Hungarian Grand Prix betting tips and F1 predictions: Leclerc to reign supreme

Best bets, Formula 1 tips & analysis for Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix.

Where to watch

Sky Sports F1, 2pm Sunday

Best bets

Charles Leclerc to win Hungarian GP
2pts 11-8 general

Fernando Alonso top-six finish
2pts 7-5 Betfair

No safety car deployed
1pt 7-4 general

Hungarian Grand Prix

George Russell came from nowhere to snatch pole position from Carlos Sainz on Saturday but the King's Lynn driver will have to be served a substantial slice of luck to convert his maiden pole on Sunday.

The Hungaroring has a reputation of being a difficult circuit to pass on - and rightly so - but only three of the eight Grand Prix in the turbo-hybrid era have been won from pole and, with the two Ferraris breathing down his neck, Russell is unlikely to be the fourth.

Despite the relative underperformance from the front of the grid, only two Hungarian Grand Prix winners have come from further back than the second row.

One of these two winners was Esteban Ocon, who capitalised on some first-lap chaos last year to lead most of the race, ironically highlighting how difficult it is to overtake around the 14 turns of the Hungaroring.

Even serial winner Max Verstappen, who qualified a dismal tenth after running into car issues in Q3, could find it tough to battle through the pack there.

With Charles Leclerc’s World Drivers’ Championship battle teetering on the brink of collapse, this could be the perfect opportunity for him to carve into Verstappen’s 63-point lead and he looks a worthy favourite, especially with his teammate placed on the dirty side of the grid.

Carlos Sainz, starting second, may have had the pace advantage over his teammate in qualifying but Leclerc has had the upper hand on race day and team orders could come into play on Sunday, further enhancing Leclerc’s chances of a fourth win of the season.

Further back, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso qualified an impressive fifth and sixth and they look set for another excellent Hungarian Grand Prix.

Ocon and Alonso finished first and fourth respectively in last year’s instalment and the veteran Spaniard has a particularly good relationship with the Hungaroring.

He won his first Grand Prix there in 2003 and has finished in the points in 14 of his 18 races in Hungary, with 11 top-six finishes, and he has not failed to make the points since his 2009 retirement.

Alpine have secured 17 top-ten finishes from a possible 24 this season and five of their failures to do so came in the opening five rounds. Both drivers have been in the points in five of the last seven races and it is clear Alonso has the car to challenge at the front of the midfield so a top-six finish is well within his reach.

Only half of the 12 Hungarian Grands Prix held since 2010 have seen a safety car deployed and with the chance of rain during the race now a miserly seven per cent, a small punt on no safety car being deployed at 7-4 offers good value.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Not got a bet365 account? Bet £10 & get £50 in free bets

Open account offer. Minimum deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as bet credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Minimum odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude bet credits stake. Time limits/T&Cs apply. 18+ begambleaware.org

CLAIM OFFER HERE

MORE FREE BETS

Sign up to emails from Racing Post Sport and get all the latest news and tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport