F1 Odds, Best Bets, Predictions: Hungarian Grand Prix Picks (Sunday, July 21)

Check out the latest F1 odds and Hungarian Grand Prix best bets and predictions for the race on Sunday, July 21.

The F1 Hungarian Grand Prix (9 a.m. ET, ESPN & ESPN+) kicks off the second half of the longest-ever season of F1 racing. Through 12 rounds in 2024, Max Verstappen sits atop the Drivers’ Championship standings and Red Bull Racing lead the field in the Constructors’ Championship standings.

The Hungarian Grand Prix takes place at the permanent racing facility in Mogyorod, Hungary.. Built in 1986, the Hungaroring has been on the F1 calendar since its opening. Sir Lewis Hamilton holds the circuit record for career wins with eight victories, while McLaren leads the number of Constructors victories with 11.

The Hungaroring is very difficult to overtake on, as the track features only one long straight — coming out of turn 16 and going into turn 1. There are many 180-degree corners, several tight hairpin turns and few overtaking zones, despite the two DRS zones. The cars will only be at full throttle for about 50% of the lap, and the race will be 70 laps long.

Qualifying on Saturday afternoon started on a damp track, but with sufficient enough grip for the drivers to use slick tires for the entire session. Continuing to build off a great start to the weekend, Lando Norris (quickest in FP2 and FP3) was able to go top of the table in both Q2 and Q3 to earn pole position. His Q3 lap time of 1:15.227 was only 0.022 seconds faster than his teammate Oscar Piastri, who will also start on the front row in P2.

Q1 was a disaster for Sergio Perez, who crashed into the barrier after spinning out on a damp curb and finished in P16 for qualifying. The biggest surprise of Q1 was George Russell of Mercedes finishing the session down in P17 and also failing to make it out of the first qualifying session.

Verstappen, a two-time race winner at the Hungaroring, will start in P3 next to Carlos Sainz Jr., who will be in P4. The third row of the starting grid will feature Hamilton in P5 and Charles Leclerc in P6 for Sunday's race.

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F1 Odds: Hungarian Grand Prix Odds & Best Bets

McLaren Front Row Lockout

McLaren has paired the fastest car on the grid with a top-end driver lineup and, at the right racetrack, is knocking at the doorstep to achieve its first double-podium finish of the season. In the most recent 10 races, either Norris or Piastri has earned a podium finish nine times, the lone miss coming in Japan in April.

For as strong as the top of the grid has been in 2024, it's a bit surprising that McLaren hasn't been able to get both drivers into the top three. I believe that'll change Sunday.

The McLaren’s ability to corner with their high-downforce setup, while not sacrificing much drag, and their elite tire degradation management are all advantageous at the Hungaroring. The start to the race is a worry as the sprint to the first corner is long and they will be contending with cold tires with Verstappen right on their heels, but I have the probability of both drivers securing a spot on the podium to be quite high.

The Picks: McLaren – Double Podium Finish (2 units, -200 on DraftKings)

Lewis Hamilton Stays Hot

Lewis Hamilton is eighth in the Drivers’ Championship standings with 110 points, but don’t let his overall season distract from his current form. With a brilliant drive last time out to win at Silverstone, he has gone 1st, 4th, 3rd and 4th in his past four races.

He has the most wins at the Hungaroring and qualified well with a 1:15.854 fastest lap time, 0.158 seconds behind P4. I am taking Hamilton in a couple of matchups, leaning on experience and his run of form to prevail.

I like the Mercedes over both Ferrari’s on Sunday. Since he is starting ahead of Charles Leclerc, you have to lay more than two dollars of juice to play Hamilton over Leclerc. I'd rather take him in his matchup against Carlos Sainz for a much better price.

The Picks: Lewis Hamilton – Head-to-Head vs Carlos Sainz (1.25 units, -125 on DraftKings)

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