2018 Hungarian Grand Prix Odds, Preview and Prediction

The Hungarian Grand Prix is an annual motor race held in Hungary and traditionally, it happens during the midway point of the F1 season. This year, the 2018 Hungarian GP will be held from July 27-29, 2018 as the 12^th race of this year’s F1 calendar.

The Circuit

The track used in the Hungarian Grand Prix is named the Hungaroring in the village Mogyoród, 20 km north of Budapest. The race has been held there every year since 1986. The tight, narrow and twisty track has two DRS activation zones which are located at the first and last bends of the 2.72 mile circuit.

Circuit Details:

• Circuit Length: 2.72mi/4.38km
• Laps: 70
• Race Distance: 190.53mi/306.63km
• Tyre compounds used: Medium/Soft/Supersoft
• Lap record: 1 minute 19.071 seconds set by Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) in 2004

Race Schedule

Below is the timetable for the 2018 Hungarian GP. All times are local (Budapest is GMT +2):

Thursday July 26

15:00 FIA press conference

Friday July 27

11:00 – 12:30 First free practice
13:00 FIA press conference
15:00 – 16:30 Second free practice

Saturday July 28

12:00 – 13:00 Third free practice
15:00 – 16:00 Qualifying
16:00 FIA post-qualifying press conference

Sunday July 29

13:30 – 14:00 Driver parade
14:00 – 14:15 Starting grid presentation
14:54 – 14:56 National anthem
15:10 – 17:10 Hungarian GP
17:20 FIA post-race press conference

Hungry in Hungary

Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton have ruled the last three years at the Hungarian Grand Prix with Vettel winning in 2015 and 2017 while Hamilton taking the title in 2016. Hamilton’s win in 2016 was his fifth Hungarian Grand Prix victory, which is one more than the previous record of 4 wins set by the legendary Michael Schumacher.

This year, Hamilton enters the Hungarian Grand Prix with a 17 point lead over Vettel in the Drivers Championship. Hometown favorite Vettel was leading 15 laps from the finish line of the 2018 German Grand Prix when he crashed, paving the way for Hamilton’s unlikely victory from the 14^th position. The win was the first in Hamilton’s 66 Grand Prix triumphs while starting from outside the Top 6.

While the German Grand Prix victory boosted Hamilton’s championship points, winning the Hungarian Grand Prix might do more harm than good to the Briton. Historically, only 8 out of the 33 Hungarian GP winners proceeded to win the Drivers Championship with Michael Schumacher in 2004 to accomplish the feat.

This year, the Drivers Championship lead has changed hands five times in the first eleven races. Hamilton’s 17 point lead is the third time this season that the leader has been up by 17 points. The lead has never been more than 17 so far this season. With Hamilton and Vettel going at each other in the Drivers Championship, who will be hungrier in Hungary?

The Favorites

• Sebastian Vettel +175

We have not seen Vettel as distraught as he was after he crashed during the German Grand Prix. Instead taking a 30+ points lead to Hungary, he now finds himself trailing by 17 points. But the Driver’s Championship isn’t over yet. In fact, the lead has changed hands in 5 of the 11 races we’ve had so far. Vettel won here in 2015 and 2017. With redemption in mind, he is the top pick to win at Hungaroring.

• Lewis Hamilton +250

Coming off a dramatic win at the German Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton’s confidence must be soaring off the books right now. Hamilton has taken over the lead in the Driver’s standings again and he will be looking to add more separation from his rival. Hamilton has won here four times, the most by any driver. He prevented a three peat from Vetter when he won in 2016.

• Max Verstappen +330

Hungaroring is more about traction, handling and braking than it is about top speed. Having said that, Red Bull’s cars should have a good chance at winning this race. Verstappen claimed victory in Austria after a grid penalty from Vetter and the double retirement by Mercedes. With Red Bull eager to erase what happened in in Budapest 12 months ago when he and Ricciardo collided in the first lap, Verstappen is also looking for redemption in Hungaroring.

• Daniel Ricciardo +450

Ricciardo hasn’t been to many podiums this season but in the two times he was in the podium, he won both races. Could we see a third one this weekend? The high downforce demand in Hungaroring works well for Red Bull who are still F-1 leader in aerodynamics. Just as Verstappen has a good chance here, so does Ricciardo.

Here are the complete odds according to Bovada as of July 25, 2018:

Who Wins This?

Sebastian Vettel threw away a sure win in Germany but he cannot dwell on that. He isn’t a four-time Formula One champion for nothing. Expect him to redeem himself and bounce back with a strong outing at Hungaroring.

We also like Red Bulls cars in this track and we’re expecting a good outing from them in Hungaroring. They won the race here in 2014, had a double podium finish in 2015 and finished 3^rd and 4^th in 2016. I think both Red Bull drivers finish in the Top 4. Verstappen is a -135 and Ricciardo a +110 to finish in the Top 3 so those bets are worth looking at given Red Bulls cars and recent success here.

As for the winner though, we’re going with Sebastian Vettel here. It’s a race that he’s dominated in the last three years and given that he is eager for redemption, we’re picking Vettel to win the 2018 Hungarian Grand Prix.