Hungarian Grand Prix 2012 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Lewis Hamilton delivered a dominant victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix, leading from pole position to claim his third win of the season in a weekend overshadowed by his shock announcement that he would leave McLaren for Mercedes in 2013. The British driver controlled the race at the twisty Hungaroring, holding off Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus and Romain Grosjean to secure maximum points while the paddock buzzed with the news of his impending move that would reshape Formula 1's driver market.

Hamilton's pole lap had been exceptional, and he converted that advantage into a perfect start on the tight and technical Budapest circuit where overtaking is notoriously difficult. The McLaren driver proceeded to control the race with authority, managing his tires expertly on a track that placed enormous stress on the Pirelli compounds through its sequence of slow and medium-speed corners. His pace was relentless, and despite pressure from the chasing pack, Hamilton never looked troubled. The victory provided a bittersweet moment - demonstrating what McLaren was losing while vindicating Hamilton's decision to seek a fresh challenge at Mercedes.

Raikkonen drove another characteristically consistent race to finish second, continuing his remarkable points-scoring streak for Lotus. Grosjean completed the podium in third place, bouncing back from his Belgian Grand Prix ban controversy to secure a solid result. Fernando Alonso could only manage fifth after struggling for pace throughout the weekend, allowing Hamilton and others to cut into his championship lead. The Hungarian GP marked a pivotal moment in the 2012 season - not just for Hamilton's McLaren departure announcement, but also as Red Bull's Adrian Newey-designed upgrades began to show their potential heading into the crucial second half of the championship battle.