F1 2019 Hungarian Grand Prix Odds & Preview

While Lewis Hamilton remains comfortably in the lead of the 2019 driver standings, with 225 points, the hot name right now is Max Verstappen, the Red Bull driver who has won two of the last three races, including a victory at a rain-soaked German Grand Prix last week. Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari came in second, with Daniil Kvyat thrilled to take third. The wet conditions led to considerable chaos, with four full safety car deployments and two virtual safety cars, and with Verstappen pitting five different times for tires as the road conditions changed. Charles Leclerc did not finish thanks to a barrier wreck. Lewis Hamilton, not feeling well, also ran into a barrier and needed a lengthy pit to replace his nose and a front wing. So while Hamilton remains the favorite this week, the resurgence of Red Bull has made Formula 1 competitive again. We have the F1 odds for each driver in the 2019 Hungarian Grand Prix as well as thoughts about the course and the racing teams.

F1 2019 Hungarian Grand Prix Odds & Preview

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Event Info

• When: Sunday, August 4 at 9:10am ET
• Where: Hungaroring, Mogyorod, Hungary
• TV: ESPN 2
• Live Stream: Formula1.com

Driver Odds to Win the 2019 Hungarian Grand Prix

• Lewis Hamilton                                                                                               11/10
• Max Verstappen                                                                                              3/1
• Valtteri Bottas                                                                                                 6/1
• Sebastian Vettel                                                                                              8/1
• Charles Leclerc                                                                                              9/1
• Pierre Gasly                                                                                                    50/1
• Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz                                                750/1
• Daniil Kvyat, Nico Hulkenberg, Kimi Raikkonen, Alexander Albon               1000/1
• Kevin Magnussen, Sergio Perez, Romain Grosjean                                     1500/1
• Lance Stroll                                                                                                     2000/1
• Antonio Giovinazzi                                                                                          2500/1
• Robert Kubica, George Russell                                                                      5000/1

History

The Hungarian Grand Prix dates back to 1936, when a large park in Budapest was converted to hold a 5-kilometer track, and Tazio Nuvolari won the initial race for Alfa Romeo. World War II and the era of Soviet control meant that the Grand Prix would take a long break in Hungary, but it resumed in 1986 and has taken place each year since. The current course, called the Hungaroring, a 4.381-kilometer course that the drivers complete 70 times, for a total distance of 306.630 kilometers. The course contains 14 turns, including 11 that could be considered corners of limited to significant severity. There are two long straights, and the emphasis on downforce is greater here than there is on any other Grand Prix course. The course makes qualifying crucial, because passing is extremely difficult. There are two DRS zones, one on the main straight and the other on the short straight heading into Turn 2. Turn 11 will likely lead to the most drama because it is a quick turn that permits a wide lane for exiting before the second lengthy straight. This is where drivers will attempt to make moves against the field.

Who’s the Favorite?

Max Verstappen has finished in the top five in each race since the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix, and if his power unit had not gone out during the 2018 Hungarian Grand Prix, that run would be even longer. The fact that he was able to stay focused in a day when the conditions sidelined many drivers. The progress that Honda has made this year, with Red Bull as well as Toro Rosso seeing their fortunes rise. Could Verstappen go on a run to threaten Hamilton?

Is Mercedes a Threat?

Mercedes claimed that their upgrades worked at the German Grand Prix, specifically in the areas of aero improvement. However, Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas were unable to pick up time on the corners against Ferrari, which was what the upgrades were supposed to accomplish, so there are still questions. The Hungarian Grand Prix requires efficiency in aerodynamic performance as well, so it will be interesting to see if Mercedes can get a different result on a drier day. Current forecasts call for thunderstorms, though, which could lead to another mess.

What About Ferrari?

Ferrari suffered in qualifying, with Leclerc and Vettel coming into the grid in 10th and 20th place, respectively. Vettel drove quite well in Germany to come in second, but his pace was not impressive. Ferrari tends to struggle on courses where downforce is a priority, as it is here, so it would not be surprising to see Red Bull joining Mercedes on the podium this week.