedes there is enthusiasm and team principal Toto Wolff, after so many disappointments, also lets slip a very optimistic “we can win”. “Tomorrow we will attack, even if yesterday with the petrol load we did not go very well”, says a Russell who, after his enthusiasm and joy, shows that he has his head on his shoulders. Black mood at Red Bull, especially for the unusual problem accused by Verstappen. The world champion must hope that it is understood and resolved quickly, then it will be up to him to go upstream to limit the damage in the standings.
