The 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix is the 12th round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship and the last race before the summer break. The race will take place on Sunday, 23 July, at the Hungaroring, a 4.381-kilometre circuit near Budapest that is known for its twisty and technical layout. The race will start at 15:00 local time (14:00 BST, 09:00 EDT)1.
What to expect
The Hungarian Grand Prix is often considered a challenging race for both drivers and teams, as overtaking is difficult and strategy is crucial. The track has 14 corners and only one long straight, which means that aerodynamic efficiency, traction and tyre management are key factors. The weather can also play a role, as the summer heat can affect the performance and reliability of the cars and the drivers2.
The 2023 season has been a thrilling and unpredictable one so far, with seven different winners in the first 11 races and a close battle for the championship between Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Hamilton leads Verstappen by only four points after winning the British Grand Prix in controversial fashion, as the two title rivals collided on the first lap and Verstappen crashed out of the race. The incident sparked a war of words between the two teams and drivers, adding more spice to their rivalry2.
The Hungarian Grand Prix could be another opportunity for Hamilton to extend his lead or for Verstappen to bounce back, as both drivers have a strong record at the Hungaroring. Hamilton has won eight times in Hungary, more than any other driver in history, while Verstappen has won once and finished second twice in the last three races. Both drivers will also have new teammates for this race, as Mercedes have promoted George Russell from Williams to replace Valtteri Bottas, who has moved to Alfa Romeo, while Red Bull have brought back Daniel Ricciardo from McLaren to replace Nyck de Vries, who was dropped by AlphaTauri after a disappointing first half of the season23.
Other drivers to watch out for in Hungary include Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr., who have shown impressive pace and consistency this season and are third and fourth in the standings respectively. McLaren’s Lando Norris, who is fifth in the championship and has scored points in every race so far. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, who won his maiden F1 race in Hungary last year after a chaotic start that saw several cars crash out. And Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel, who finished second in Hungary last year but was disqualified for a fuel infringement2.
How to watch
The Hungarian Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 in the UK, ESPN in the US, TSN in Canada, Fox Sports in Australia and Ziggo Sport in the Netherlands. The full weekend schedule is as follows14:
| Session | Date | Time (local) | Time (BST) | Time (EDT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practice 1 | Friday, 21 July | 11:30 – 12:30 | 10:30 – 11:30 | 05:30 – 06:30 |
| Practice 2 | Friday, 21 July | 15:00 – 16:00 | 14:00 – 15:00 | 09:00 – 10:00 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, 22 July | 12:00 – 13:00 | 11:00 – 12:00 | 06:00 – 07:00 |
| Qualifying | Saturday, 22 July | 15:00 – 16:00 | 14:00 – 15:00 | 09:00 – 10:00 |
| Race | Sunday, 23 July | 15:00 – ??:?? | 14:00 – ??:?? | 09:00 – ??:?? |
