Hungarian Grand Prix predictions and F1 betting tips: Ferrari to set the pace

F1 predictions, best bets and stats for this weekend's Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring.

Where to watch

Practice one
Sky Sports F1, 1pm Friday

Practice two
Sky Sports F1, 4pm Friday

Practice three
Sky Sports F1, midday Saturday

Qualifying
Sky Sports F1, 3pm Saturday

Race
Sky Sports F1, 2pm Sunday

Best bets

Ferrari fastest car in practice one
2pts 5-6 bet365

Lando Norris top-six finish
1pt 6-5 bet365, Betfair, Paddy Power

Hungarian Grand Prix preview

Charles Leclerc’s faux pas in France has left Ferrari in desperate need of a positive result in Formula 1’s final race before the summer break.

Not for the first time this season, Leclerc saw a great shot at victory slip through his grasp, albeit this time the error was his rather than one of Ferrari’s team fumbles which have threatened to ruin their season.

Leclerc’s costly spin 18 laps into what was shaping up to be a close battle with title rival Max Verstappen at Paul Ricard Circuit presented the Red Bull driver with his seventh win of the season, moving him 63 points clear of Leclerc in the standings with ten races to go.

A Ferrari response is therefore a must before the mid-season interval and the tight and twisty Hungaroring should play to the strengths of the Italians.

There are few worse places for Red Bull to utilise their straight line speed at a circuit described in the past as 'Monaco without the buildings' and they’ve been second best to Ferrari through the corners in recent races.

Leclerc has been priced up as a marginal 6-5 favourite due to the Scuderia’s anticipated advantage, while he’s odds-on for an eighth pole position of the season given Ferrari’s excellent one-lap pace, both in qualifying and practice.

A Ferrari has topped the timesheets in 17 of the 33 practice sessions held this season and they look a solid bet to have the fastest car again come Friday.

Red Bull won’t be too far behind but there could be a sizeable gap to the rest of the grid with Mercedes facing an uphill battle to build on their run of four straight podium finishes.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are likely to be spending more time concentrating on what’s behind them, rather than ahead, with McLaren’s Lando Norris amongst those pushing the Silver Arrows for a top-six spot.

Norris’s sixth place and fastest lap time in Monaco are good indicators of how he may perform in Hungary and he’s been driving well of late, finishing in the top seven in his last three races.

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