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Formula 1 Hungarian GP

F1 Hungarian GP Live Commentary and Updates – Race day

Updates from Sunday at the Hungaroring for the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix

George Russell, Mercedes W13

Following Charles Leclerc’s crash while leading last weekend’s French GP, Max Verstappen picked up the win and extended his F1 world championship lead to 63 points.

The main talking point in the F1 paddock has been Sebastian Vettel’s announcement that he will retire from F1 at the end of 2022.

George Russell stormed to a maiden F1 pole position in qualifying, beating Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz and Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton suffered a DRS failure in Q3 and starts seventh, while Verstappen had an engine issue on his final qualifying run and dropped to 10th.

The Hungarian GP marks the final race before F1’s summer break.

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At the start of lap five, Russell's lead is trimmed to 2s by Sainz with Leclerc also in tow. The front three are dropping the rest, with Norris holding up Hamilton.
A mistake from Alonso allows Verstappen past into Turn 4
All clear for Perez - Red Bull say they're happy with his powerunit
Perez says there's a "strange sound" coming from his engine in high gears
Russell, just like in France, gets a superb restart at the end of the Virtual Safety Car to bolt into a 2.5s lead on Sainz.
Albon has pitted and now runs 20 seconds behind Gasly in 19th
Green flag
The Virtual Safety Car period is over and we are off again!
Alonso has dropped to seventh, behind team-mate Esteban Ocon
Safety car
At the end of lap one Russell still leads but a Virtual Safety Car has been deployed for debris on track at Turn 2.
Albon has damage to his front wing, with the endplate dragging along the ground - he'll have to pit
Hamilton is up to fifth already having lined up seventh, passing both Alpines off the line
Green flag
Russell keeps the lead at Turn 1, defending boldly from Sainz, as Hamilton bolts into fifth place ahead of both Alpines!
They all make it to the grid. Here we go.
The pack is very stretched out on the formation lap, Russell has made it to the grid but Latifi at the back of the pack still has the whole of the final sector to complete.
Green flag
The formation lap is underway, the Red Bulls get away slowly but no major dramas, so here we go.
Tyre chat: Softs for Russell, Norris, Ricciardo, Verstappen, Perez, Stroll, Tsunoda, Albon, Vettel and Gasly. The rest start on mediums. That's a right mix.
Quote
"We think the rain will hit us in five minutes, and then 10 minutes of high intensity rain," Russell is told over team radio. That'll make the start very tricky!
Rain
With 10 minutes to go until lights out spots of rain are being reported from the grid. Here we go.
The official rain-o-meter sets the chance for the wet stuff during the race at 60%. That's pretty high.
The drivers and various F1 delegates make their way to the front of the grid for the Hungarian national anthem. It's a sombre number, stripped back to a female vocalist and a child playing a grand piano. Chilled.
For Leclerc it is a good chance to slash Verstappen's lead in the F1 championship, but he's never won a race from outside the front row, so even he'll need a strong performance starting from third.
What are your predictions for today? Russell to convert his first F1 pole into a maiden win? Or will Ferrari charge off into the distance having been the strongest team in practice?
Breaking news
The Hungarian GP often produces a stormer of a race. But what's your favourite? The Autosport team explained their picks and it has created quite a split in opinion: 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/autosport-writers-favourite-f1-hungarian-grands-prix/10344993/
19 of the 20 F1 cars are on the grid - just Gasly missing as he'll start the race from pitlane.
Let's not forget what happened at the first turn in last year's race - granted it was in the wet - when Bottas and Stroll triggered an F1 car bowling alley.
The lock up replays keep on coming. Perez, Bottas and Ricciardo all lock up at Turn 2, while Albon did the same at Turn 6. If that continues in the race this could be messy.
"Big vibration on the brakes," Hamilton says over Mercedes team radio on the sighting laps. Something for the team to check over on the grid.
To rather prove that point, Verstappen and Gasly are both caught locking up their fronts going into Turn 2. They'll be feeling a strong tailwind there, pushing the car away from the corner apex.
The pitlane is open and the cars are on the way to the grid. These will be vital laps to gauge track and weather conditions.
There's also a strong wind blowing, creating a headwind on the main straight, so the drivers will also need to keep their wits about them in the twisty sections.
As Pirelli's strategy predictions indicate, the Hungarian GP is set to be a tricky one-stopper or flat out two-stopper. But if any of the wet stuff arrives at the Hungaroring the teams can throw those plans in the bin.
Sun
After heavy rain on Saturday and Sunday morning, one eye has been on the sky. So far it is dry but dark clouds are lurking overhead, so let's not rule anything out yet.
Breaking news
The Verstappen engine problem has triggered Red Bull into action and it has fitted fresh power units for both its drivers as a precaution. AlphaTauri's Gasly also has a fresh engine but he's exceeded his allocation so starts from the pitlane. Full story:

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/verstappen-and-perez-get-fresh-f1-hungarian-gp-engines-pitlane-start-for-gasly/10346500/
Before we focus on today, here's a quick recap on what's happened so far: Russell secured his maiden F1 pole with a stunning late lap, beating Ferrari pair Sainz and Leclerc. Hamilton suffered a DRS failure in Q3 and dropped to seventh, while Verstappen was hit by an engine issue and will line up 10th.
Green flag
Hello! Who is ready for one more dose of F1 fun before the summer break? Oh, go on then.

By: autosport.com

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