Hungarian Grand Prix Odds, Preview, Schedule and Best Bets (2025)

• Why cold weather turns George Russell into a dark horse.
• Alex Albon is outdriving Carlos Sainz and the books haven’t noticed.
• McLaren is untouchable…What we’re betting behind them.

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“Roll the windows down, let the breeze blow heavy / Turn the music loud, let the fever come alive.”
– Dance Gavin Dance, “Strawberry’s Wake”

Welcome! I’m the new guy. And much like your favorite midfield team, I’ll either wildly overperform or burst into flames on Lap 1. Either way, you won’t be bored. I’ll dive into tire strategy, weather models, and why George Russell deserves your lunch money at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix, which starts at 9:00 am ET on Sunday, Aug. 3. Buckle up … and no refunds.

Hungarian Grand Prix Odds

Oscar Piastri (+135) and Lando Norris (+150) lead the outright-winner odds, while value remains in other positional markets.

Odds as of 12:40 pm ET, July 31, at DraftKings. Claim the DraftKings promo code to get a bonus to use on the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Last weekend in Spa, Oscar Piastri put on a clinic. In damp conditions, he slipped past Lando Norris on the first green flag lap and never looked back, stretching his championship lead to 16 points. Somewhere, Mark Webber was smiling like a proud soccer dad.

This weekend, toss everything you learned at Spa straight out the window. Just kidding…don’t litter. We’re gamblers, not criminals.

The HungaroRing in Budapest is the exact opposite of Spa. It’s a slow, technical 4.381-kilometer squiggle that drivers will attack for 70 laps. With 14 corners packed together like an overbooked hostel, this circuit demands maximum downforce and Jedi-level patience. There are two DRS zones, but overtaking is still a nightmare. That’s why they call this place Monaco without the walls—less glamour, comparable frustration.

The track surface has been completely repaved since last year, which adds another layer of mystery. It’s typically a tire shredder, but the fresh tarmac might play nice. We’re still expecting two stops, but degradation is a “wait and see” situation.

Hungarian Grand Prix Schedule

All times ET
Friday, August 1
7:30am – Free Practice 1
11:00am – Free Practice 2

Saturday, August 2
6:30am – Free Practice 3
11:00am – Qualifying

Sunday, August 3
9:00am – Hungarian Grand Prix

Hungarian Grand Prix Picks & Best Bets

It’s Thursday as I’m writing this, which means the odds board is still looking pretty slim, especially in the neighborhoods I like to frequent. But once we get through practice and qualifying, these markets blow up like it’s Super Bowl Sunday. Props everywhere, value around every corner. It’s early, sure… but that just means we’ve got room to get weird. These books won’t know what hit ‘em.

• 0.25u – Winner Without Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris: George Russell (+700 at Caesars)
• 1.03u – George Russell over Lewis Hamilton (-103 at BetRivers)

Any conversation about George Russell starts with one thing: a weather update. When the temps drop, the Mercedes turns into an actual race car. Cooler conditions help the team get the tires into that sweet, sweet operating window, and suddenly George is overachieving in what’s probably the fourth-best car on the grid. That’s usually our cue to start printing tickets.

The McLarens are on their own planet right now. Piastri and Norris rank 1A and 1B in our model, thanks to impeccable rear-tire management and superior balance through long corners. The only time anyone else will see them is during the national anthem and when they’re getting lapped. We’re not saying you have to bet “McLaren to win constructor (-250, HardRock)”, but if you stare at that line long enough, it starts to flirt back.

Behind the papaya-colored juggernauts, it’s open season. We’ve got Verstappen penciled in for P3, with Russell and Leclerc neck-and-neck for fourth. Given the market pricing, George is the clear value play — and we’re feeling sprightly enough to sprinkle.

Lewis Hamilton spent most of last weekend stuck in dirty air, clawing his way from the back to finish seventh at Spa. We like Lewis — how could you not? — and his track record at Hungary is the stuff of legend. But let’s be honest: his Ferrari hasn’t been clearly better than the Mercedes this season, especially when the weather turns cool. The Scuderia bolted on some suspension upgrades last week, but it won’t be enough to outrun our guy George. Russell has finished ahead of Hamilton in nine of 13 races this season, and he’s out-qualified him by an average of 3.23 spots. At a track where grid position is king, that’s not just a stat … it’s a warning shot.

• 1.0u – Alex Albon Top-10/Points Finish (+100 at Caesars)
• 1.25u – Alex Albon over Carlos Sainz (-125 at BetRivers)

Let’s get into our favorite budget buy: Alex Albon.

Our model ranks Albon eighth this week, at the top of the “best of the rest” pile … and somehow even ahead of Antonelli’s Mercedes. Qualifying will make or break his Sunday and, luckily, he’s been sticking it to Carlos Sainz all year. Albon leads the quali head-to-head 8–5. Albon has been even better on Sunday’s (9–4).

Sainz’s 2025 campaign has been more disappointing than a Logan Sargent Q1 lap. His average finish sits at 11.3, while Albon has quietly posted a clean 7.5. The gap is wide, the trends are clear, and the books haven’t caught up.

We’re the new kids on the block, sure — but we didn’t come here to make friends. We came to find value, call out the nonsense, and maybe make a little noise while we’re at it. The Hungarian Grand Prix won’t know what hit it. So buckle up, keep your eyes peeled, and remember: in this game, fortune favors the bold … and the well-informed.

See you on race day.