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It was Spa Francorchamps back then, it is the Hungaroring now. From one high speed track to another! From one picturesque venue to another in the pulsating part of Europe that craves and delivers high-octane racing action. Formula 1 is back this weekend to hopefully deliver another cracking Sunday racing fiesta in which the top honours, at the end of qualifying, lie with Ferrari and the twin McLarens. While Leclerc fired the opening salvo in Hungary in taking pole, the other Ferrari down in 12th saw Lewis Hamilton cut a forlorn figure.
But all of this could change and especially with the top five separated by just a tenth of a second, it could be a brilliant and rather unpredictable result in what's to come in Hungary. So what could happen - SportsTiger is up with some predictions for you this race weekend.
Ferrari will fall short of a win at the Hungaroring
Charles Leclerc dominated the qualifying session at the famed Hungaroring and stunned tens of dozens of fans who had gathered at the track to witness perhaps another dominant show by the McLarens but it wasn't to be. In setting a rapid 1:15:372, Charles Leclerc has captured his 27th career pole and will be lining up for the first time ever from the very north end of the grid here in Hungary.
It is also an electric occasion for Ferrari who claimed, courtesy Leclerc, their maiden pole for the year with another 10 races to go after Hungary.
But to face hard facts, Ferrari's race pace will come to be matched and eventually bettered by the McLarens, with Oscar Piastri poised to give the valiant Monegasque a run for his money.
Though Charles will keep up the fight for Ferrari, unlike the great Hamilton, who has 8 race wins at the track, he will eventually be bettered and eclipsed by the McLarens.
Alonso with a top five finish
Fernando Alonso and the Hungaroging have something special, a bit like Raikkonen's romance at Spa Francorchamps. After all, it was here back in 2003 during his very early days in F1 that Alonso stood on top of the podium for the first time ever.
At the 2025 Hungarian GP, Alonso, who just recently turned 44, lines up in fifth. He will most definitely drive the wheels off of his resurgent looking Aston Martin and will drive a valiant race to collect a top drive for Aston Martin. On a day where the top honours will likely belong to Oscar Piastri and his McLaren team, the lion-hearted Fernando Alonso and his younger teammate Lance Stroll will both finish in points.
McLaren with the race win
If there's a track that feels like a home away from home for Oscar Piastri, then one could argue, it is here at the Hungaroring. And why? Exactly one year back in the day, it was here in the beating heart of Hungary that Oscar Piastri raced home to claim his maiden F1 win. Now, a year later, he begins his Hungarian challenge from second on the grid. Last time around, it was his teammate Norris who had taken pole and would fall short of catching the determined Aussie. The onus now lies on Oscar to make in two in two at the Hungarian Grand Prix and he will manage to eclipse Charles Leclerc, the pole sitter for Sunday, to take home his seventh win of this season.
Carlos Sainz with a points finish
The best that any Williams car could manage on Saturday for the qualifying was Carlos Sainz who could break into Q2 before being knocked out to proceed any further. Resultantly, Sainz, who managed a P6 here last year in his last season with Ferrari, would line up in thirteenth. In a disappointing day out in the field for the other Williams drivers Alex Albon who rued about his car being 'way too slow' the onus now rests on the Spaniard to bring home some points. And while it will be a fight to get the better of some of the other drivers in his front, such as Verstappen in the Red Bull, Sainz will somehow drag his seemingly insipid machine to end P10 on Sunday.
