The Formula 1 season reaches its final stop before the summer break this weekend as the championship heads to Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Measuring 4.381km, the Hungaroring is one of the shortest and most technical circuits on the calendar, with its narrow layout, relentless sequence of corners and limited overtaking opportunities placing a premium on qualifying and track position.
Often compared to Monaco without the walls, the circuit offers drivers little time to recover between its 14 turns, while high temperatures and a lack of long straights make tyre management and cooling another significant challenge.
This weekend marks the 41st running of the Hungarian Grand Prix as a world championship event, arriving 40 years after the country first joined the Formula 1 calendar in 1986.
That inaugural race became the first world championship grand prix held behind the Iron Curtain, with Hungary retaining its place on the schedule every season since.
The Hungaroring has also developed a reputation for producing maiden winners, with Damon Hill, Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, Heikki Kovalainen, Esteban Ocon and Oscar Piastri all claiming their first F1 victories at the venue.
Take the short survey.
Piastri became the latest addition to that list in 2024, when he also joined Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo as the third Australian to win the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton remains the most successful driver in the race’s history after recording eight victories in Budapest, although his most recent came with Mercedes in 2020.
His tally is the equal second-highest number of wins achieved by a driver at a single F1 venue, matching Michael Schumacher’s eight victories at Magny-Cours and sitting behind his own record of nine at Silverstone.
Hamilton returns this weekend with Ferrari, which has not won at the Hungaroring since Sebastian Vettel led home a one-two finish for the team in 2017.
The tight and corner-heavy layout is expected to better suit the characteristics of Ferrari’s car, giving Hamilton and Charles Leclerc an opportunity to build on the team’s improved form during the European leg of the season.
Hamilton arrives in Hungary sitting second in the drivers’ championship, five points ahead of George Russell but 45 behind leader Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli restored his advantage with victory at Spa-Francorchamps last weekend, taking his sixth win of the season and returning to the top step of the podium for the first time since Monaco.
The Mercedes driver had seen his championship lead reduced to 25 points before Belgium, but Russell’s opening-lap retirement and Antonelli’s victory doubled the gap between the teammates to 50.
Antonelli will now attempt to become the first Italian driver to win the Hungarian Grand Prix during the world championship era.
Tazio Nuvolari remains the only Italian to have won a grand prix in Hungary, having triumphed for Alfa Romeo in the country’s sole non-championship race in 1936.
Russell faces an immediate opportunity to recover from his costly weekend in Belgium, where contact with Hamilton at Les Combes brought his race to an end on the opening lap.
The result also dropped Russell behind Hamilton in the standings after he had closed to within 25 points of Antonelli before the trip to Spa.
Mercedes nevertheless enters the weekend with momentum after Antonelli’s victory, while Ferrari will be encouraged by Leclerc’s second-place finish and the expectation that Hungary should play more strongly to its car’s strengths.
With overtaking traditionally difficult and small mistakes heavily punished, Saturday’s qualifying session could prove decisive as the leading contenders battle for an advantage before F1 pauses for its month-long summer break.
When is the Hungarian Grand Prix?
The Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring takes place on July 24-26 (AEST).
What time does the Hungarian Grand Prix start?
The Hungarian Grand Prix will start at 11pm AEST on Sunday, July 26. Scroll down for more time zones.
Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix schedule
| Friday, 24 July | Session | Duration | Local | AEST | ACST | AWST | NZST |
| FIA Formula 3 | Practice Session | 45 minutes | 9:55 | 17:55 | 17:25 | 15:55 | 19:55 |
| FIA Formula 2 | Practice Session | 45 minutes | 11:05 | 19:05 | 18:35 | 17:05 | 21:05 |
| FORMULA 1 | FIRST PRACTICE SESSION | 60 minutes | 13:30 | 21:30 | 21:00 | 19:30 | 23:30 |
| FIA Formula 3 | Qualifying Session | 30 minutes | 15:00 | 23:00 | 22:30 | 21:00 | 1:00 |
| FIA Formula 2 | Qualifying Session | 30 minutes | 16:05 | 0:05 | 23:35 | 22:05 | 2:05 |
| FORMULA 1 | SECOND PRACTICE SESSION | 60 minutes | 17:00 | 1:00 | 0:30 | 23:00 | 3:00 |
| Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup | Practice Session | 45 minutes | 18:30 | 2:30 | 2:00 | 0:30 | 4:30 |
| Satuday, 25 July | |||||||
| FIA Formula 3 | Sprint Race (19 Laps or 40 Mins +1 Lap) | 40 minutes | 10:05 | 18:05 | 17:35 | 16:05 | 20:05 |
| Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup | Qualifying Session | 30 minutes | 11:20 | 19:20 | 18:50 | 17:20 | 21:20 |
| FORMULA 1 | THIRD PRACTICE SESSION | 60 minutes | 12:30 | 20:30 | 20:00 | 18:30 | 22:30 |
| FIA Formula 2 | Sprint Race (28 Laps or 45 Mins +1 Lap) | 45 minutes | 14:15 | 22:15 | 21:45 | 20:15 | 0:15 |
| FORMULA 1 | QUALIFYING SESSION | 60 minutes | 16:00 | 0:00 | 23:30 | 22:00 | 2:00 |
| Sunday, 26 July | |||||||
| FIA Formula 3 | Feature Race (24 Laps or 45 Mins +1 Lap) | 45 minutes | 8:40 | 16:40 | 16:10 | 14:40 | 18:40 |
| Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup | Race (16 Laps or 30 Mins +1 Lap) | 30 minutes | 10:10 | 18:10 | 17:40 | 16:10 | 20:10 |
| FIA Formula 2 | Feature Race (37 Laps or 60 Mins +1 Lap) | 60 minutes | 11:25 | 19:25 | 18:55 | 17:25 | 21:25 |
| FORMULA 1 | GRAND PRIX (70 LAPS OR 120 MINS) | 120 minutes | 15:00 | 23:00 | 22:30 | 21:00 | 1:00 |
What is the weather for the Hungarian Grand Prix?
A warm weekend is expected at the Hungaroring, with mostly sunny conditions and a maximum temperature of 25 degrees celsius on Friday before Saturday reaches 29 degrees, while race day is forecast to climb to 30 degrees with more cloud around and the chance of a shower.
How to watch the Hungarian Grand Prix in Australia
The Hungarian Grand Prix will be live on Fox Sports 506. There is no live free-to-air coverage or post-race free-to-air highlights of the event in Australia.
Can I live stream the Hungarian Grand Prix in Australia?
The Hungarian Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Foxtel’s subscription streaming services Foxtel Go and Kayo Sports.
How to watch F1 TV commentary feed
The alternative F1 TV commentary feed is available to Foxtel customers with a set top box. Kayo Sports subscribers can only watch the F1 TV feed during Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Hungarian Grand Prix Fox Sports broadcast times (AEST)
Friday, July 24
Practice 1: 9:00pm-10:58pm AEST
Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go
Saturday, July 25
Practice 2: 12:45am-2:15am AEST
Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go
Practice 3: 8:15pm-10:10pm AEST
Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go
Qualifying: 11:55pm-1:05am AEST
Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go
Sunday, July 26
Build-up: 9:30pm-10:55pm AEST
Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go
Race: 10:55pm-1:00am AEST
Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go
How to watch the Hungarian Grand Prix in New Zealand
Sky Sport will broadcast the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Sky Sport 2 carrying the action on Friday, Sky Sport 3 showing Saturday practice while Sky Sport 1 will show both qualifying and the race.
Can I live stream the Hungarian Grand Prix in New Zealand?
The Hungarian Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sport’s subscription streaming service Sky Go or Sky Sport Now.
Hungarian Grand Prix Sky Sports broadcast times (NZST)
Friday, July 24
Practice 1: 11:00pm-12:55am NZST
Sky Sport 2, Sky Sport Now, SkyGo
Saturday, July 25
Practice 2: 2:45am-4:25am NZST
Sky Sport 2, Sky Sport Now, SkyGo
Practice 3: 10:15pm-12:10am NZST
Sky Sport 3, Sky Sport Now, SkyGo
Sunday, July 26
Qualifying: 1:15am-4:00am NZST
Sky Sport 1, Sky Sport Now, SkyGo
Build-up: 11:30pm-12:55am NZST
Sky Sport 1, Sky Sport Now, SkyGo
Monday, July 27
Race: 12:55am-3:00am NZST
Sky Sport 1, Sky Sport Now, SkyGo
Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship (After Belgian GP)
| Pos | Num | Driver | Team | Wins | Poles | Points | Diff | Gap |
| 1 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 6 | 6 | 204 | ||
| 2 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 2 | 4 | 159 | 45 | 45 |
| 3 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1 | 0 | 154 | 50 | 5 |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1 | 0 | 126 | 78 | 28 |
| 5 | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 0 | 0 | 103 | 101 | 23 |
| 6 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 0 | 0 | 92 | 112 | 11 |
| 7 | 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 0 | 0 | 91 | 68 | 1 |
| 8 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | 0 | 0 | 60 | 144 | 31 |
| 9 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 0 | 0 | 42 | 162 | 18 |
| 10 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 0 | 0 | 39 | 165 | 3 |
| 11 | 6 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 0 | 0 | 22 | 182 | 17 |
| 12 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 0 | 0 | 19 | 185 | 3 |
| 13 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 0 | 0 | 18 | 186 | 1 |
| 14 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 0 | 0 | 10 | 194 | 8 |
| 15 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 0 | 0 | 6 | 198 | 4 |
| 16 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 0 | 0 | 5 | 199 | 1 |
| 17 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 0 | 0 | 3 | 201 | 2 |
| 18 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 0 | 0 | 1 | 203 | 2 |
| 19 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 204 | 1 |
| 19 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 0 | 0 | 0 | 204 | 0 |
| 19 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 0 | 0 | 0 | 204 | 0 |
| 19 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 204 | 0 |
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