McLaren’s Oscar Piastri is overtaken by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
After a thrilling qualifying session, an even more exciting race is expected at the Hungarian GP. With a wave of high temperatures threatening the Hungaroring circuit this Sunday, the start and tyre management will be key in determining the final positions in Budapest.
We have predicted the top 10 positions for the Hungarian GP. And we encourage you, our readers, to make your own predictions for Sunday’s race as well.
Oscar Piastri first F1 win headlines Hungarian GP predictions
10. Nico Hülkenberg
Starting in 11th position, the Haas driver will have the Racing Bulls of Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo ahead of him on the grid. Unfortunately, during Q3, the Japanese driver encountered an accident that resulted in significant damage to his car.
With Hülkenberg being in great form, there is a high likelihood of him securing points once again at the Hungaroring. This is mainly because Tsunoda won’t have his car set up perfectly to suit his preferences, giving Hülkenberg an opportunity to launch an offensive.
9. Lance Stroll
The Canadian is currently experiencing a successful phase in his career, while Aston Martin, although they pleasantly surprised during the qualifying round in Hungary with both cars making it to Q3.
However, Racing Bulls, his closest rivals this weekend, are expected to have a faster pace. Therefore, finishing within the points would already be considered a remarkable accomplishment.
8. Daniel Ricciardo
This weekend, the Racing Bulls have displayed impressive strength. Despite facing challenging track conditions during qualifying, they are expected to outperform Aston Martin in the hot temperatures.
After three challenging races for the Faenza-based team, we believe that Ricciardo has the potential to reach at least P8 and secure valuable points.
7. Fernando Alonso
In Hungary, the Spaniard consistently stands tall, making a significant impact. A remarkable example of his prowess was seen in his remarkable defense against Lewis Hamilton, ultimately paving the way for Esteban Ocon’s triumph in 2021.
Although the AMR24 pace may not be the strongest, Fernando has a fantastic chance to safeguard like a lion and provide the team with a much-needed confidence boost on a challenging circuit known for its difficult overtaking opportunities.
6. Charles Leclerc
Since his triumph in Monaco, the driver from Monaco has been absent. Furthermore, in Hungary this weekend, he seems to struggle with the car, as evidenced by his mishap in FP2 and the fact that Carlos Sainz has once again outperformed him in qualifying.
If the degradation level is excessively high during the race, there is a possibility for him to surpass Lewis Hamilton. However, considering the exceptional performance of the Ferrari in high temperatures, achieving P5 is the most optimistic outcome he can anticipate.
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5. Lewis Hamilton
Throughout the entire weekend, the British driver hasn’t managed to make a significant impact, and Mercedes’ speed compared to Ferrari doesn’t appear to be superior. Despite being exceptionally skilled at this track, the performance of the W15 is not up to par with its previous performances in the past four races.
On Sunday, Lewis is expected to secure a realistic and positive P5 position in Hungary, as the focus seems to be on minimizing damage rather than attempting any surprising moves.
4. Carlos Sainz
Despite the Spaniard’s consistent performance throughout the weekend, Ferrari lacks the speed required to compete with Red Bull and McLaren for a spot in the top 3.
Unless the race involves extreme degradation, where Ferrari outperforms all other competitors in this aspect, or the top drivers make a mistake, there is little chance for him to secure a spot on the podium. If those conditions are not met, his highest aspiration is to finish in fourth place.
3. Lando Norris
The British driver is finding it difficult to handle the intense moments, particularly struggling with the starts. In Hungary, the poleman begins the race on the outer racing line before Turn 1, giving Piastri an opportunity to challenge Norris on the inside if he manages to get a slightly better start.
McLaren should provide the Australian with the optimal strategy in this race scenario, which would unfortunately put him at a disadvantage against Max Verstappen as well.
Thus, the outcome of his race will heavily hinge on the events at the beginning and his ability to manage his tires. Up until now, he has not shown much evidence to suggest that he will possess an edge over his teammate when it comes to the start.
2. Max Verstappen
Red Bull showed great promise during their long runs on Friday, indicating their ability to challenge at least one of the two McLaren drivers with a well-timed undercut.
Verstappen’s performance suggests that he is likely to secure either first or third place. However, taking into account the impressive pace of the RB20 and the advantageous tire strategy, it is highly possible for him to secure a realistic second position.
1. Oscar Piastri
Piastri, who faced a significant setback in his race at Silverstone due to McLaren’s pitwall, now has a golden opportunity to regain his momentum and secure his maiden Formula 1 victory in Hungary. Despite the interference, he managed a commendable start and even launched an attack on his teammate at Turn 1, setting the stage for a potential triumph.
Oscar Piastri, the Australian driver, was incredibly close to securing pole position, missing out by a mere 22 thousandths of a second. This was despite Lando Norris benefiting from Max Verstappen’s slipstream. It is evident that without this assistance, Piastri would have undoubtedly claimed the top spot. With this in mind, there should be no doubt that Oscar will make every effort to overtake Lando and seize the race lead as quickly as he can.
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