After McLaren dominated all three practice sessions as well as the first two segments of qualifying, the wind shifted for Q3 on Saturday at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
So too did the fight for pole position.
Instead of Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris, it will be Charles Leclerc up front when the lights go out later today at the Hungaroring. Leclerc shocked the Formula 1 world, and himself, to take pole position on Saturday.
He will have a tough task ahead of him in keeping those fast McLarens at bay over
the 70-lap Hungarian Grand Prix, and complicating factors are the weather forecast. As of Saturday night, forecasts were calling for a rainy Sunday morning in Budapest, as well as potential rain in the hour leading up to the race itself.
In other words, it could be a fascinating Hungarian Grand Prix.
We’ll have it all covered for you here on SB Nation, with live coverage beginning on Sunday ahead of the race itself, which begins at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time. So come back early and often!
Note: Updates are either in Eastern time before and after the race, or by Lap number.
Pre-Race Notes
8:47: “I like our chances,” says Zak Brown on F1TV. “We’re gonna go for the win, that’s strategy number one.”
8:37: Speaking with Lawrence Barretto, Oscar Piastri sounds confident of taking the lead from P2 on the opening lap.
After all, he did just that in this race a season ago.
8:29: The reconnaissance lap is underway at the Hungaroring. The conditions are dry enough for the majority of drivers to be on the soft compound for this lap.
