F1 LIVE | The 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring

F1 LIVE | The 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix 

The starting grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix

Hamilton and Verstappen will share the front row for the first time since the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. McLaren demonstrated good pace in Saturday's qualifying session again and locked out the second row. Ferrari's highest-placed driver, Charles Leclerc, was beaten by a Ferrari customer in Zhou Guanyu for P5. Valtteri Bottas' P7 start means both Alfa Romeo drivers are in the top seven. Fernando Alonso reached P8. Whilst Sergio Perez made it to Q3 for the first time since Miami, he will not be overly pleased by his P9 start meaning he still has a lot of work to do. Nico Hulkenberg rounds out the top 10. 

Carlos Sainz failed to reach Q3 and will start from P11. Last year's pole sitter George Russell is the big highlight at the back of the grid. The Brit got caught up in traffic on his last lap in Q1 and will start towards the back when his teammate showed just how much pace the Mercedes car had. 

The 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix will feature 70 laps on the 4.3km Hungaroring. This makes the total distance 306km (190 miles). If the race remains dry throughout, drivers must use two different compound tyres. Click here to see the weather forecast for the Grand Prix.

The history of the Hungarian Grand Prix

The Hungarian Grand Prix was the first event for Formula 1 behind the Iron Curtain. It was originally going to be a street circuit, but the government built a new one just outside Budapest. Construction started just eight months before the first Grand Prix in 1986. 

Ayrton Senna secured the very first pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix. He and Nelson Piquet battled for the win, and the latter was in the lead when the chequered flag dropped. Nigel Mansell joined them on the podium. With the race being a permanent fixture since the mid-80s, all of the big names have raced at the venue. 

Recent Hungarian Grand Prix history

Michael Schumacher took his first Hungarian pole position in 1994 and won the race. On the same day, Jos Verstappen secured his first of two podiums in Formula 1. Schumacher became World Champion at the venue in 2001 despite it being just the 13th event on the calendar (out of 17). Ferrari became Constructors Champions when Rubens Barrichello led a one-two in 2002. 

Fernando Alonso secured his first F1 career victory at the circuit in 2003. Jenson Button achieved the same statistic in a wet 2006 race. Lewis Hamilton achieved the first of his eight wins in Hungary during the 2007 season. He would dominate proceedings for the best part of the next 15 years. 

In 2019, Max Verstappen achieved his first career pole position, though he wasn't fast enough to keep Mercedes' Hamilton behind him on Sunday. Esteban Ocon took a surprise victory in 2021 in a red-flag and rain-affected race. Last time out, George Russell achieved his first career pole position, with Verstappen winning on Sunday.