Hungarian Grand Prix

What to watch for

• Qualifying on Saturday. Track position is so decisive here that the grid order often is the finishing order.
• The first corner off the start line. With overtaking so hard, the run down to turn one is where most of the real position changes happen.
• Tyre strategy in the heat. A hot Budapest afternoon punishes tyres, so the teams that time their pit stops best can jump rivals without ever passing on track.

The words you will hear

Active aero

The headline new tech for 2026. It replaces DRS by letting the wings physically adjust their angle for straight-line speed and then snap back for grip in the corners. Drivers get a manual override to trigger it when attacking or defending.

Constructor

The team that designs and builds the car, not just the people running it. Points from both of a team’s drivers add up to decide the constructors championship, a separate and equally prized title.

Blue flag

Shown to a slower driver about to be lapped by the leaders, telling them to move aside. Getting lapped is not shameful; the gap between the front and the midfield can simply be enormous.

Chequered flag

The black and white flag waved at the finish line. Whoever crosses it first wins the race.

Pole position

First place on the starting grid, earned by setting the fastest lap in Saturday qualifying. On tight circuits where passing is hard, pole is worth a lot.

How to watch in the US

Race weekends run Friday to Sunday, with practice and qualifying leading into the race. In the United States, sessions air on ESPN and its networks, and stream through the ESPN app and F1 TV. Start times move a lot with the host country’s time zone, so it is worth checking the local time for each round.

New to the 2026 season? Read the full F1 guide.