Formula One returns to a fan-favourite track this weekend as the Hungaroring Circuit in Budapest hosts the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton claimed his first victory in 31 months last time out at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, holding off a late charge from Max Verstappen for a famous ninth win at his home race.
Nonetheless, Verstappen has an 84-point lead in the F1 world championship at the halfway stage of the season, with Lando Norris in second as he targets another win following a handful of near-misses in recent weeks.
Mercedes, meanwhile, are eyeing a third consecutive victory this weekend after George Russell’s win in Austria, while Ferrari are looking to return to form following a torrid triple-header in which Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz struggled for pace. Verstappen won last year’s race in Budapest by a comfortable margin.
Follow live updates from the Hungarian Grand Prix with The Independent
F1 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- Lando Norris on pole position in Hungary; Piastri 2nd; Verstappen 3rd
- Click HERE for the top-10 in qualifying
- CRASH! Sergio Perez hits the wall again in Q1
- Lando Norris led McLaren one-two in third practice on Saturday morning
- PREVIEW: How 2024 F1 season sparked into life with four teams in contention at Hungarian GP
- Norris fastest in FP2; Verstappen 2nd; Sainz 3rd
- Carlos Sainz quickest in first practice; Verstappen 2nd; Leclerc 3rd
- EXCLUSIVE - Zak Brown: ‘Red Bull are scared of Max Verstappen
Jacques Villeneuve: Sergio Perez would not claim a seat at Williams, let alone Red Bull
18:10
Kieran Jackson
Sergio Perez would not get a seat at Williams right now amid his Red Bull struggles, says former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve.
The Mexican driver has endured a torrid few months, scoring just 15 points in his last six appearances, with team boss Christian Horner admitting that the 34-year-old’s form is currently “unsustainable.”
Amid speculation Perez – who only signed a new deal until the end of 2025 a month ago – could be dropped mid-season, the Mexican spun in Q1 and crashed out, leaving him 16th on the grid for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
And 1997 world champion Villeneuve, who was highly critical of Daniel Ricciardo last month, insisted in a conversation about Williams’s driver choice for 2025 that Perez should not be on their list.
Full piece below:
Lando Norris leads McLaren one-two in dramatic Hungarian GP qualifying
17:52
Kieran Jackson
Lando Norris saw off McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri to claim pole position for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
The British driver executed an impressive lap at the Hungaroring to beat Piastri to top spot by just 0.022 seconds and claim only the third pole of his career – and McLaren’s first front-row lockout in nearly a dozen years.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen had to settle for third, 0.046 sec back.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz finished fourth and British Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton took fifth. In the other Mercedes, George Russell crashed out of qualifying at the first hurdle and is set to start 17th.
Here is Lando Norris’ pole-setting lap:
17:38
Kieran Jackson
Ladies and gentlemen... the gyro cam
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 20, 2024
And what better example than Lando Norris' fastest lap?#F1 #HungarianGP pic.twitter.com/QsyO3PQgz5
Lewis Hamilton after qualifying P5:
17:25
Kieran Jackson
“I came to try and be at the front, we did an OK job. We got the car in a relatively good place but when it’s hot, we’re not fast.
“Session started, we were rapid and then we were slow as it got hot again.”
"We've done everything we could" ♂️
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 20, 2024
Lewis reacts to taking P5 in the Hungarian Grand Prix Qualifying pic.twitter.com/BNmX9EU6ho
Max Verstappen after qualifying P3:
17:13
Kieran Jackson
“I tried, the whole weekend we have been a little bit behind. Tried to make it as close as possible, but just not enough. Bit difficult to pinpoint why that is, P3 is still very close. Just hope tomorrow the car is good in the race, we can follow them.
“I love competition but I’d like to be on top, at the moment I feel like we’re chasing. Bit of a tricky situation I guess.
“The last few races, McLaren have been really really good, today was a lot colder, tomorrow will be a different day - I just hope that that will help us.”
Oscar Piastri after qualifying P2:
16:59
Kieran Jackson
“Very happy, missed out by two-hundredths, you think of all the things you could have done better! Quali wasn’t easy so to end up with both cars on the front row is a great result.
“The second lap was pretty good, I’m happy with my days work. It’s a long run down into turn one. I want to get into the lead but we have both cars on the front row, we’ll be smart.”
Lando Norris after claiming pole:
16:48
Kieran Jackson
“Very happy, a one-two is better to see, congrats to the team.
“We’ve got confidence, we’ve come into the last weekends confident and we have a good car. Great job, improving every weekend, to end up on pole is sweet.
“We’re in the best position for whatever the conditions throw against us. As long as we stay where we are, we’re happy. It’s obvious what the aim is for tomorrow.”
"As long as we stay where we are, we'll be happy"
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 20, 2024
Lando Norris reacts to taking pole for the Hungarian Grand Prix pic.twitter.com/i6b7DS1cic
TOP-10 IN QUALIFYING FOR THE HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX:
16:39
Kieran Jackson
1) Lando Norris
2) Oscar Piastri
3) Max Verstappen
4) Carlos Sainz
5) Lewis Hamilton
6) Charles Leclerc
7) Fernando Alonso
8) Lance Stroll
9) Daniel Ricciardo
10) Yuki Tsunoda
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Lando Norris on pole position!
16:27
Kieran Jackson
It’s a McLaren one-two!
Nobody went quicker in that final bit other than Daniel Ricciardo, and that was just from P10 to P9.
So Norris gets his second pole in four races, with Piastri in second - and Verstappen in third!
4-10: Sainz, Hamilton, Leclerc, Alonso, Stroll, Ricciardo, Tsunoda
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Q3 back underway!
16:23
Kieran Jackson
Right then, who will get another flying lap in?!
A reminder: NO Verstappen on track.
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Session will resume in two minutes
16:20
Kieran Jackson
At 16:21 (BST), we will resume qualifying.
A reminder: 2:13 left...
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Lando Norris at front of queue
16:17
Kieran Jackson
While Norris, Hamilton and Piastri wait in the pit-lane for a start time, Verstappen is out of the car - will he not bother with a third run here?!
Still no word from the race director on a start time, mind.
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Yuki Tsunoda’s crash!
16:14
Kieran Jackson
Tsunoda got too wide at turn six - and it was a big collision with the wall!
And we already have cars coming out into the pit-lane as they look to set one final flying lap!
Current top-10: Norris, Piastri, Verstappen, Sainz, Hamilton, Leclerc, Alonso, Stroll, Tsunoda, Ricciardo
RED FLAG
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 20, 2024
Yuki crashes out, leaving a TENSE 2:13 of qualifying remaining pic.twitter.com/I82Q8XSI6T
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: RED FLAG!
16:11
Kieran Jackson
Yuki Tsunoda with a big crash!
Relief for Lando Norris - Oscar Piastri just goes P2 before the red flag, under a tenth behind his team-mate, while Max Verstappen goes quicker but only for third!
It’s a McLaren one-two for now!
2:13 left... so session not quite done yet, they’ll be able to get back out there!
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Lando Norris on provisional pole!
16:06
Kieran Jackson
What a lap from Lando Norris!
The McLaren sets a 1:15:227, 0.328 secs quicker than Max Verstappen, with Oscar Piastri six-tenths behind his team-mate!
And the rain is just starting to fall... so will those first laps be the quickest?!
4-10: Leclerc, Hamilton, Alonso, Sainz, Stroll, Tsunoda, Ricciardo
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Q3 underway!
16:00
Kieran Jackson
We’re underway with the top-10 shootout in Hungary!
10 drivers involved: Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Sainz, Leclerc, Alonso, Stroll, Ricciardo, Tsunoda, Hamilton
Who will be on pole position? It seems to be between McLaren (both Piastri and Norris) and Verstappen...
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton escapes!
15:54
Kieran Jackson
Woah, that was close for Lewis Hamilton - by 0.010 secs he’s through to Q3, ahead of the unfortunate Nico Hulkenberg!
Relief at Mercedes!
P11-15 and out in Q2: Hulkenberg, Bottas, Albon, Sargeant, Magnussen
Top-3: Norris, Verstappen, Piastri
That’s both Astons and RBs through to Q3!
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Alex Albon in trouble
15:49
Kieran Jackson
The Williams driver in P13, with his team-mate Sargeant also in the bottom-five.
Up top, top-3 is: Verstappen, Piastri, Sainz
Current bottom-five (11-15): Bottas, Sargeant, Albon, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo
5:00 to go...
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: George Russell after his Q1 elimination..
15:46
Kieran Jackson
“Two factors, I didn’t do a good enough job at the beginning, and we put the new tyres on at the end but I didn’t have enough fuel for the end of the session. On me for being in that position in the first place.”
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Q2 underway!
15:39
Kieran Jackson
Q2 now underway on what is now a virtually bone-dry track.
Will we get anymore shocks?!
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: George Russell is out of qualifying!
15:32
Kieran Jackson
What a nightmare for Russell! He’s only P17.
Russell’s quicker time was not enough - he’s out by 0.117 secs to Kevin Magnussen in 15th!
16-20 and out in Q1: Perez, Russell, Zhou, Ocon, Gasly
“Sorry everyone that is on me”, says Russell. What is his decision not to go out again?
And what were the Alpnies doing!
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: George Russell goes quicker....
15:28
Kieran Jackson
The bottom-five will have a chance here!
Russell goes P10, so the track has dried quickly! And everyone is out on the track aside from the Alpines, who are P11 and P13 - why have they not come out?!
One final flying lap each then...
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: George Russell:
15:26
Kieran Jackson
“It’s still very damp.”
Yeah, the few cars out there now are going much slower. And I don’t think the track will dry out quick enough...
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Q1 resumes!
15:24
Kieran Jackson
Q1 back underway and George Russell is the first car out on track - a reminder that he’s on P14 so may well have to go quicker.
The rain has stopped, but areas of the track look very dry. Maybe, right at the end, they’ll be able to improve... but we’ll see!
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Q1 back underway in two minutes!
15:21
Kieran Jackson
FIA: Q1 will resume at 15:22.
Can anyone improve? The rain has steadied, but there’s only 6:45 left AND DRS has been disabled due to the rain..
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Sergio Perez in the wall!
15:16
Kieran Jackson
Perez is out of the car and is all OK - though the medical car has been deployed, it was a fairly big shunt!
Session stops then with 6:45 to go - will Perez drop down the leaderboard from P9 then? Unlikely if not impossible me thinks, as it’s raining a lot heavier now...
Current bottom-five (16-20): Ricciardo, Stroll, Magnussen, Zhou, Hulkenberg
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Sergio Perez crashes!
15:13
Kieran Jackson
A nightmare for Sergio Perez - again!
The Red Bull is in the wall at turn 8 as he slides and smashes into the wall!
The man who’s been out in Q1 in three out of the last five races could well be out again! He’s currently P9...
RED FLAG!
Sergio Perez loses it and hits the barriers and he's out of Q1 ❌ pic.twitter.com/cK5KxuWlYs
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 20, 2024
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: George Russell on the edge!
15:12
Kieran Jackson
Russell screws up in sector two and has to abort - he’s only P14 as he heads into the pits!
He’ll be anxious now. 6:00 to go, rain is not very heavy right now.
16-20: Ricciardo, Stroll, Magnussen, Zhou, Hulkenberg
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton goes fastest!
15:09
Kieran Jackson
Mercedes up on top with a 1:17:087, ahead of Sainz and Piastri.
More importantly though, at the bottom (16-20): Stroll, Magnussen, Zhou, Hulkenberg, Gasly
Times tumbling all the time though, just as drops of rain start to appear! 9:00 to go...
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: All 20 drivers on track!
15:05
Kieran Jackson
Some teams are forecasting a bit more rain in five or so minutes, making these first flying laps crucial!
Therefore, nobody waiting about in the pit-lane - there could well be some traffic out there at this short circuit!
14:00 to go...
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Q1 underway!
15:00
Kieran Jackson
There’s been some rain in the past few minutes in Budapest but it has now stopped - so, how quickly will the track dry?
Q1 underway then - 18 minutes where we will lose the slowest five drivers!
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying!
14:55
Kieran Jackson
This should be fun!
We’re just five minutes from qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix and it looks to be anyone’s game!
McLaren are the favourites given their speed in practice but write off Max Verstappen, as well as Mercedes and Ferrari, at your peril!
Who will be on pole for tomorrow’s grand prix?! We’re about to find out!
Driver Standings ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix:
14:50
Kieran Jackson
1. Max Verstappen - 255 points
2. Lando Norris - 171 points
3. Charles Leclerc - 150 points
4. Carlos Sainz - 146 points
5. Oscar Piastri - 124 points
6. Sergio Perez - 118 points
7. George Russell - 111 points
8. Lewis Hamilton - 110 points
9. Fernando Alonso - 45 points
10. Lance Stroll - 23 points
11. Nico Hulkenberg - 22 points
12. Yuki Tsunoda - 20 points
13. Daniel Ricciardo - 11 points
14. Oliver Bearman - 6 points
15. Pierre Gasly - 6 points
16. Kevin Magnussen - 5 points
17. Alex Albon - 4 points
18. Esteban Ocon - 3 points
19. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
20. Logan Sargeant - 0 points
21. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points
PREVIEW: How 2024 F1 season sparked into life with four teams in contention at Hungarian GP
14:43
Kieran Jackson
It’s Saturday night in Bahrain, March 2024. Away from the hullabaloo of paddock gossip and the Red Bull soap-opera, the world champions had blown away the field – again – on their more comfortable field of racing tarmac. Max Verstappen stormed home in first, 22 seconds clear of team-mate Sergio Perez. Carlos Sainz, in third, was 25 seconds off Verstappen and Charles Leclerc 39 seconds behind in fourth.
Cheeks were puffed out, gloomy faces descended. After a 2023 campaign where Red Bull won 21 out of 22 races, were we really in for another 10 months of ultra-domination? Would more eyeballs be turned away in the absence of any competitive action at the front once more? Could Verstappen, perhaps, be the first driver ever to win every race in a season?
The answer to all the above, at the halfway-stage of this record 24-race campaign, is a reassuring no. Because, after two years, the others have finally got their act together.
Full preview below:
Constructors’ Championship ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix:
14:32
Kieran Jackson
1. Red Bull - 373 points
2. Ferrari - 302 points
3. McLaren - 295 points
4. Mercedes - 221 points
5. Aston Martin - 68 points
6. RB - 31 points
7. Haas - 27 points
8. Alpine - 9 points
9. Williams - 4 points
10. Sauber - 0 points
McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown: ‘Red Bull are scared of Max Verstappen’
14:23
Kieran Jackson
Zak Brown does not have the time, nor the patience, for chancers. The straight-talking Californian-raised McLaren chief executive is revelling in his team’s ascendancy back to the top of the sport, fighting the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes. But most of all in recent months, Red Bull.
On track, this front-of-the-pack dogfight has mushroomed between three-time world champion Max Verstappen, Red Bull, and one-time race winner Lando Norris, McLaren. The pair, somewhat uniquely within a sport famous for its fierce rivalries, have a close relationship off-track. A friendship and a bond that nosedived three weeks ago in Austria.
Read the exclusive interview below:
COMMENT: Why Ralf Schumacher coming out as gay shows F1’s shifting sands – at long last
14:17
Kieran Jackson
It is a sign of how far Formula One has come in recent years that the news of ex-F1 driver Ralf Schumacher coming out as gay is no longer a thunderbolt from the blue.
In recent years, the increase in LGBTQ+ representation throughout the sport – whether it be team personnel, F1 staff or members of the media – has seen F1, at long last, move with modern times. Because previously, the overwhelming machismo of the sport would have made Sunday night’s announcement far less palatable to some.
Read full piece below:
Haas F1 confirm 2025 F1 driver change ahead of Ollie Bearman arrival
14:11
Kieran Jackson
Haas have confirmed the departure of Kevin Magnussen at the end of the season - with Esteban Ocon widely expected to take his place in 2025.
Danish driver Magnussen, who rejoined the team in 2022 after a previous four-year stint between 2017-2020, has not had his contract extended by the American-owned F1 outfit.
French driver Ocon, currently racing for Alpine, is the frontrunner to replace Magnussen as Japanese team principal Ayao Komatsu wields the changes for next season.
Full piece below:
Start times in Hungary this weekend:
13:58
Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Saturday 20 July
- Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday 21 July
- Race: 2pm
Hungarian GP - fastest qualifier odds!
13:49
Kieran Jackson
- Lando Norris - 1/1
- Max Verstappen - 2/1
- Oscar Piastri - 6/1
- George Russell - 18/1
- Carlos Sainz - 20/1
- Charles Leclerc - 20/1
- Lewis Hamilton - 20/1
- Sergio Perez 40/1
Pierre Gasly tries to influence Carlos Sainz’s decision over his future
13:39
Kieran Jackson
Pierre Gasly has been trying to convince Carlos Sainz to join him at Renault-owned Alpine but the Frenchman said on Thursday he was waiting for a decision like everyone else in Formula One.
Spaniard Sainz is leaving Ferrari at the end of the season to make way for seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton and has been assessing his options for months as the key to the driver market.
“I think Alpine, the team has good options on the table,” Gasly told reporters at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Full piece below:
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff:
13:08
Kieran Jackson
“There is a gap [to McLaren], two-tenths maybe. It’s a short lap, we knew it would be hard here with overheating.”
On Silverstone: “An ideal way signing off his last Mercedes British Grand Prix. We feel much more like winners than we’ve felt in the last years, you appreciate it a lot. After that moment of contentment, you’re back into scepticism mode.”
On 2025 seat: “It’s a data decision. When you look at Kimi, the team haven’t found a good grip this year, but he’s seventh. They struggle with the car. We see what he’s doing in an F1 car. There is something instinctive that we should not rush.”
FP3 RESULTS IN FULL:
12:47
Kieran Jackson
FP3 CLASSIFICATION
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 20, 2024
McLaren on top, the RBs looking good, but Aston Martin's upgrades continue to underwhelm#F1 #HungarianGP pic.twitter.com/DpJkycpHCA
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Lando Norris quickest in FP3!
12:36
Kieran Jackson
Lando Norris with that impressive lap stays top with a 1:16:098, 0.044 secs faster than his team-mate Oscar Piastri!
It looks promising for McLaren heading into qualifying later!
Max Verstappen was third-fastest but 0.281 secs off Norris, with George Russell in fourth and Carlos Sainz fifth!
6-10: Ricciardo, Albon, Hulkenberg, Tsunoda, Hamilton
Leclerc in P11 with Perez P13!
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton spins!
12:29
Kieran Jackson
Just as Oscar Piastri moves up to P2 for a McLaren one-two, Lewis Hamilton has a spin in turn 10 as he loses the Mercedes car!
The seven-time world champion not satisfied with his machinery at the moment, languishing down in P10.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen goes P3 with a late run on the softs, Perez only P13.
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Lando Norris back up to P1!
12:18
Kieran Jackson
That was a terrific lap from the McLaren as he goes even faster with a 1:16:098, four-tenths quicker than George Russell in second!
Alex Albon now in P3, five-tenths off the top, with Lewis Hamilton in fourth - six-tenths off.
5-10: Piastri, Sargeant, Sainz, Leclerc, Ricciardo, Tsunoda
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: George Russell goes fastest
12:08
Kieran Jackson
Russell - pole-sitter in Hungary two years ago - goes top with a 1:16:826, a tenth quicker than Lando Norris and three-tenths faster than Oscar Piastri in third.
4-10: Sainz, Leclerc, Ricciardo, Tsunoda, Hulkenberg, Hamilton, Magnussen
Still no signs of the softs on the Red Bulls, nor the Aston Martins.
20:00 to go..
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Lando Norris goes top!
12:01
Kieran Jackson
The McLaren driver - quickest in FP2 on Friday - goes top with a 1:16:931, 0.358 secs quicker than Carlos Sainz in second.
Daniel Ricciardo a surprise name up in third, with Yuki Tsunoda in fourth and Oscar Piastri fifth!
6-10: Hulkenberg, Magnussen, Hamilton, Albon, Alonso
Both Red Bulls yet to go on the softs though, with Verstappen P12 and Perez P20.
Meanwhile, Pierre Gasly has had an off without his tyres not yet warmed up and Charles Leclerc had a big lock-up at turn one.
30:00 to go...
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Alex Albon fastest
11:52
Kieran Jackson
Twenty minutes in and after 15 minutes of not a lot of action, nearly all the cars are now out on track at the Hungaroring!
Albon top with a 1:17:646 on softs, three-tenths quicker than Verstappen in second. Fernando Alonso a touch behind in third.
Most drivers on soft tyres now as they prepare for qualifying later..
FP3 underway!
11:32
Kieran Jackson
Session underway - but no rush from most of the drivers!
It’s the Sauber of Zhou Guanyu out on track, with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez also joining him - both need a good weekend in Budapest!
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Third practice!
11:28
Kieran Jackson
It’s a bit more overcast in Budapest than it was yesterday as the drivers get ready for their third and final practice session this weekend!
Sky F1 pundit apologises after ‘abuse’ from Sergio Perez fans
11:21
Kieran Jackson
Karun Chandhok apologised on social media last night after an interview with Max Verstappen was misinterpreted by fans of Red Bull driver Sergio Perez.
Sky F1 pundit Chandhok was interviewing a trio of Red Bull drivers including Verstappen, Perez and Daniel Ricciardo at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend.
Chandhok, having spoken to Ricciardo about the prospect of appearing in the Goodwood Revival in September, then asked three-time F1 world champion Verstappen whether he’d like to appear and drive cars from pre-1996.
Full story below:
Martin Brundle on Lewis Hamilton’s win at Silverstone:
11:16
Kieran Jackson
“I think that will clear his head and open up some performance and opportunity. He’s been carrying some demons since Abu Dhabi 2021, it’s been a struggle - when the car did win a couple of races, it was in the hands of George Russell
“It’s too strong to say he’s been to hell and back, but he’s been through some difficult times.”
Lewis Hamilton: F1 must do more for gay community after Ralf Schumacher comes out
11:09
Kieran Jackson
Lewis Hamilton has called on Formula One’s rulers to “do more” by making the sport a “comfortable place” in the wake of Ralf Schumacher’s decision to come out as gay.
Ralf, the brother of seven-time world champion Michael, recently revealed on social media that he is in a same-sex relationship. The 49-year-old, who won six races in a career that ran from 1997 to 2007, remains heavily involved in F1 as a pundit for Sky Germany.
“Clearly he (Schumacher) has not felt comfortable to say it in the past,” said Hamilton ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Full piece below:
McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown: ‘Red Bull are scared of Max Verstappen’
11:00
Kieran Jackson
Zak Brown does not have the time, nor the patience, for chancers. The straight-talking Californian-raised McLaren chief executive is revelling in his team’s ascendancy back to the top of the sport, fighting the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes. But most of all in recent months, Red Bull.
On track, this front-of-the-pack dogfight has mushroomed between three-time world champion Max Verstappen, Red Bull, and one-time race winner Lando Norris, McLaren. The pair, somewhat uniquely within a sport famous for its fierce rivalries, have a close relationship off-track. A friendship and a bond that nosedived three weeks ago in Austria.
Read the exclusive interview below:
Constructors’ Championship ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix:
10:48
Kieran Jackson
1. Red Bull - 373 points
2. Ferrari - 302 points
3. McLaren - 295 points
4. Mercedes - 221 points
5. Aston Martin - 68 points
6. RB - 31 points
7. Haas - 27 points
8. Alpine - 9 points
9. Williams - 4 points
10. Sauber - 0 points
WATCH: Lewis Hamilton’s celebrations at Silverstone a fortnight ago
10:39
Kieran Jackson
Daniel Ricciardo eyeing ‘something bigger’ with Sergio Perez’s Red Bull F1 seat in doubt
10:26
Kieran Jackson
Daniel Ricciardo is targeting a strong showing in the final two races before the summer break with an eye on “something bigger” amid speculation over Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat.
Fan-favourite Australian driver Ricciardo has picked up 11 points so far this season compared to 20 from RB team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, though has improved in recent weeks.
Yet amid Perez’s dramatic downturn in form in recent weeks – he finished the last race at Silverstone in 17th – both Ricciardo and Tsunoda are eyeing a promotion to the Red Bull mothership to partner Max Verstappen.
Ricciardo, when asked about it, insisted he was only focusing on the next two races – in Hungary and Belgium – before the summer break and hinted an impressive showing could mean a shock call-up to Red Bull.
Full quotes below:
PREVIEW: How 2024 F1 season sparked into life with four teams in contention at Hungarian GP
10:15
Kieran Jackson
It’s Saturday night in Bahrain, March 2024. Away from the hullabaloo of paddock gossip and the Red Bull soap-opera, the world champions had blown away the field – again – on their more comfortable field of racing tarmac. Max Verstappen stormed home in first, 22 seconds clear of team-mate Sergio Perez. Carlos Sainz, in third, was 25 seconds off Verstappen and Charles Leclerc 39 seconds behind in fourth.
Cheeks were puffed out, gloomy faces descended. After a 2023 campaign where Red Bull won 21 out of 22 races, were we really in for another 10 months of ultra-domination? Would more eyeballs be turned away in the absence of any competitive action at the front once more? Could Verstappen, perhaps, be the first driver ever to win every race in a season?
The answer to all the above, at the halfway-stage of this record 24-race campaign, is a reassuring no. Because, after two years, the others have finally got their act together.
Full preview below:
Driver Standings ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix:
10:10
Kieran Jackson
1. Max Verstappen - 255 points
2. Lando Norris - 171 points
3. Charles Leclerc - 150 points
4. Carlos Sainz - 146 points
5. Oscar Piastri - 124 points
6. Sergio Perez - 118 points
7. George Russell - 111 points
8. Lewis Hamilton - 110 points
9. Fernando Alonso - 45 points
10. Lance Stroll - 23 points
11. Nico Hulkenberg - 22 points
12. Yuki Tsunoda - 20 points
13. Daniel Ricciardo - 11 points
14. Oliver Bearman - 6 points
15. Pierre Gasly - 6 points
16. Kevin Magnussen - 5 points
17. Alex Albon - 4 points
18. Esteban Ocon - 3 points
19. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
20. Logan Sargeant - 0 points
21. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points
When is the Hungarian Grand Prix?
10:08
Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Saturday 20 July
- Free practice 3: 11:30am
- Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday 21 July
- Race: 2pm
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix - qualifying!
10:06
Kieran Jackson
Good morning and welcome to live coverage of qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest!
It was a mixed day yesterday at practice - while Carlos Sainz showed promising Ferrari pace in the first session by topping the timesheets, Charles Leclerc then crashed in FP2!
Max Verstappen was second-fastest in both sessions while McLaren’s Lando Norris went quickest in FP2.
What will qualifying bring then? It’s fairly open once again!
Lando Norris determined to stay ‘a nice guy’ in title battle with Max Verstappen
Friday 19 July 2024 18:22
Kieran Jackson
Lando Norris said he does not need to “act like an idiot” to beat Max Verstappen to the world championship.
Norris, who saw off Verstappen to finish fastest in practice for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix, has emerged as the Red Bull driver’s closest title challenger, and he could have arrived for the 13th round of the campaign with four consecutive wins had it not been for mistakes by driver and team.
A poor strategy call scuppered Norris’ hopes of winning in Canada last month. The 24-year-old said his sluggish getaway from pole position – where he dropped from first to third – at the ensuing round in Spain denied him another triumph.
Full piece below:
McLaren team principal on championship challenge:
Friday 19 July 2024 17:58
Kieran Jackson
"If we do it'll be a MASSIVE over-delivery, but we're highly motivated!"
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 19, 2024
Can McLaren catch Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship? pic.twitter.com/lT5Ez68zfF