Lewis Hamilton is the king of the Hungaroring. The Mercedes driver has won the Hungarian Grand Prix eight times already and will be keen to take his ninth win of the season this weekend, perhaps taking over the championship lead from Max Verstappen.
Four victories in a row
Hamilton first won in Hungary in 2007, then still for McLaren. In 2009 and 2012 he won again with McLaren. When the British driver switches to Mercedes in 2013 he manages to win one Grand Prix that season, in Hungary of course. And that's not all. In 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020 Hamilton also won at the Hungaroring and this Sunday he can take his fourth victory in a row at the circuit.
Of the current field, only Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo managed to win at the Hungaroring. Vettel did so in 2015 and 2017 with Ferrari, Ricciardo won in 2014 for Red Bull Racing. The fourth driver to take a win in Hungary in the last decade was Jenson Button in 2011 for McLaren.
Can Verstappen beat Hamilton?
Verstappen has never won at the Hungaroring but was on the podium in 2019 and 2020. Both times, the Dutchman finished second. Actually, the Red Bull driver always does well in Hungary. In 2015 he was already fourth in the Toro Rosso and in 2016 and 2017 he was fifth. However, Verstappen will be keen to break Hamilton's hegemony at this circuit and go into the winter break with a good feeling.