2019 Hungarian Grand Prix Betting Odds, Preview, and Prediction

The Hungarian Grand Prix is an annual motor race held in Mogyorod, Hungary. It was first held in 1934 and since 1986, it has been part of the FIA Formula One World Championship and raced at the Hungaroring circuit outside of Budapest.

The Hungarian Grand Prix was the culmination of British businessman Bernie Ecclestone’s dream for auto racing to venture beyond the Iron Curtain. The first plan was to hold the race in the streets of Budapest but ultimately, the Communist officials in Hungary built a track 19km outside the capital. The Hungaroring race track was completed within eight months and the first Hungarian Grand Prix was held on August 1986.

The Hungaroring track is located in a valley so it gives race fans excellent visibility. If you look at the track from a higher vantage, you could see around 80% of it. The track is often described as narrow and twisty which makes overtaking difficult. This is the reason why drivers often rate the Hungaroring very low. The race is held every August, which is at the peak of the European summer. That is the reason why in 28 editions, the race has seen rainfall only three times in 2006, 2011 and 2014.  It is also the third shortest track in the Formula One calendar and the second slowest after Monaco.

When it comes to a winner, Lewis Hamilton has won more times in the Hungarian Grand Prix than any other driver. The current drivers champion has won a total of six Hungarian Grand Prix races. The legendary Michael Schumacher won 4 times while Brazilian Ayrton Senna won this race three times. Schumacher has captured more poles than any other driver in this race. Hamilton can tie the German’s record of nine poles if he clinches it this year.

As for Constructors, McLaren has a total of 11 wins while Williams and Ferrari each have seven. Mercedes has three wins but those three came in the last six years and all won by Lewis Hamilton himself.  Hamilton’s win last year only added to his legend at the Hungaroring. This year, the 2019 Hungarian Grand Prix will be held on August 4, 2019, and the Briton is once again the F1 betting favorite to win the race.

Here are the odds to win the 2019 Hungarian Grand Prix. These odds were taken from Bet365 as of 7/30/19:

Who are the Favorites?

Lewis Hamilton is still the betting favorite to win this next race despite the fact that he is coming off a disappointing 9th place finish at the 2019 German Grand Prix where he was also the betting favorite. That was Hamilton’s worst finish of the season and the second time in the last three races where he hasn’t finished in the podium.

Although he may be in a funk as of late, Hamilton has been very dominant this season with seven wins in the first eleven races of the season and two-second-place finishes as well. When it comes to the Hungarian Grand Prix, he’s won this race more times than anybody in its history at six with three of his wins coming in the last six years. He’s not finished outside the Top 6 since 2011.

Max Verstappen has climbed up to #3 in the Drivers’ standings following his victory at the 2019 German Grand Prix. The victory was his second of the season and also second in the last three races. Verstappen is having a very consistent year so far in 2019. He has not finished outside the Top 5 in all of the 11 races so far this year. He has never won this race before nor has he finished at the podium. However, Verstappen has finished in the Top 5 in three out of his last five appearances in the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Valtteri Bottas has yielded the #2 spot and is currently in third place in the Drivers’ standings. The Finnish driver retired from the 2019 German Grand Prix and it was the first time this year he’s finished outside the Top 4. Bottas has won two races this year and has stood at the podium in nine out of the first eleven races of the season. He’s never won this race and his best finish at the Hungaroring was 3rd in 2017.

Sebastian Vettel was supposed to be Hamilton’s biggest challenge this year as he had been in previous years. But after 11 races, Vettel has yet to win a race and he’s only finished at the podium in five races so far. Despite his struggles, Vettel finished second in the 2019 German Grand Prix. As for Hungaroring, he’s won twice in the last five year while also finishing second to Lewis Hamilton.

Charles Leclerc had his run of four straight podium finishes ended at the 2019 German Grand Prix where he was forced to retire. Ferrari’s rookie driver entered this season with plenty of hype. So far, neither he nor main driver Vettel have won a race and we’re already 11 races down. Leclerc also retired from the Monaco Grand Prix and if we take out both DNFs from the Monegasque driver’ resume, he’s finished at least in 5th place.

Who Wins?

When it comes to momentum, it’s Max Verstappen who looks like the good choice as he’s won two out of the last three races. But remember that he’s never had a podium finish in this race although he’s been in the Top 5 in three out of his last five appearances here. Red Bull is closing in on Mercedes and this could help Verstappen prepare for this race.

When you look at Lewis Hamilton though, he’s the driver who’s won this race more times than anybody else in history. He’s won thrice in the last six years including last year. He’s won seven out of the 11 races this season and has finished on top of the podium in all but two races. And yes, don’t forget that after he finished a then-worst 5th in Austria, he won the next race in Britain. Now he’s coming off his worst finish since retiring from the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix, you bet he wants to bounce back. Given his ability, experience, and team support, I have no doubt that Hamilton is going to bounce back. Prediction: Lewis Hamilton

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