This weekend we pass the halfway stage of the Formula One world championship, and it will be the warm temperatures at the Hungaroring in Budapest that will host the latest episode of the soap opera that is Formula One. Sebastian Vettel and his Red Bull have a commanding lead at the top of the championship and the chasing pack will be weary of letting the triple world champion get away from them again this year. Always draining due to its high temperatures, the Hungarian Grand Prix rewards fast one-lap cars, as the tight track makes it difficult to overtake, making a strong qualifying performance crucial, much like Monaco.
2013 Hungarian Grand Prix Odds
| Driver | Qualifying | Race |
| Sebastian Vettel |
4/5 |
5/6 |
| Kimi Raikkonen |
20/1 |
9/2 |
| Fernando Alonso |
33/1 |
7/1 |
| Mark Webber |
15/2 |
17/2 |
| Lewis Hamilton |
7/2 |
11/1 |
| Romain Grosjean |
16/1 |
14/1 |
| Nico Rosberg |
9/2 |
25/1 |
| Felipe Massa |
66/1 |
50/1 |
The Red Bulls dominated the Friday practice sessions, topping the timing sheets on both outings. On a day where teams were trying to come to terms with how the tyres reacted to the warm track temperatures, Vettel and Webber led the way, though they were closely followed by the Ferraris and the Lotus pair of Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen in the second stint.
Raikkonen had a few problems throughout, so we will have to wait for qualifying to see how strong he will be this weekend. But with qualifying being of utmost importance this weekend, all eyes will be on Mercedes to see if they can continue their great qualifying form of this season. The Mercedes have been close to uncatchable on Saturdays this season, and a repeat performance this Saturday could bag them a good points haul come Sunday afternoon.
Qualifying will probably then be a race between the Red Bulls and the Mercedes cars, with Mark Webber at 15/2 offering decent value. The Australian has been below par throughout this season, so he may just be due; though the safe bet would be Vettel. Rosberg at 9/2 is worth a thought as well.
As far as the race is concerned, it may be advisable to hold out to see the result of qualifying before making a decision, but if you’re looking to gamble on a normal Saturday qualifying, Vettel can’t be overlooked. Alonso at 7/1 catches the eye, but with the average form Ferrari brings to Hungary it would be a long shot.
As we pass the halfway stage of the season, it might be worth it to have a look at the outright championship winner. With a 34-point lead at the top of the standings, Vettel’s 1/5 is as predictable as it is unbackable. If you’re looking for a sneaky long-term punt, you could do worse than Alonso at 6/1 or, sneakier yet, Raikkonen at 16’s. Sneakiest of all would be waiting for a Vettel win this weekend and having a punt on those two before the next race, as the odds should be higher. But you didn’t read that here.
Visit the official Formula One website to keep up with the latest from Hungary.
Tagged With : Fernando Alonso • Hungarian Grand Prix • Hungaroring • Kimi Raikkonen • Lewis Hamilton • Mark Webber • Niko Rosberg • Red Bull • Sebastian Vettel