After a three-week-hiatus, Formula One action returns with a bang with this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. All eyes will be on defending champion Lewis Hamilton as he looks to consolidate his advantage at the top of the driver’s standings.
Can the British star continue his dominance at Hungaroring? Or will another driver spoil his party this coming Sunday? Read on below for a complete preview of this grueling 70-lap race. While you’re at it, you can check out our feature article on Lewis Hamilton as we list down five reasons why he won’t win the Hungarian Grand Prix this year.
[sc:MultiSportArticles ]2015 Hungarian Grand Prix Preview
Favorites
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
[sc:Other240banner ]Lewis Hamilton will head to the Hungarian Grand Prix with momentum on his side after a stunning victory at the British Grand Prix last month. The Mercedes driver battled through a bad start and late-race rain to snag his fifth win of the season and extend his lead at the top of the Drivers Championship to 17 points.
The two-time Formula One champion has been phenomenal for Mercedes this season, clinching a podium place in all nine races thus far this year. He will fancy his chances of extending that excellent form this coming weekend as he has fared extremely well at Hungaroring in the past. He has won the Hungarian Grand Prix a record four times, grabbing race victories back in 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2013.
Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
Lewis Hamilton may be the odds-on favorite to win the Hungarian Grand Prix but you can never count out Nico Rosberg from making a surprise run this coming weekend. He is currently second in the F1 Driver Standings with 177 points, just 17 points behind leader Lewis Hamilton. The German driver already has three race wins this year, capturing Grand Prix titles at Spain, Monaco and Austria. He finished fourth in last year’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Rounding out our list of favorites for this weekend’s race is four-time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel. The German driver is currently third in the Drivers Championship with 135 points to his name. He’s the only non-Mercedes driver to grab a race victory this year, capturing the Malaysian Grand Prix last March.
Vettel has been pretty consistent this season, finishing in the top 5 in all nine races this year. That being said, he will have his work cut out for him this coming weekend as Hungaroring has given him fits his entire career. He has yet to win the Hungarian Grand Prix in his illustrious career with Vettel finishing a lowly seventh in last year’s race.
Sleepers
Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas (Williams)
One team that has certainly surpassed expectations this Formula One season is Williams. Bannered by drivers Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas, they are currently third in the constructor’s championship with 151 points to their name. They have been in dazzling form of late, scoring a total of 70 points in the last three rounds – 17 more than second-placed side Ferrari during that stretch.
Long Shot
Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)
It has been a disappointing season so far for Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo who’s currently toiling in seventh place in the driver’s championship with a measly 36 points. He has no race victories this year and his best finish was fifth place at the Monaco Grand Prix. If there’s one place, though, which can kick start Ricciardo’s flagging fortunes, it’s got to be Hungaroring. He won this race in spectacular fashion last year, making two late overtaking moves on Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso to clinch the second victory of his Formula 1 career.
2015 Formula One Drivers Standings
| Rank | Driver | Country | Constructor | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | Great Britain | Mercedes | 194 |
| 2 | Nico Rosberg | Germany | Mercedes | 177 |
| 3 | Sebastian Vettel | Germany | Ferrari | 135 |
| 4 | Valtteri Bottas | Finland | Williams | 77 |
| 5 | Kimi Raikkonen | Finland | Ferrari | 76 |
| 6 | Felipe Massa | Brazil | Williams | 74 |
| 7 | Daniel Ricciardo | Australia | Red Bull | 36 |
| 8 | Daniil Kvyat | Russia | Red Bull | 27 |
| 9 | Nico Hulkenberg | Germany | Force India | 24 |
| 10 | Romain Grosjean | France | Lotus | 17 |
| 11 | Felipe Nasr | Brazil | Sauber | 16 |
| 12 | Sergio Perez | Mexico | Force India | 15 |
| 13 | Pastor Maldonado | Venezuela | Lotus | 12 |
| 14 | Max Verstappen | Netherlands | Toro Rosso | 10 |
| 15 | Carlos Sainz | Spain | Toro Rosso | 9 |
| 16 | Marcus Ericsson | Sweden | Sauber | 5 |
| 17 | Jenson Button | Great Britain | McLaren | 4 |
| 18 | Fernando Alonso | Spain | McLaren | 1 |
| 19 | Roberto Merhi | Spain | Marussia | 0 |
| 20 | Will Stevens | Great Britain | Marussia | 0 |
2015 Constructor Standings
| Rank | Constructor | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 371 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 211 |
| 3 | Williams | 151 |
| 4 | Red Bull | 63 |
| 5 | Force India | 39 |
| 6 | Lotus | 29 |
| 7 | Sauber | 21 |
| 8 | Toro Rosso | 19 |
| 9 | McLaren | 5 |
| 10 | Marussia | 0 |
Upcoming Races
| Race Number | Date | Race |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | August 23 | Belgian Grand Prix |
| 12 | September 6 | Italian Grand Prix |
| 13 | September 20 | Singapore Grand Prix |
| 14 | September 27 | Japanese Grand Prix |
| 15 | October 11 | Russian Grand Prix |
| 16 | October 25 | United States Grand Prix |
| 17 | November 1 | Mexican Grand Prix |
| 18 | November 15 | Brazilian Grand Prix |
| 19 | November 29 | Abu Dhabi Grand Prix |
Writer’s Prediction
Hamilton wins the 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix. Create a betting account now and put your Formula One predictions to the test!
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