2015 Hungarian Grand Prix

Championship standings

Hamilton leads with 194 points, 17 ahead of Rosberg. Vettel is a further 42 behind Rosberg in third.

Previous race

Hamilton won at Silverstone for the second consecutive year, the two Williams cars of Massa and Bottas leading in the opening laps after fast starts before ultimately being demoted. Vettel came through the field in the wet final stages to take third. Alonso scored McLaren’s first point since his return to the team by finishing tenth.

Between-race developments

Former Marussia driver Jules Bianchi died on 17 July 2015 from the head injuries sustained at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, nine months after the accident. Drivers and teams carry tributes throughout the Hungarian weekend; a minute of silence is held before Sunday’s race, with the drivers and members of the Bianchi family standing arm in arm, Jules’ helmet placed in the centre.

Following a post-British GP controversy in which Mercedes were found to have sent mechanics to the pit lane for a stop that never occurred — an attempt to force Williams into pitting early — FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting warns all teams against the practice ahead of Hungary.

Track changes

Minor changes are made to the Hungaroring, including renewed catch fences and tyre barriers and the removal of the raised kerb at the apex of turn six, which had been causing cars to lift off the ground.

Tyres

Pirelli supplies the soft compound as the prime tyre and the medium compound as the option, the same choice as the previous year.

Practice

Hamilton is fastest in the first session on Friday morning, one-tenth ahead of Rosberg. Vettel misses the first half-hour due to electrical problems on his Ferrari before finishing sixth. The session is red-flagged when Pérez crashes heavily in turn eleven — his Force India flipping over after the right-front wheel breaks off — but Pérez is unhurt. A second red flag follows when Räikkönen’s front wing comes off in turn twelve, leaving debris on the track. Fabio Leimer, the 2013 GP2 champion, takes part in his first Formula One session, replacing Roberto Merhi at Manor.

Force India choose not to run in the second session in order to investigate the cause of Pérez’s crash. Hamilton again tops the time sheets, with the two Red Bulls second and third. Ricciardo stops his car with engine problems twenty minutes before the end of the session. McLaren show improved pace, with Alonso eighth and Button twelfth.

Force India are cleared to return in the third session, Hamilton again fastest and Rosberg less than a tenth behind. Vettel is the only other driver within a second of Hamilton’s time. Räikkönen is stuck in sixteenth after a water leak prevents him from setting fast laps on the softer tyre compound.