What a front row we have for the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix! The GOATs of the modern Formula 1 era line up one-two on the grid at Hungararoring: Lewis Hamilton vs Max Verstappen!
A feud that was etched into F1 history books in the wake of the sport’s greatest and most controversial World Championship season. The pair literally slugged it out for the 2021 Title in an often vicious manner to launch one of the greatest rivalries in sport.
Since then, Verstappen has been unbeatable as he heads for a third F1 World Title in three years, while Hamilton’s once serial winning war machines that Mercedes construed for the best of a decade, shot blanks when the new rules kicked in last year.
But typical Merc, they have clawed their way back. And typical Hamilton, putting the Black Arrow on P1 in qualifying when it had no place being there.
His archrival stealing pole by a few thousandths will have irked Verstappen, whose demeanour is blatantly different when he is beaten by his nemesis; Hamilton. The anger palpable, contrasts steeply with the Hello-Matey-vibe when the Red Bull ace is bettered by Charles Leclerc.
In other words, while there is much water under the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP bridge, the daggers are no longer out as they were then, but the sheath is open. Thus that drag race to Turn 1 at Hungarorring, plus the squiggly bits after that will be unmissable watching.
As F1 fans we hope that the two Maestros keep it clean
If they do, we have a proper contest for the ages this afternoon between two blokes who have a combined 131 GP pole position starts, and 146 F1 victories.
The numbers are also interesting today, as Hamilton’s #44 car seeks to prevent Verstappen’s 44th victory in the top flight and seventh win in a row this season, while the Mercedes driver is looking to end his longest winless streak, no F1 victory since the Saudi GP in 2021. No better time to make it 104.
But, it might not be a two-horse race because, behind the World Champs on row one, row two is all Papaya, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri starring again. McLaren found a ‘magic switch’ that sees them at the sharp end these days.
Encouraging for Zak Brown’s team is that the MCL60 works well on high-speed Silverstone as well as Monaco-style tight Hungaroring. Norris finished second after qualifying second at his home British Grand Prix. Barring a tenth, he might have snatched P1 and believed he could’ve.
Piastri! What a find this rookie is turning out to be
Shading Norris as Piastri is doing is exactly what he should be doing. Hungary tends to fling some unusual results and a first-time winner will be legendary. Don’t write that option off, as unlikely as it may seem right now.
What a day for Alfa Romeo! Beating their power-masters Ferrari has to be their sweetest performance in qualifying this year. Zhou Guanyu, our driver of the day on Saturday, will line-up fifth with teammate Valtteri Bottas behind him on the grid in seventh. A good photo op for a team that tends to languish on the wrong end of the grid.
However, it’s hard to see them on the podium but then few would have predicted both Alfa Romeos in the top seven on today’s grid. Maybe they too have discovered a magic switch. Let’s see if it works in the race for them.
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will be looking to make up for the poor points haul at Silverstone – three in total for P9 and P10. With Leclerc starting sixth, and Sainz down in 11th, it could be another afternoon of pain for Tifosi.
Sergio Perez… The underfire Red Bull veteran finally broke his Q3 hoodoo but from ninth, on a very tight track with few overtaking chances, he should be good entertainment, in a car capable of winning this race, which the until now unbeaten RB19 is.
Hungarian Grand Prix Sideshows:
- Daniel Ricciardo versus Yuki Tsunoda. The Aussie veteran already leads his Japanese teammate 1-0 in qualy. Now for the race… Think about this for breaking the internet: Dan beating Checo on track today!
- Aston Martin! Fernando! Where art thou? Watch the Spaniard. Lance? Is he at the races these days?
- Has anyone seen the Alpines this weekend?
Hungarian Grand Prix Facts & Stats by Reuters
- Hungarian Grand Prix, Hungaroring, Budapest
- Round 11 of the 22-race Formula 1 World Championship
- Lap distance: 4.381km. Total distance: 306.63km (70 laps)
- 2022 pole position: George Russell (Britain) Mercedes One minute 17.377 seconds
- 2022 race winner: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull
- Race lap record: Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 1:16.627 (2020)
- Start time: 1300 GMT (1500 local time)
- Lewis Hamilton has won a record eight times in Hungary (2007, 2009 and 2012 with McLaren and 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 with Mercedes) and been on pole a record eight times.
- Fernando Alonso, Daniel Ricciardo, Esteban Ocon and Verstappen are other active past winners.
- The lowest winning start in Hungary was Jenson Button from 14th on the grid in 2006.
- Verstappen won from 10th last year.
- This weekend will be the 38th Hungarian Grand Prix, with 16 of them won from pole.
- The race debuted in 1986 as the first in eastern Europe.
- Verstappen took his first F1 pole in Hungary in 2019.
- Alonso and Ocon took their first wins there in 2003 and 2021 respectively.
Victories. Pole Position, Podiums & Fastest Laps
- Verstappen has 43 wins from 173 starts and is fifth on the all-time list. Alain Prost, with 51, is fourth.
- Red Bull have won every race this season (eight for Verstappen, two for Perez).
- Hamilton has a record 103 career victories from 320 starts but has not won since Saudi Arabia in December 2021.
- Aston Martin’s Alonso has 32 wins, most recently in his home Spanish Grand Prix in 2013 with Ferrari, from a record 365 starts.
- Hamilton has a record 103 career poles.
- Red Bull have been on pole in nine of the season’s races, with Leclerc taking the top slot in Azerbaijan. Verstappen has seven poles for 2023 and the last five in a row.
- Six teams and eight drivers have made a podium appearance this season – Red Bull, Alpine, Aston Martin, McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari. Verstappen has yet to finish outside the top two.
- Five different drivers have taken fastest laps this season – Alfa Romeo’s Guanyu Zhou, Verstappen (5), Perez (2) and Mercedes’ George Russell and Hamilton.
Milestones
- Red Bull are chasing a record 12th win in a row to beat McLaren’s record set in 1988 with Senna and Prost.
- Verstappen or Perez can take Red Bull’s 250th podium position.
- Williams are celebrating their 800th grand prix.
- Ferrari have gone a year since their last success in Austria with Charles Leclerc on July 10, 2022.
- Hamilton took his first win for Mercedes in Hungary 10 years ago. Alonso took his first win in F1 at the Hungaroring on Aug 24, 2003.
2023 F1 Championship Points
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