Here’s Giles Richards’ report from Hungaroring. Nine races of the season to go, as we head into the summer break.
Updated
Driver championship standings after 11th race
- 1. Max Verstappen - 258 points
- 2. Charles Leclerc - 178 points
- 3. Sergio Perez - 173 points
- 4. George Russell - 158 points
- 5. Carlos Sainz - 156 points
- 6. Lewis Hamilton - 146 points
- 7. Lando Norris - 76 points
- 8. Esteban Ocon - 58 points
- 9. Valtteri Bottas - 46 points
- 10. Fernando Alonso - 41 points
- 11. Kevin Magnussen - 22 points
- 12. Daniel Ricciardo -19 points
- 13. Pierre Gasly - 16 points
- 14. Sebastian Vettel -16 points
- 15. Mick Schumacher - 12 points
- 16. Yuki Tsunoda - 11 points
- 17. Guanyu Zhou - 5 points
- 18. Lance Stroll - 4 points
- 19. Alex Albon - 3 points
- 20= Nicolas Latifi - 0 points
- 20= Nico Hulkenberg - 0 points
The final positions
- 1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- 2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- 3. George Russell (Mercedes)
- 4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
- 5. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
- 6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- 7. Lando Norris (McLaren)
- 8. Fernando Alonso (Alpine)
- 9. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
- 10. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin)
George Russell, who started on pole but could finish third, speaks: .
When it started spitting at the beginning and we were on the soft tyres I thought we were on, and we had a strong start it was a good first stint, and then towards the end on the mediums I really struggled and loosing a bit of temperate.
Again, an amazing job by the team in pole position yesterday, double podium, we are definitely making progress so really proud of the work everyone has done.
I’m sure there’s a lot I will look over and I could have done better. Managing the tyres obviously we pitted quite early on both stints so you’re trying to eat the tyre out to the end, trying to push as hard as possible at the same time. A bit of a challenging position to be in but never the less pleased to come away with a podium.
I think it’s been incredibly intense start to the season I think a break will do everyone some good.
Updated
Second-placed Lewis Hamilton speaks
I was definitely struggling at the beginning but bit by bit I got more comfortable with the balance. I had a really good start so I want to acknowledge my team. We’ve had a tough year and for both cars to be on the podium is an amazing way to go into the break.
The other guys have an edge but we are clearly closing the gap. Hopefully we can bring some more into the second half of the season and start fighting with them.
I was hoping it was going to rain at the end so I could challenge Max [Verstappen] but we ran out of laps. If the DRS had been okay yesterday we’d have been in [a fight] for the win.
Two seconds [places] in a row, I’m really happy so a huge thank you to the fans for all the amazing support.
Updated
The winner Max Verstappen speaks.
I was of course hoping I would get close to the podium, but it was very tricky conditions out there but we had a really good strategy, we were really reactive, always pitting at the right time. I think we had some good outlaps but even with the 360 (spin) we still won the race.
I was struggling with the shifts and the clutch and we had to change a few things around that to basically not burn the clutch and that costed a bit of performance and so that caught me out a bit on that corner.
I was battling a lot of guys and it was a lot of fun out there. It was a crazy race but of course very happy we won it.
GAINS & LOSSES ⬆️⬇️@Max33Verstappen has never won from that far back on the grid - his previous best was starting P4 (x4) 💪#HungarianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/ZLmS1aExIZ
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 31, 2022
Updated
Edwin gets in touch: “I think Ferrari should employ a strategist. This is getting embarrassing.”
Could be some choice words from Charles Leclerc. It was his fault last week, but nothing like his fault this week.
“Who would have believed that when we woke up this morning,” says a jubilant Verstappen. “Up there with your best,” says Red Bull leader Christian Horner.
“Great work, lads,” says Lewis Hamilton. “Sorry on the tyres,” says Russell. “Great job on Lewis.”
Max Verstappen wins the Hungarian Grand Prix!
The gap starts to narrow, but the Red Bull comes home in the rain. The world champion can ease it home, ahead of Lewis Hamilton, and with George Russell making it another Mercedes 2-3. Sainz comes in fourth, Perez fifth, and Leclerc, painfully in sixth. Norris was seventh, Alonso eighth, Ocon ninth and Vettel, the old man who is actually younger than Hamilton, in tenth.
Updated
69/70 That virtual safety car has rather drawn a veil over the racing. A full safety car might have seen something of a reversal of the Abu Dhabi situation. The green flag waves, and there’s a couple laps in the wet to come.
Updated
68/70 The aforementioned Valtteri Bottas, in his Alfa, comes off the track, and a yellow flag is waved. A virtual safety car comes on. Decisions, decisions, on tyres? Will the rain now come?
67/70 The lead is 10/6 seconds for Verstappen on Hamilton. Red Bull have been done a favour by the resurgence of the Mercedes cars during the races.
66/70 Ferrari, mournfully, are in fourth and sixth, and former leader Leclerc is in sixth. Verstappen, who started tenth, looks on course to win.
Hamilton overtakes Russell to take second!
65/70 Hamilton gets past at turn one, and now Verstappen is in his sights. The gap is 11 seconds. Can it be bridged?
64/70 Russell doesn’t seem ready to give up his place, and Valtteri Bottas, the former Mercedes driver gets in the way for a while. The race is one for second and third, when it might have been expected Hamilton would be offered the honour.
Updated
63/70 Hamilton is soon bearing down on Russell, and second will soon be his.
Hamilton overtakes Sainz for third!
62/70 The Mercedes shows the greater grip, and has half the straight left by the time he whips past.
Updated
61/70 DRS is imminent between Hamilton and Sainz, as they head to the main straight on a track the Briton has won eight times. Sainz is trying to hold the inside line.
60/70 Perez in fifth, is between Leclerc and Hamilton, who is catching the top three. Sainz is complaining about the front end dropping away from him. He is told to stay to the end.
59/70 Spots of rain on the cameras, as Hamilton gets closer and closer to Sainz. Once he gets there. Russell will likely step aside, as he is on a different strategy.
58/70 Yet another fastest lap from Hamilton, this is old-school stuff, and the chase is on for Verstappen. It’s all on the Red Bull tyres to hang on. They are 11 laps older than those of the Mercedes.
57/70 Hamilton sets another fastest lap, he’s 1.4 seconds faster than Sainz. Mercedes heading for two cars on the podium for the second race running.
56/70 Russell is almost nine seconds behind Verstappen, and the big race is now Hamilton coming in for Sainz to take third. The warning is of a brief and light shower.
55/70 Leclerc being called in for a third pit? What was the point of those hard tyres. Leclerc comes into sixth, behind Perez, and with Hamilton on a fastest lap. Ferrari have boxed him in.
54/70 Russell overtakes Leclerc and takes second place. Ferrari’s nightmare continues. Sainz is at least driving better.
53/70 Russell is struggling to overtake Leclerc while Hamilton is chasing down Sainz, two battles of Mercedes v Ferrari.
Verstappen takes the lead after Hamilton pits
52/70 Leclerc holds off the Mercedes into turn two, and they stay close, Russell being held off by defensive moves. Hamilton pits, and drops into fifth, and Verstappen is now in the lead.
51/70 Mercedes hanging on for a safety car? That would put Lewis Hamilton in a decent position to win the race. Russell meanwhile is chasing down Leclerc, the Ferrari’s rock-hard tyres continuing to be a problem. That’s the race for third.
50/70 Stroll goes past Ricciardo back in midfield. Ricciardo has a five-second penalty despite his protestations of innocence before.
49/70 Hamilton is in the lead, and has 5.5 seconds on Verstappen, though a pit to come. Verstappen looks best placed to get the win.
Updated
48/70 Sainz comes in and it’s another Ferrari mare, and 4.8 seconds. Sainz comes into the field in fifth. Back in the field, Ricciardo and Stroll clash. “I gave him plenty of room,” says Ricciardo. That’s the battle for 11th and 12th.
47/70 Russell, the former pole position, is showing better speed than Leclerc. Ferrari are telling Leclerc the hard tyres are the right choice. Let’s see what he say afterwards.
46/70 Ferrari’s hopes now lie with Sainz having a decent pit, and holding off Verstappen. Hamilton is yet to pit for a second time in the Mercedes, too.
Verstappen overtakes Leclerc again!
45/70 Why Leclerc went on hard tyres is a mystery. Verstappen goes past him again, on the inside, using the superior traction.
44/70 Verstappen tries his best to go back past Leclerc, though the Ferrari attempts a defensive effort. The Red Bull if flying along again, that error seems to have done little damage.
43/70 Perez makes his final stop, and it’s a quick one. What state will Verstappen’s tyres be in? Good question.
Error from Verstappen!
42/70 Verstappen loses it, and Lelclerc comes past! The Red Bull slides in the chicane, and Leclerc overtakes him, and goes back into third. Russell takes advantage to surge past Perez. It’s all happening. Redemption for Ferrari?
Verstappen overtakes Leclerc!
41/70 Another Ferrari goof? Verstappen’s medium tyres overtake Leclerc in the hard-tyres.
40/70 Leclerc comes into the pits, goes on to the hard tyres. Russell comes into change and goes into his mediums. Sainz leads from Hamilton, Leclerc is third, on the hards. Intriguing choice. Perez is fourth, but soon to give way to Verstappen.
39/70 Verstappen is the first to pit of the leaders, and goes into sixth, behind Perez and Hamilton. The plan is to undercut Mercedes and Ferrari.
38/70 Here comes the rain, as Lando Norris warns his team. Vettel, the imminent retiree, goes 10th, ahead of Ocon.
37/70 Leclerc has 4.48 seconds on Russell, who is 1.2 seconds ahead of Sainz, who is 0.8 ahead of Verstappen, with Hamilton almost six seconds back.
36/70 Yuki Tsunoda’s crash suggested the chicane might be a bit slippery. Let’s see. Leclerc is staying well away, and his tyres are the youngest in the leaders.
35/70 A yellow flag, as Yuki Tsunoda takes a spin and drops to last place. He’s back of a race where nobody, at halfway, has dropped out.
34/70 Russell now being chased down by Sainz, with a gap of 0.6 seconds.
33/70 Hamilton is picking up pace. Verstappen was complaining about the rain, by the way, and a few drivers are worried by that. That would throw everything into flux.
32/70 Verstappen is having a moan. His garage acknowledges that, and lets him carry on as before.
Leclerc overtakes Russell and takes the lead!
31/70 Finally, the door opens, and Leclerc breaches Russell’s defences, going round the other side to before, and the Ferrari is ahead. Great driving from the both of them. Russell’s job now is to hold off Sainz and Verstappen.
30/70 Down that final straight, the DRS opens up again, and Russell continues to hold off his rival. Leclerc has the younger tyres, and may choose to bide his time.
29/70 Leclerc chases down Russell, and another gap opens, only to be closed up once more. Just five seconds between the top four, Hamilton dropping off that pace.
Leclerc takes on Russell for the lead!
28/70 Russell opens the door, and Leclerc seems to get through, but great defensive work from Russell closes the door again. That showed off Russell’s talent. Not this time.
Updated
27/70 Russell seems to be losing a bit of time, and is perhaps struggling with his tyres, as seems to be Hamilton. Leclerc is ripping along, Sainz a buffer between him and Verstappen.
26/70 Leclerc is getting close to Russell, the gap now under a second, the spectre of DRS rising. Big test for the youngster.
25/70 Hamilton’s brakes locked, just as he was setting a fast opening sector. The Ferrari team are saying the race is “tough on the tyres”.
24/70 Leclerc sets a fastest lap, as Verstappen rages after Sainz. We may soon enough see a battle of Verstappen and Leclerc, as has been habitual this season. Then the Alpines of Ocon and Alonso get in a tangle, and in comes Ricciardo, reading their movement, and into tenth. There’s bad blood in the Alpine team.
23/70 Leclerc is warned by his team not to rag the balls out of his tyres. He’s the type of driver who requires such a warning.
22/70 Russell comes out ahead of Leclerc, but Leclerc will be racing ahead of Sainz. That’s a result of Leclerc’s speed and a rather botched pit for Sainz. Alonso has gone on the hard tyre, which gives everyone else a guide.
Updated
21/70 Verstappen makes his way through the field, and goes fourth after breezing past the Alpine cars of Alonso and Ocon. Leclerc pits, and goes on to the mediums.
20/70 Hamilton goes in, and drops to seventh. Russell is second, and just Leclerc of the leaders to go in. Sainz and Leclerc looks to be the race to watch out for, later pitting permitting.
19/70 In comes Perez, from third, as Russell sets a fastest lap and goes to third. Leclerc is flying along up ahead, trying to stay away so he can pit and stay ahead. Verstappen is in seventh after his pit, and Perez is back in 10th. Red Bull have work to do.
18/70 Sainz’s pit is slow, and then Russell comes past Ocon and stays ahead of Sainz, with those ahead still to pit. Mercedes got lucky, their pit was slow.
17/70 Russell pits, and so does Verstappen. Russell comes back into the race in sixth, and stays ahead of Alonso before coming for Ocon next. Hamilton is up to third, but will surely pit soon, and Ferrari are soon to do the same.
16/70 Stephen Harris, presumably not of Iron Maiden, gets in touch: “It’s so refreshing to see so many drivers who can win and look at along this year im not anti Hamilton but his wins turned me off F1.”
It’s been a fine race so far, the first three so close, and now Hamilton and Verstappen chasing each other down.
15/70 Russell’s tyres beginning to slow him up, time for a pit? Norris has dropped in for a pit, and the Merc team might follow suit.
14/70 Up ahead, the Ferraris of Leclerc and Sainz are taking it easy, not putting Russell under too much pressure.
13/70 Verstappen is complaining. “Fail 20,” is the word. Hamilton is taking off ahead of him. Perez breezed past Norris in the same DRS fashion.
12/70 Hamilton overtakes Norris, using DRS, and then, by the same route, Verstappen moves past Norris. So, the battle for fourth will be between Hamilton and Verstappen. Hammo’s job is to hold up Max to keep him away from the Mercedes up front, that of Russell.
Updated
11/70 Verstappen is closing in on Hamilton, who is being frustrated by Norris. and can’t make the move.
10/70 Hamilton chases Norris, DRS soon to be in the offing, with Norris’ McLaren soft tyres perhaps struggling in these conditions.
9/70 Perez overtakes Ocon to claim seventh, the Red Bull team is flying along just nicely. Hamilton is chasing down Norris, to try and claim fourth.
8/70 Verstappen has gained four places, as has Mick Schumacher, in 11th. Russell’s Mercedes has a lead of 2.2 seconds on Sainz, and Verstappen is a similar distance behind Hamilton in fifth.
7/70 Verstappen spins past Ocon, and he’s into sixth. Russell is told by his garage there will be no rain for the next half hour. The black cloud has passed. For now.
6/70 Sainz has set the fastest lap as he chases down Russell’s Merc, which will have to get through some heavy defensive work very soon. Kevin Magnussen has been called in to attend to something hanging off his car.
5/70 Verstappen spots a gap and overtakes Alonso, and now has Ocon in his sights.
4/70 Some talk that Russell cut off Sainz at that start but the verdict is he did nothing wrong. Verstappen, in eighth, has Ocon and Alonso ahead of him.
3/70 Off that virtual safety car, Russell showed off his driving skills in speeding away from his chasers, in a not dissimilar way to that which he stole third at Paul Ricard. Sergio Perez is complaining to Red Bull about his engine.
2/70 Verstappen managed to overtake his teammate Perez, and benefitted from those around him getting snarled up. Alonso is not happy with Ocon. Russell leads Sainz, Leclerc and Norris, Hamilton in fifth.
Lights out!
1/70 Away we go. Russell gets off to a good start, and holding off Leclerc and Sainz are on his tail. He stays in the lead, and someone’s gone off the track. Verstappen moves up the field, too. Pierre Gasly drags from the pit lane, and there’s a virtual safety as Alex Albon hit Lance Stroll. Russell held Sainz off with a very defensive move, and now he must defend further.
Updated
Off they go in the formation lap, and it’s taking a while, and that means George Russell may spend a long time on the grid, with Nicholas Latifi, always Latifi, going slow. No sign of rain just yet.
The Hungarian GP has been won from pole 16 times from 37 overall races in Budapest. No pressure, George Russell. This could be tough going for those on hard tyres.
Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, has just suggested rain is coming, and as soon as he does so, the rain descends in Hungary, a big black cloud over the track. Here come the variables.
And here is the Hungarian national anthem, Himnusz, sung by one singer and a piano.
A windswept Max Verstappen on trying to get to the podium: “It will be quite tough but we will be giving it a go.”
Updated
The cars are being loaded into their starting positions, and George Russell, in pole, has been talking to Sky F1.
The biggest challenge is managing the tyres and trying to eek out every single stint to its maximum. There are no guarantees. Having the two Ferrari’s around us means they can do as they please but I’m just going to be going as fast as I can. Ferrari have a better chance than us but we’re starting from a better position.
The cars are out of their garages and out on the track ahead of the grid. There’s a few headwinds and tailwinds out there. This is a classically difficult track, with that long straight. Lewis Hamilton has won eight times here, it’s a place for a calm head with some sharp turns, particularly off the start.
Updated
A reminder of the standings in the drivers’ championship
- 1. Max Verstappen - 233 points
- 2. Charles Leclerc - 170 points
- 3. Sergio Perez - 163 points
- 4. Carlos Sainz - 144 points
- 5. George Russell - 143 points
- 6. Lewis Hamilton - 127 points
- 7. Lando Norris - 70 points
- 8. Esteban Ocon - 56 points
- 9. Valtteri Bottas - 46 points
- 10. Fernando Alonso - 37 points
- 11. Kevin Magnussen - 22 points
- 12. Daniel Ricciardo -19 points
- 13. Pierre Gasly - 16 points
- 14. Sebastian Vettel -15 points
- 15. Mick Schumacher - 12 points
- 16. Yuki Tsunoda - 11 points
- 17. Guanyu Zhou - 5 points
- 18. Lance Stroll - 4 points
- 19. Alex Albon - 3 points
- 20. Nicholas Latifi - 0 points
- 21. Nico Hulkenberg - 0 points
There’s the possibility of rain for this race, and that brings extra intangibles in. Lewis Hamilton used to be regarded as the best driver in the wet. Is that still the case?
#F1 #BBCF1 #HUNGARIANGP 🇭🇺 SUNDAY 1/2: It's been an on-&-off wet morning at Hungaroring, where ~7mm of rain has fallen since 6am (now 9am local). As some forecast models indicated, clearance of low pressure has been slow. Consequently, uncertainty for conditions by race start >>
— Ian Fergusson (@fergieweather) July 31, 2022
Reminder of what happened last week at Paul Ricard, where Max Verstappen was the beneficiary of a Charles Leclerc mistake, one the Ferrari driver admitted was all his fault.
This was the week Sebastian Vettel announced this season will be his last.
Vettel’s decision to retire did not come as an enormous surprise when it was made before this weekend’s Hungarian GP. The 35-year-old has of late had the demeanour of the demob-happy after 15 years in F1, having secured 53 wins, behind only Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.
He has had a carefree air that suggested F1 had ceased being the centre of his universe. Indeed as he grew his hair out and began sporting a tousled beard there was more than a little of the LA Woman-period Jim Morrison relaxed, swagger to him. Without Mr Mojo’s extra pounds of course.
Masi received death threats after Abu Dhabi decision
Sacked Formula One race director Michael Masi has said he received death threats following the decision that cost Lewis Hamilton an eighth world title.
Masi was stood down from the race director’s role after an investigation into his handling of the Abu Dhabi title showdown finale in December. The Australian controversially let lapped cars pass the safety car on the final lap - meaning title rival Max Verstappen had a clear run at Hamilton on much faster tyres.
Verstappen won the one-lap shoot-out, denying Hamilton the crown at the season’s big finale. Masi quit F1 last month to return home to Australia, and has now revealed the scale of abuse he has received.
“There were some really dark days,” Masi told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph. “I felt like I was the most hated man in the world. I got death threats, people saying they were going to come after me and my family. I still remember walking down the street in London a day or two later. I thought I was OK until I started looking over my shoulder.
“I was looking at people wondering if they were going to get me.”
Giles Richards witnessed a good day in qualifying - at last - for Mercedes.
There was elation in the Mercedes garage at the Hungaroring as mechanics and engineers who have been under the cosh all season were finally able to enjoy the adrenaline surge of success once more. While Russell, the 24-year-old who is always careful to keep a tight rein on his emotions, was lit up with pleasure.
“This is what racing is about,” he said. “Why I wake up every single day because feelings like this are something you can’t really dream of.”
Pierre Gasly will start in the pit lane. He was 19th on the grid in any case, so no major moves in the field.
From the official F1 site
Pierre Gasly will start the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix from the pit lane, after taking a new power unit aboard his AlphaTauri AT03 – but having done so without the approval of FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer.
Gasly, plus Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, have all taken on a new internal combustion engine, turbocharger, MGU-H and MGU-K each – with Gasly additionally taking a new energy store and control electronics, as the Red Bull pair opted for new exhausts.
Verstappen and Perez remain within their allocation for the above power unit components, meaning they hold onto their respective 10th and 11th places on the grid.
Preamble
George Russell in pole, a first for the young Englishman, a triumph of pacing and tyre management. The first of many to come? Very probably, now for how long can he defend himself against the rampant Ferraris and a wounded Red Bull, annoyed by Max Verstappen back in 10th, and looking to speed through the field. Verstappen’s plight can relight this championship with nine races to go - this one is the last one before the summer break. Sergio Perez, third on the grid, has a big job on to keep the field occupied while his team leader tries to come in from way back. And Lewis Hamilton, in seventh, who finished second at Paul Ricard, and to his obvious satisfaction, has a part to play. Mercedes have been a growing factor in what has become a most interesting season.
Lights out at 2pm, join me.
The grid positions
- 1. George Russell
- 2. Carlos Sainz
- 3. Charles Leclerc
- 4. Lando Norris
- 5. Esteban Ocon
- 6. Fernando Alonso
- 7. Lewis Hamilton
- 8. Valtteri Bottas
- 9. Daniel Ricciardo
- 10. Max Verstappen
- 11. Sergio Perez
- 12. Guanyu Zhou
- 13. Kevin Magnussen
- 14. Lance Stroll
- 15. Mick Schumacher
- 16. Yuki Tsunoda
- 17. Alex Albon
- 18. Sebastian Vettel
- 19. Pierre Gasly
- 20. Nicholas Latifi
