Lewis Hamilton is staring down the barrel of a sizeable deficit to teammate Nico Rosberg at the top of the championship after the drivers enjoyed contrasting fortunes in Hungary yesterday.
While Rosberg stormed to his fifth pole position in six races, Hamilton saw his Mercedes engine go up in flames after a fuel leak. He will start today’s race from the pit lane.
You can watch Hungarian Grand Prix live on CNBC and Live Extra from 7:30am ET. CLICK HERE to watch via live stream.
Following his win in Germany, Rosberg currently leads the drivers’ championship by fourteen points, but most expected that figure to be cut in half in Hungary. Hamilton’s record at the Hungaroring is very impressive, with the Briton claiming four wins in seven years. However, he stands little chance of making in five from the pit lane.
The weather gods could yet smile on those further back. Rain is due to hit the Hungaroring one hour before the race begins, which would undoubtedly put a spin on the grid. Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas appear to stand little chance of catching Rosberg in normal conditions from second and third on the grid, but in the rain, it could all change.
There are also a few other storylines to keep an eye out for. Kimi Raikkonen will be hoping to bounce back from a shock Q1 exit, whilst Kevin Magnussen also faces a pit lane start alongside Hamilton following his Q3 crash. Sauber enjoyed its best qualifying of the season and will start 11th and 13th, and Jules Bianchi impressed once again for Marussia in 15th.
However, there is one main question to answer: can Rosberg cash in on Hamilton’s misfortune and extend his championship lead ahead of the summer break?
Join us at 7:30am ET on CNBC and Live Extra to find out. CLICK HERE to watch via live stream.
