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
- Qualifying in Hungary is at 3pm (BST)
- Lando Norris leads McLaren one-two in third practice
- Norris fastest in FP2; Verstappen 2nd; Sainz 3rd
- PREVIEW: How 2024 F1 season sparked into life with four teams in contention at Hungarian GP
- Carlos Sainz quickest in first practice; Verstappen 2nd; Leclerc 3rd
- EXCLUSIVE - Zak Brown: ‘Red Bull are scared of Max Verstappen
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
How 2024 F1 season sparked into life with four teams in contention at Hungarian GP
Friday 19 July 2024 17:34
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:
FP2 RESULTS IN FULL:
Friday 19 July 2024 17:16
Kieran Jackson
FP2 CLASSIFICATION
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 19, 2024
Lando leads the way, Perez finds pace again and a stellar lap sees Magnussen in the top six #F1 #HungarianGP pic.twitter.com/UrFyi3dMIM
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Lando Norris fastest in FP2!
Friday 19 July 2024 17:04
Kieran Jackson
That table-topping time remains No 1! Lando Norris fastest at the end of second practice with a 1:17:788, 0.243 secs clear of Max Verstappen in second!
Carlos Sainz, quickest in FP1, was third-fastest with a 1;18:185, with Sergio Perez in fourth and George Russell fifth - half-a-second off Norris.
6-10: Magnussen, Hamilton, Ricciardo, Albon, Alonso
Not sure what happened to Oscar Piastri in P13!
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Lando Norris goes fastest!
Friday 19 July 2024 16:55
Kieran Jackson
The McLaren sets the quickest time with 10 to go with a 1:17:788, 0.243 secs quicker than Max Verstappen in second!
Carlos Sainz is a tenth further back with Sergio Perez four-tenths off Norris and George Russell in fifth. Lewis Hamilton, in seventh, is 0.575 secs off the pace.
6-10: Magnussen, Hamilton, Ricciardo, Albon, Alonso
10 minutes to go...
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Zhou Guanyu almost crashes into Sergio Perez!
Friday 19 July 2024 16:39
Kieran Jackson
Zhou spins where Leclerc did!
The Sauber spins, almost collects Perez in front, but avoids the barriers and heads into the gravel! And he manages to drive out of it!
Zhou: “What was the Red Bull doing?”
Top-10: Norris, Sainz, Perez, Russell, Hamilton, Salbon, Sargeant, Piastri, Verstappen
HOW CLOSE WAS THAT?!
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 19, 2024
Zhou Guanyu has a huge moment into Turn 4 and narrowly misses Sergio Perez! pic.twitter.com/g65TH0Xlkc
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Session resumes!
Friday 19 July 2024 16:36
Kieran Jackson
All the drivers keen to get back out on track now after that stoppage!
25:00 to go...
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Session will resume at 4:32!
Friday 19 July 2024 16:30
Kieran Jackson
FIA message: “Session will resume at 4:42pm.”
That damage to the barrier seemingly fixed then!
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: RED FLAG!
Friday 19 July 2024 16:28
Kieran Jackson
Leclerc is out of the car and all OK, but he’s most definitely out of the session.
It could be a lengthy delay - there’s a big pretty dent in the barrier at turn four and that will need repairing before the session resumes.
35 minutes left - and the clock keeps ticking...
Charles Leclerc crashes!
Friday 19 July 2024 16:19
Kieran Jackson
Oh no!
Leclerc has lost his Ferrari coming out of turn four, spins and hits the barrier!
RED FLAG!
Leclerc says he’s OK. Fairly big collision to be fair, with the advertising boardings now all over the track!
LECLERC CRASHES!
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 19, 2024
BIG moment for Charles into Turn 4 which sends his Ferrari heavily into the barrier! pic.twitter.com/erQBTcawHV
Sky F1 pundit apologises after ‘abuse’ from Sergio Perez fans
Friday 19 July 2024 15:50
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:
Haas F1 confirm 2025 F1 driver change ahead of Ollie Bearman arrival
Friday 19 July 2024 15:42
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:
Constructors’ Championship ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix:
Friday 19 July 2024 15:30
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
Max Verstappen on Sergio Perez’s form:
Friday 19 July 2024 15:19
Kieran Jackson
“Of course we cannot deny that the last few weeks have been a bit difficult. I would say also some were a bit unlucky...
“I think also he wants to do better, but I know that he’s working very hard,” Verstappen said of Perez. It’s not that he takes it for granted or whatever.
“Hopefully here [in Hungary], when the car suits his driving a bit more, everything feels connected, it can work a bit better for him.”
Driver Standings ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix:
Friday 19 July 2024 15:08
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
Lewis Hamilton: F1 must do more for gay community after Ralf Schumacher comes out
Friday 19 July 2024 14:55
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:
WATCH: Lewis Hamilton’s celebrations at Silverstone a fortnight ago
Friday 19 July 2024 14:41
Kieran Jackson
Pierre Gasly tries to influence Carlos Sainz’s decision over his future
Friday 19 July 2024 14:19
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:
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella:
Friday 19 July 2024 14:05
Kieran Jackson
“The field is very compact, the usual suspects seem very close. It’s open from a tyre point of view.
On missed chance at Silverstone: “Formula One team is not run by emotions, otherwise it would implode pretty rapidly. It is a rollercoaster. For us, Silverstone, obviously there’s some pain. For us, missed opportunities are a way to grow.”
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Carlos Sainz quickest in Ferrari one-two!
Friday 19 July 2024 13:16
Kieran Jackson
Carlos Sainz now quickest with a 1:18:713, 0.298 secs quicker than his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc!
George Russell is third, with Zhou Guanyu a surprise name in fourth for Sauber
Lando Norris is fifth, half-a-second off the pace!
6-10: Sargeant, Gasly, Magnussen, Bearman, Ocon
20 minutes to go.
Lewis Hamilton on weekend in Hungary!
Friday 19 July 2024 12:25
Kieran Jackson
"It's GAME ON!"
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 18, 2024
Lewis Hamilton with some fighting spirit as he looks to replicate his British GP glory in Hungary this weekend pic.twitter.com/hIb4mcQo5m
Start times in Hungary this weekend:
Friday 19 July 2024 12:22
Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Friday 19 July
- Free practice 1: 12:30am
- Free practice 2: 4pm
Saturday 20 July
- Free practice 3: 11:30am
- Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday 21 July
- Race: 2pm
Martin Brundle on Lewis Hamilton’s win at Silverstone:
Friday 19 July 2024 12:17
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.”
McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown: ‘Red Bull are scared of Max Verstappen’
Friday 19 July 2024 12:14
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:
Daniel Ricciardo eyeing ‘something bigger’ with Sergio Perez’s Red Bull F1 seat in doubt
Friday 19 July 2024 12:08
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:
Hungarian Grand Prix - Fastest qualifier:
Friday 19 July 2024 12:00
Kieran Jackson
Latest odds:
Max Verstappen - 13/8
Lando Norris -7/2
George Russell - 5/1
Lewis Hamilton - 7/1
Charles Leclerc - 10/1
Carlos Sainz, Oscar Piastri - 12/1
Sergio Perez - 33/1
Fernando Alonso - 66/1
Nico Hulkenberg - 100/1
Alex Albon, Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly - 150/1
Daniel Ricciardo, Kevin Magnussen, Yuki Tsunoda - 200/1
Guanyu Zhou, Logan Sargeant, Valtteri Bottas - 250/1
COMMENT: Why Ralf Schumacher coming out as gay shows F1’s shifting sands – at long last
Friday 19 July 2024 11:45
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:
Start times in Hungary this weekend:
Friday 19 July 2024 11:30
Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Friday 19 July
- Free practice 1: 12:30am
- Free practice 2: 4pm
Saturday 20 July
- Free practice 3: 11:30am
- Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday 21 July
- Race: 2pm
Constructors’ Championship ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix:
Friday 19 July 2024 11:15
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
Friday 19 July 2024 10:59
Kieran Jackson
I am not done – Lewis Hamilton buoyed by emotional Silverstone victory
Friday 19 July 2024 10:45
Kieran Jackson
Lewis Hamilton said his emotional win at the British Grand Prix was proof to his doubters that he is not finished in Formula One.
Hamilton, 39, ended a two-and-a-half-year wait for victory with his triumph, and revealed he celebrated by watching the race highlights with a curry in his London home.
In the wake of his 104th career victory, a teary Hamilton admitted he feared he would might not win again, with his father Anthony – who he hugged moments after the chequered flag fell at Silverstone – saying his son had questioned whether he was still good enough.
Full piece below:
Max Verstappen on Sergio Perez’s form:
Friday 19 July 2024 10:28
K