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The F1 Hungarian GP used to be the last race before the summer break. However, an increase in the number of races has seen Budapest become the second-last race before the break in August.
The track tends to have a lot of memories attached to it. This is the track where so many of the drivers got their first F1 wins. Fernando Alonso, on the current grid, famously won his first career race in Hungary almost 21 years ago.
Despite Mercedes struggling to perform throughout the ground effect era, Hungaroring has still seen the team turn heads. George Russell secured pole position at the track in 2022, while Lewis Hamilton did the same last year.
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This year, heading to the F1 Hungarian GP, Mercedes is on a two-race winning streak. What can we expect this weekend from the German team and the rest of the grid? Let's find out as we take a look at the preview and predictions for the weekend.
2024 F1 Hungarian GP: Preview
Key Storylines
#1 The unpredictable pecking order
Since Canada, we've had 3 different drivers on pole position. In Montreal, it was George Russell; in Barcelona, we had Lando Norris; in Austria, we had Max Verstappen and in Silverstone we had the Mercedes driver once again.
There have been 3 different winners as well, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton winning a race each, while Max Verstappen won the other two. As we head to the F1 Hungarian GP, it's anybody's guess who will have the edge this weekend. The sport is in such a brilliant place that we can head to any race weekend without a clue as to who is going to win or be ahead.
#2 Sergio Perez's future
If there's one thing that's quite clear at the moment, then it is the fact that Sergio Perez might be on his last legs at Red Bull. His performances have been below par, and while he might have signed a contract extension with the team that takes him to the end of 2026, it's highly unlikely that this will happen.
Helmut Marko has shared that the team will take a call on the Mexican's future during the summer break, although we'll have to wait and see what the call will be.
The F1 Hungarian GP is the first opportunity for Perez to try and change Red Bull's mind. Will be interesting to see if he's able to do that or not.
#3 Aston Martin's upgrade
Aston Martin's 2024 F1 season and possibly the future of a few of the key members depend on the upgrade that the team is supposed to bring in over the Hungarian GP race weekend. A few races ago, Mike Krack revealed that the team had finally found the direction in which it wants to take the car.
The team is scheduled to bring the upgrade to Hungary to get back on track. It remains to be seen what the upgrade is and how it impacts the team, but one thing is for sure, Aston Martin is hedging its bets on how the rest of the season plays out.
Form Guide
In Form
Mercedes has two wins and two pole positions from the last four races. The German team has not done a great job in the ground effect era in general, having had just a single win in the last two years. The only statistic that could be more startling for the team has to be the fact that the squad has achieved more success in the last 4 races than in the last two years.
They're heading to the F1 Hungarian GP this weekend, a race where Mercedes has been on the pole in the last two races. Things are certainly looking up for the German team.
Out of Form
Ferrari and Charles Leclerc have been going through a horror run since the win in Monaco. Their outlandish upgrades have not made any sense, and it has put the team on the back foot. Heading to the F1 Hungarian GP, the track has never really been the best for the driver or the team, so this might not be the best place to bounce back.
2024 F1 Hungarian GP: Predictions
Who will win the race?
The F1 Hungarian GP focuses more on slow-speed efficiency and it's often termed 'Monaco without walls'. This will help McLaren and, ideally, Ferrari, but the Italian squad has its own issues to sort out, which does put it out of contention. The big and heavy kerbs in the second sector are going to hurt Red Bull while Mercedes is still a question mark.
This weekend might once again come down to close margins, but we're backing Lando Norris and his team to hold the advantage and win this one.
Surprise of the weekend (Driver)
After weeks of struggling, this might be the track where Ferrari performs well. The car tends to do well on a track with slow-speed sections, evidenced by Charles Leclerc's comfortable win in Monaco. Expect the Italian team to be in podium contention at the F1 Hungarian GP, even though a win might be going a bit too far.
Surprise of the weekend (Team)
Charles Leclerc has seen a poor run of form in the last four races where he has been lapped twice. The driver looked distraught after the race in Silverstone as he had no clue how long it would take for Ferrari to get back to the front.
The F1 Hungarian GP should ideally be good for the car - the team has worked in these conditions earlier as well. We're backing Charles Leclerc to use the improved performance to challenge and nab a podium this weekend.
Disappointment of the weekend (Driver)
This might not be the best weekend if you're a Red Bull driver. The Hungarian GP is quite similar to Monaco except for the fact that kerbs are a bit less harsh and you can overtake here.
Having said that, with improved performance from Mercedes, it won't be a surprise if Red Bull is the fourth fastest car at the F1 Hungarian GP. If that's the case, then the team is losing a ton of points in the Constructors' Championship.
Disappointment of the weekend (Team)
Arguably the worst race for Sergio Perez to make his mark. The Mexican is struggling when it comes to form, and Hungaroring is a track where the Austrian team is expected to struggle.
Even on a good day, Sergio Perez is a shade slower than Max Verstappen, and this weekend is not going to be any different. Expect another disappointing weekend for Perez as his journey at Red Bull gets closer to its end.
