Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest
Formula 1 2014: Round 11 - Hungarian Grand Prix
-
24-07-2014 11:37am#1From the FIA2014 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIXBudapest welcomes Formula One this week as the teams assemble at the Hungaroring for the Hungarian Grand Prix – the 12th round of the 2014 F1 World Championship. For many in the F1 paddock it has been a hectic few days. Back-to-back with the German Grand Prix, Hungary represents a huge logistics effort for teams, pushed to their limits to transfer cars, garage equipment and motorhomes the 800km between the two circuits.
25 – 27 JULY 2014
The twisting Hungaroring is similar in characteristic to a street circuit – lacking the walls but retaining the tight radius corners, bumpy surface and low grip. It has something of a mixed reputation among drivers; common consensus claims it to be a wonderful track for a qualifying lap but a difficult place to race, given the paucity of overtaking opportunities. In close battles, good strategy has frequently been the decisive factor, more so than at other permanent circuits.
Pirelli are bringing the medium and soft compounds this weekend. Weather forecasts suggest high track temperatures will again be a factor – albeit with the risk of storms increasing as the weekend progresses. Teams run their maximum downforce packages in Hungary to cope with the many slow corners. The issue that will occupy the minds of engineers during the practice sessions is the need to maximise traction to get the best return from the many low-gear acceleration points.
In the compelling battle for the Drivers’ World Championship title, the pendulum swung back in favour of Nico Rosberg at Hockenheim with the German driver extending his lead to 14 points with an authoritative victory. Team-mate Lewis Hamilton will not be too despondent, however. Battling back from a qualifying-session brake failure that left him starting near the back of the field, he limited his losses with a charge to third place. With four pole positions and four victories at the Hungaroring he will be confident of reducing the deficit this weekend.
From formula1.com
Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg heads into this weekend’s race in Budapest looking to increase his world championship lead ahead of the summer break, but can he equal team mate Lewis Hamilton’s tally of five 2014 victories, or will Hamilton make it five wins in eight years at the Hungaroring?
Or will a track that has a habit of throwing up interesting results favour the resurgent Williams team, whose flying Finn Valtteri Bottas has taken three consecutive podium finishes?
Four drivers - Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, Damon Hill and Heikki Kovalainen - have enjoyed breakthrough victories in Hungary over the years and Bottas would love to add his name to that list.
“We did everything perfectly and managed to keep Lewis behind in the end which got us an extra few points,” he said in Germany last weekend. “But in the future, we are definitely aiming for more and this is not the maximum.”
The 4.381-kilometre Hungaroring is a twisty, technical track which demands the same maximum downforce levels as Monaco, and drivers spend even less time here on full throttle than they do in the Principality. Ten of its 14 corners are taken at 155 km/h or less, which makes it the slowest permanent track on the calendar.
Williams seem to go really well on short courses - notably in Austria and Germany recently - though the influence of the power unit may be slightly less here.
“We are aiming for a good result there so that we head into the holidays with a good feeling,” Bottas says. “We know it's not the best circuit for our car but we are working on getting more grip in the corners and we have some upgrades that should help as well. Qualifying is very important as it's not an easy track to overtake at; normally the race is hot as well so tyre degradation will be high. A good few practice sessions should help us get the set-up right.
“There are always a few fans from Finland, it's almost like a Finnish Grand Prix so I hope to pay them back with a good result.”
Bottas's team mate Felipe Massa could also pose the silver cars a threat at a circuit at which his career was nearly ended by a freak accident in 2009. The Brazilian, who came within three laps of victory here in 2008 before his Ferrari engine gave up, says: “Hungary is a track where a good power unit is a little less important. Aerodynamics play a higher part and getting good downforce for the corners is vital. We have worked hard to get the car ready for this type of circuit and if that has all worked we should still be competitive. I hope to be able to get lots more points this weekend.”
Hamilton, who last year added a fourth Hungary win to the three he won in 2007, 2009 and 2012, disagrees with the Williams drivers’ assessment of the track on one point.
“I think it is possible to overtake there,” he says, without wishing to elucidate further than mentioning the long pit straight. “Obviously I’m going there to try and win. In Germany I went with the right mentality and preparation to have won.
“I never pray or wish for good luck, I just don’t want any bad luck. I just want to be able to go out and do the job. A clean weekend is what I’m looking for and coming away with some good points and then having the summer break to get some rest time.”
Hamilton was set back by a failure of the front-right disc brake in qualifying at Hockenheim last week, and the Hungaroring is one of those tight tracks that demands good brake cooling. That’s been a problem for Mercedes at times this year, so they’ll be paying special attention to that.
Red Bull and Ferrari prefer the tighter tracks where their power deficits are less painful, so don’t rule them out of podium contention, while McLaren hope to continue the upward trends facilitated by a new rear wing at Hockenheim, as Force India look to maintain their record of scoring at every race so far this season.
Pirelli are bringing their white-marked medium and yellow-marked soft tyres to Hungary, seeking to provide the right compromise between performance and resistance to the high ambient temperatures. The Hungaroring isn’t particularly demanding on tyres, but the non-stop series of corners means that the compounds don’t get much opportunity to cool down over the course of a lap.
Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery says: “Hungary is well-known for being a tricky layout, where it’s difficult to overtake and to find a perfect set-up for the whole lap. This means that strategy is especially important, as it offers a rare opportunity to gain track position.
“The weather is normally a talking point, but having seen how our tyres performed in the very hot track temperatures of Hockenheim, we’re confident that this shouldn’t be a problem. The tyres we are bringing to Hungary are a step harder, to deal with the increased demands, so we would expect the usual two pit stops – although we will only have a better idea of this once we get to free practice on Friday.”
The track layout remains the same as last year, though speed bumps have been installed two metres from the track edge in the run-off area at Turns 6 and 7. As before, there will be two DRS zones at the circuit, both sharing a single detection point 5m before Turn 14. The activation points are 130m after the apex of Turn 14 and 6m after the apex of Turn 1.
The weather forecast for this weekend is unsettled, with sun and 28 degrees Celsius temperatures expected on Friday, but storms in the region on Saturday and Sunday when the temperature highs will be 29 and 30 respectively.
The race, which begins at 1400 hours local time (two hours ahead of GMT) will be run over 70 laps or 306.630 kilometres (190.553 miles).
Session Times:
Thursday 24th July
14:00 to 14:45 – F1: Driver Press Conference (Sky Sports F1)
Friday 25th July
08:30 to 08:45 – F1: Gear Up for Hungary (Sky Sports F1)
08:45 to 11:00 – F1: Practice 1 (Sky Sports F1)
08:55 to 10:35 – F1: Practice 1 (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
11:00 to 11:50 – GP2: Practice (Sky Sports F1)
12:45 to 14:50 – F1: Practice 2 (Sky Sports F1)
12:55 to 14:35 – F1: Practice 2 (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
14:50 to 15:30 – GP2: Qualifying (Sky Sports F1)
16:00 to 16:45 – F1: Team Press Conference (Sky Sports F1)
17:00 to 18:00 – The F1 Show (Sky Sports F1)
18:45 to 19:00 – Inside F1 (BBC News Channel)
Saturday 26th July
08:45 to 09:20 – GP3: Qualifying (Sky Sports F1)
09:45 to 11:15 – F1: Practice 3 (Sky Sports F1)
09:55 to 11:05 – F1: Practice 3 (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
12:00 to 14:35 – F1: Qualifying (Sky Sports F1)
12:55 to 14:05 – F1: Qualifying (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
14:35 to 16:05 – GP2: Race 1 (Sky Sports F1)
16:15 to 17:15 – GP3: Race 1 (Sky Sports F1)
17:40 to 18:55 – F1: Qualifying Highlights (BBC Two)
Sunday 27th July
08:20 to 09:20 – GP3: Race 2 (Sky Sports F1)
09:30 to 10:45 – GP2: Race 2 (Sky Sports F1)
11:30 to 16:15 – F1: Race (Sky Sports F1)
=> 11:30 – Track Parade
=> 12:00 – Race
=> 15:30 – Paddock Live
13:00 to 15:00 – F1: Race (BBC Radio 5 Live)
17:10 to 18:30 – F1: Race Highlights (BBC One)
CIRCUIT DATA
HUNGARORING
Circuit length: 4.381 km
Number of corners: 14 (6 left, 8 right)
DRS zones: 2
Race laps: 70
Race distance: 306.630 km
2014 tyre compounds: Soft, Medium
Circuit lap record: 1m 19.071s - Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004
First world championship Grand Prix in Hungary: 1986, Hungaroring (won by Nelson Piquet, Williams)
Number of races: 28 (all at the Hungaroring)
Number of races at the Hungaroring with at least one safety-car appearance: Two of the last ten
Longest race: 1986 (2h 00m 34.5s)
Shortest race: 2004 (1h 35m 26.1s)
Last year's pole position: 1m 19.388s, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
Last year's podium:
1 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), 2 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus), 3 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
Most appearances (current field):
14 - Jenson Button; 12 - Fernando Alonso; 11 - Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa; 8 - Nico Rosberg; 7 - Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton; 6 - Adrian Sutil; 3 - Daniel Ricciardo, Pastor Maldonado, Kamui Kobayashi, Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg; 2 - Romain Grosjean, Jean-Eric Vergne; 1 - Max Chilton, Jules Bianchi, Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Gutierrez
Most Hungarian Grand Prix wins (driver):
4 - Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton; 3 - Ayrton Senna; 2 - Nelson Piquet, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen, Jenson Button; 1 - Nigel Mansell, Thierry Boutsen, Rubens Barrichello, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Heikki Kovalainen, Mark Webber
Most Hungarian Grand Prix wins (constructor):
12 - McLaren; 7 - Williams; 5 - Ferrari; 1 - Benetton, Renault, Honda, Red Bull
Most Hungarian Grand Prix wins (engine manufacturer):
9 - Mercedes; 7 - Renault; 6 - Honda; 5 - Ferrari; 1 - Ford/Cosworth
Most Hungarian Grand Prix pole positions (driver):
7 - Michael Schumacher; 4 - Lewis Hamilton; 3 - Ayrton Senna; 2 - Riccardo Patrese, Mika Hakkinen, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel; 1 - Nigel Mansell, Thierry Boutsen, Alain Prost, Damon Hill, Rubens Barrichello, Kimi Raikkonen
Most Hungarian Grand Prix pole positions (constructor):
8 - McLaren; 7 - Ferrari; 6 - Williams; 2 - Renault, Red Bull; 1 - Lotus, Benetton, Mercedes
Most Hungarian Grand Prix pole positions (engine manufacturer): 10 - Renault; 7 - Ferrari, Mercedes; 3 - Honda; 1 - Ford/Cosworth
Number of wins from pole: 13 from 28 races (46 percent); Four of the last ten races (40 percent)
Lowest winning grid position: 14th (Jenson Button, Honda, 2006)
Laps led (current field):
277 - Lewis Hamilton; 114 - Fernando Alonso; 60 - Felipe Massa; 56 - Kimi Raikkonen; 45 - Jenson Button; 30 - Sebastian Vettel; 5 - Romain Grosjean
Most podium places (current field):
7 - Kimi Raikkonen; 4 - Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton; 3 - Sebastian Vettel; 2 - Jenson Button; 1 - Romain Grosjean
Number of Hungarians to have started at least one Grand Prix:
1 (Zsolt Baumgartner)
Strange but true:
Lewis Hamilton has led for at least one lap in every Hungarian Grand Prix he has contested bar one - 2010 - when Red Bull dominated and he retired with a transmission problem. He has also won four times in Hungary, a record only Michael Schumacher can match.
Percentage of 2014 season complete: 53 percent
Maximum number of world championship points still available to a single driver: 250
Significant running sequences going into this weekend:
Ferrari - 77 consecutive races in the points - the longest run in F1 history; Fernando Alonso - 13 consecutive points finishes; Nico Hulkenberg - 12 consecutive points finishes; Alonso and Hulkenberg - finished in points in every race in 2014; Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton - 3 consecutive podium finishes
Milestone: A Mercedes triumph at the Hungaroring would be the team's 23rd Formula One victory, which would move them level with Tyrrell and into a share of ninth in the all-time list.
Turbo history: If a Ferrari-powered car wins the race it'll be the first Ferrari turbo win since the 1988 Italian Grand Prix.
CIRCUIT NOTES
► The guardrail to the left of the run-off area at Turn Three has been re-aligned to better protect the recovery vehicle and to allow space for a car that has been recovered.
► Speed bumps 50mm high have been installed two metres from the track edge in the run-off area at Turns Six/Seven.
► New debris fencing has been installed close to the guardrail on the left between Turns 11 and 12 and around the outside of Turn 14.
DRS ZONES
► There will be two DRS zones sharing a detection point 5m before Turn 14. Activation points are 130m after the apex of Turn 14 and 6m after the apex of Turn One.
Track MapFast Facts
Click the track to watch Pirelli's Race Preview
► The Hungarian Grand Prix made its Formula One World Championship debut in 1986 at the newly-constructed Hungaroring. It has been held at this venue every year since. Monza and Monte Carlo are the only circuits with a longer run of consecutive races.
► The race has been held 28 times. Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton are the most successful drivers in the history of the Hungarian Grand Prix with four wins each. McLaren are the most successful team with 11 victories at this circuit, including six of the last nine Hungarian Grands Prix.
► In the battle for dominance between engine suppliers, Mercedes lead the way with nine victories. Renault have seven, Honda six, Ferrari five and Ford (Cosworth) one. Honda and Ferrari, however, share the distinction of having a victory in each decade of the race’s operation.
► In the last 10 outings, the Hungarian Grand Prix has provided debut victories for Fernando Alonso (2003), Jenson Button (2006) and Heikki Kovalainen (2008).
► Sebastian Vettel has a blind spot when it comes to the Hungarian Grand Prix, never having won it. Prior to 2014, during his first five seasons as a Red Bull Racing driver, he took at least one victory in every other country to host a grand prix.
► The 2011 Hungarian Grand Prix holds the distinction of being the race with the most pit stops. 88 in total.
► Both Nigel Mansell in 1992 and Michael Schumacher in 2001 won the Drivers’ World Championship at the Hungarian Grand Prix. In Mansell’s case it was the 11th race of a 16-race season, for Schumacher it was the 13th of 17. Schumacher holds the record for the earliest conclusion to the Championship, taking the title in 2002 at the French Grand Prix with six races remaining.
► Williams secured the 1996 Constructors’ World Championship in Hungary with a one-two formation finish – Jacques Villeneuve leading Damon Hill over the line. Ferrari repeated both the one-two finish and securing the Championship in 2001, 2002 and 2004.
► The 1992 Grand Prix was memorable for more than Mansell claiming the Drivers’ crown. It was the last F1 grand prix to feature pre-qualifying and also the final race for the Brabham. Damon Hill qualified 25th and finished 11th (last).
► Hamilton made a small piece of history at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix by becoming the first driver to win a Grand Prix in a hybrid car. The McLaren MP4/24 powered by a KERS-equipped Mercedes FO 108W engine would win again in Singapore. Kimi Räikkönen, in Belgium, took a solitary victory for Ferrari’s KERS-equipped Ferrari F60. The rest of the season was dominated by the conventional Mercedes and Renault engines powering the Brawn BGP001 and Red Bull Racing RB5 respectively.
Team Quotes:Just days after an intense weekend’s racing in Germany, the Formula One paddock makes the short hop to Hungary and the technical, tricky, 4.381-kilometre Hungaroring circuit in Budapest. Will the Mercedes steamroller thunder on? Will Williams finally overhaul them? Or can Red Bull or Ferrari put a cat among the proverbial pigeons? Those involved discuss their prospects for the Formula 1 Pirelli Magyar Nagydij 2014…
Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel
2013 Qualifying - 2nd, 2013 Race - 3rd
"I like the race and atmosphere at the Hungaroring, and have good memories of the races there even though I have never won in Budapest - it is still on my to do list! It is quite a slow track but also one that can catch you out. It has some tight, twisty corners and is quite a bumpy track, so you cannot underestimate it. It is normally hot in Hungary for the race which makes it a challenge to drive, but also makes a nice weekend for the fans watching. I really like the setting of the race track, just outside Budapest and near to the Danube - in the evenings I enjoy going for a walk along the banks, or sometimes a jog in the morning. The Hungarian GP is the last race before the Summer break so we will be working hard to keep up the momentum and have a good result to enjoy over the holidays."
Daniel Ricciardo
2013 Qualifying - 8th, 2013 Race - 13th
"I've always enjoyed the Hungaroring, but because it's so tight and twisty it's maybe not the ideal layout for a Grand Prix. It's like Monaco without the walls. It's one of those weird situations where the driving is very satisfying but the racing, perhaps, is not. It's a great, great track in qualifying, where you're driving on low fuel and fresh tyres - there's no let up and you're completely in the moment. In a race though overtaking is difficult because the track is quite narrow and that exciting sequence of corners doesn't give you the opportunity to line up a pass. DRS has improved things and the first corner and the downhill sequence that follows can be quite exciting."
Sauber
Esteban Gutierrez
2013 Qualifying - 17th, 2013 Race - DNF
"The Hungaroring has a different characteristic in comparison to other circuits on the calendar. It is a very interesting track, and I enjoy driving there. The circuit consists of many low and medium-speed corners. As it is quite bumpy, it will affect the mechanical set-up of the car. Due to the traditional high temperatures, it is demanding for the tyres. There is a lot of tyre degradation as the track has some corners with right-left combinations. Although this can give us some opportunities, and we can work on different strategies. I like being at the Hungaroring, so I am looking forward to going there again. The team keeps working hard, and we hope to be in a better position at the Hungarian Grand Prix."
Adrian Sutil
2013 Qualifying - 11th, 2013 Race - DNF
"The Hungarian Grand Prix is a great event with many fans who are passionate about racing. The track itself is quite short, but very challenging with many corners, and it is not easy to put a perfect lap together. You need a lot of grip as there are several slow corners. The Hungaroring is interesting, and it is definitely good to have it on the calendar. It is the second slowest track after Monaco. Our chances are difficult to predict, but I am ready for a good result and hope for a great race. Budapest is a picturesque city with a lot of history and beautiful buildings."
Giampaolo Dall'Ara, Sauber head of track engineering
"The back-to-back race at Budapest is another “hot” event, temperature-wise. Compared to Hockenheim, the set-up of the car isn't that different, although the time spent on straights is considerably less and the low to medium-speed corners dominate. The aerodynamic requirements can be briefly summarised to be high downforce wings and efficient cooling. The track surface is more abrasive than in Hockenheim, therefore, the Pirelli medium and soft tyres have been allocated for this track."
Pirelli
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director
"Hungary is well-known for being a tricky layout, where it's difficult to overtake and to find a perfect set-up for the whole lap. This means that strategy is especially important, as it offers a rare opportunity to gain track position. The weather is normally a talking point in Hungary, but having seen how our tyres performed in the very hot track temperatures of Hockenheim, we're confident that this shouldn't be a problem. The tyres we are bringing to Hungary are a step harder, to deal with the increased demands, so we would expect the usual two pit stops - although we will only have a better idea of this once we get to free practice on Friday."
Toro Rosso
Jean-Eric Vergne
2013 Qualifying - 14th, 2013 Race - 12th
“This is an important race as it comes just before the summer break, so if you do well here, it means you can enjoy the holiday more. It is a really tough race for the car and for the drivers. The circuit is located in a bowl which seems to trap the heat and the lap has no straights, so there is no time to rest at all over a lap. It can be frustrating to race here though, like in Monaco, as you can find yourself behind a slower car and not be able to get close enough to pass. To overtake, you need to be really close in the last corner to pass down the pit straight and in order to manage that, you must be right on the tail of the slower car for the whole lap, which is quite tricky, as there are a few high speed corners. You are always turning, braking, accelerating. Not an easy race and the last two years it has not been a good track for Toro Rosso, so I really want this to change and we will be doing all we can to have a good race. I like the city, which I have visited many times from my days racing in the World Series.”
Daniil Kvyat
2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a
“Hungaroring is on the list of my favourite tracks with its flowing nature and fast chicanes and corners, which you need to attack a lot. That’s what I really love about this track. There’s no time to rest there but I am really looking forward to it. You can get stuck behind slower cars, which is frustrating and that’s why it is really important to get as good a grid position as possible here and start in front of your rivals. It can be very hot and from a physical point of view, Budapest can be even tougher than Malaysia because you don’t get time to rest as there are no long straights. It makes for a demanding and challenging weekend. I also like the city of Budapest, quite a lot of Russians come to this race, so I am looking forward to seeing a lot of Russian flags in the grandstands: not on the scale of Sochi of course, but a nice feeling all the same.”
Force India
Nico Hulkenberg
2013 Qualifying - 12th, 2013 Race - 11th
“The circuit is challenging and leaves little room for mistakes. The second sector has several corners that are all connected, so you need to hook them all up to be quick. If you run wide on one corner you can lose the flow of the lap. Overtaking is difficult, too, even with the DRS. There is one straight, but it’s not that long.
“It’s a good event with a nice atmosphere and lots of fans. I love the city of Budapest with the beautiful buildings and old architecture so it’s nice to explore a bit. The weather is always hot, which usually helps us and our car has worked well on tracks with slow corners so that’s a good sign.”
Sergio Perez
2013 Qualifying - 9th, 2013 Race - 9th
“Hungary is definitely a great event and it’s usually one of the hottest races of the year. It’s the last race before the summer break so you always want to do well so that you can enjoy the break, otherwise it can feel very long.
“It's a really interesting circuit and you have to think very carefully about the way you set your car up. It’s a very technical lap and you have to consider the weaknesses of your car and set it up around them. It's also very demanding on the tyres because you are always in a corner. The hot weather will make that even more challenging.
“I was a bit disappointed after Silverstone and Hockenheim because things did not really work out for me in the races. So it’s important to score some good points before the summer break.”
Caterham
Kamui Kobayashi
2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a
“The last race before the August break is Hungary, another really popular race with both fans and everyone in F1. For me one of my best memories of the Hungarian GP is 2010, the first time I raced on this track in F1. I had a grid penalty for something so had to start on the last row, in 23rd, but I overtook about six or seven cars on the first lap and then finished in the points! I think we’re realistic enough to know that probably won’t be possible this year, but we’ll still go there ready to fight as hard as we can, and hopefully come away with something positive.
“On track the Hungaroring isn’t one of the most challenging circuits we race on, but one of the keys to a good time is to find a rhythm, especially in sector two. You need to let the corners flow, one after the other, and with the high temperatures we usually have there and the tyre choice being soft and mediums, tyre management will be even more important than normal.”
Marcus Ericsson
2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a
“Straight on to Hungary after the German GP and another chance to take the fight to the cars ahead. For the last couple of races I’ve had a few issues that compromised my race before it started, so I’m targeting a clean weekend with maximum track time, especially in quali after what happened in Hockenheim.
“I’ve always had great support in Hungary. It’s one of the races a lot of Swedish fans come to and after seeing so many Swedish flags in Germany I’m looking forward to the same at the Hungaroring. This time I want to give them something to cheer for all weekend, especially on Sunday, so it’s important we have good reliability across the whole package, giving us the chance to fight in quali and race properly on Sunday.”
Christijan Albers, team principal
“We now have completed two races since taking over the team and I have to say I am pleased with the progress we are making. In Germany the gap to our competitors was closer than it has been for several races and we are definitely aiming to continue that progress in Hungary. We can keep making small but significant improvements across the whole team, both on track and at the factory, and they will contribute to our ongoing development.”
McLaren
Jenson Button
2013 Qualifying - 13th, 2013 Race - 7th
“As you know, this has been a special place for me for some time. I won my first Grand Prix here back in 2006 - it was one of those days when everything seemed to go my way - and I won my 200th Grand Prix here. That was an emotional day - and it was back in 2011 - I can’t believe it was nearly 60 races ago.
“The Hungaroring is a great track. Everybody thinks of it as a slow circuit, but, out the back, it’s got some pretty decent corners - Turn Four requires some serious commitment, and it’s made harder because it has a blind apex. Equally, the sequence of S-bends that make up Turns Eight to 11 are really satisfying to drive.
“Nonetheless, it’s still a circuit where you require lots of downforce and grip, and I think we are making positive steps in that direction.”
Kevin Magnussen
2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a
“I really like the Hungaroring. It isn't a fast circuit but, a bit like Monaco, it's a track on which a driver can really make a difference. I raced there last year in World Series by Renault 3.5 - and, although I didn't win either of the two races we had that weekend, I really enjoyed the first of them in particular.
“Qualifying had been messed up for many of the drivers, owing to torrential rain, and I ended up 16th on the grid. From there I got it all hooked up really well on race day, which was also extremely wet, and I overtook a load of cars as I worked my way up to second place at the end. It was great!
“I think we’ve shown recently that our car performs slightly better on tracks with a combination of low- and mid-speed corners, so I think this weekend will hopefully offer us another opportunity to score some useful world championship points.
“After a couple of frustrating races, I’m hoping for a weekend where everything comes together.”
Eric Boullier, McLaren racing director
“McLaren has a fantastic record in Hungary - we’ve won 11 Grands Prix there - and, while it’s unlikely we’ll be in a position to win this year, I think we travel to Budapest feeling encouraged by a number of our recent performances. We know there’s still a lot to do, but there’s a feeling that the whole team’s motivation is growing.
“This is effectively the last race of the first ‘half’ of the season: Formula One takes a short break for the summer before we return for the final few races in Europe, then the long and intense series of flyaways that end the year.
“It’s always beneficial to go into the summer break with a positive result, so we’ll be trying hard to do just that; even more important, it’s essential that we maintain our focus and determination with regard to car development. The next six months will be critical for everybody at McLaren, and we’ll be working as hard as possible to keep on pushing.”
Lotus
Romain Grosjean
2013 Qualifying - 3rd, 2013 Race - 6th
“I love Budapest and I love the Hungaroring. It’s a place that I really look forward to visiting every year. It is usually sunny and hot and is just before the summer break so you give all the energy you have before you go on holiday. It is an exciting Grand Prix every year.
“It’s a great track and one that’s suited us in the past. It was great to be on the podium there in 2012. I can remember feeling frustrated that year as we did have a chance to be fighting for the win, but that didn’t work out because of traffic. I like the circuit with its style of up and downs and twisty corners. I like the feeling you get when driving on the track and the grip you get from it.
“I’ve been very quick in qualifying every time there. I did one of my best overtakes in my career in Formula One last year and I got penalised for a few small centimetres which was tough at the time… Nevertheless, it is hard to overtake at the Hungaroring making qualifying very, very important, as is the race strategy.
“It’s a tight and twisty track so you do need a good qualifying result. We showed in 2012 that being on the front row certainly helps and last year’s P3 wasn’t too bad either.
“I scored my first GP2 Series pole position there in 2008. In 2011 I won and finished third, which was a pretty good weekend. Driving-wise, it’s not the most physically challenging in terms of high speed corners, but the heat you experience in the cockpit can be quite an issue. It can also be a difficult circuit early in the weekend as the track is not used very much, meaning it’s quite slippery when you first go out.”
Pastor Maldonado
2013 Qualifying - 15th, 2013 Race - 10th
“The Hungarian Grand Prix is one of the best of the season. We are very close to Budapest and I like the city very much. There is a big community of fans at the race weekend and the people are very friendly. On track, it can be very challenging. The weather is usually very hot there and it is very demanding from a physical point of view. It is one of the races that I enjoy best because of these demands and I really like the challenge that it presents.
“It is a very demanding circuit for drivers as it is often very hot and there are limited overtaking opportunities. It has quite a slow speed layout, so we’ll be able to see how much improvement we’ve made on this type of configuration. Qualifying is so important at this track because of the small number of overtaking opportunities, but I’ve qualified well there in the past so hopefully I can deliver a strong performance that will give the team a boost as we head into the summer break. I have won there in other categories so the track has good memories for me. The fans create a great atmosphere and it’s always good to race at a track where there is a strong feeling like this.”
Williams
Felipe Massa
2013 Qualifying - 7th, 2013 Race - 8th
“Hungary is a track where a good power unit is a little less important. Aerodynamics play a higher part and getting good downforce for the corners is vital. We have worked hard to get the car ready for this type of circuit and if that has all worked we should still be competitive. I hope to be able to get lots more points this weekend.”
Valtteri Bottas
2013 Qualifying - 16th, 2013 Race - DNF
“Budapest is the last race before the summer break. We are aiming for a good result there so we head into the holidays with a good feeling. We know it's not the best circuit for our car but we are working on getting more grip in the corners and we have some upgrades that should help as well. Qualifying is very important as it's not an easy track to overtake at; normally the race is hot as well so tyre degradation will be high. A good few practice sessions should help us get the set-up right. There are always a few fans from Finland, it's almost like a Finnish Grand Prix so I hope to pay the fans back with a good result.”
Rob Smedley, Williams head of vehicle performance
“Hungary is a very high downforce circuit with low efficiency. It's usually very hot there and with the tyre compounds that Pirelli will be bringing, it'll be a difficult race. It's a very important race as it's the last before the summer break. Psychologically it's important to get a good haul of points and come away in a strong position. In terms of the track, it's one where rear tyre graining can be an issue, depending on the modulus of the tyre. In the past, teams have suffered from front graining as well, so it will be a struggle to control both.”
Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton
2013 Qualifying - 1st, 2013 Race - 1st
"I was very proud that we could put both cars on the podium for Mercedes-Benz in Germany in front of all the Mercedes employees there last weekend. From a personal point of view, I couldn't be too ecstatic about the race because it was a tough weekend for me and ultimately I lost more points to Nico in the Championship battle. But I had great fun out there and did as good a job as I could. To get the car from right at the back to the podium was quite an achievement for everyone involved and I'm grateful that we could limit the damage after qualifying. The Hungarian Grand Prix is always a special one for me, with four pole positions and four wins from my seven races there so far - including my first victory for Mercedes last season. I don't really have any secrets there - I've just been very fortunate over the years and it's a circuit I really enjoy. It's one where you can really attack, which works for an attacking driver like myself, so perhaps it suits my driving style a little bit more than some others. I've always had great support there from the fans too, so I'm looking forward to it. I'm doing absolutely everything I can to get back on level terms with Nico in the title battle - I can't focus more or work harder than I am doing right now. This Championship is proving a big challenge for me but that's how I love it - and I wouldn't have it any other way."
Nico Rosberg
2013 Qualifying - 4th, 2013 Race - 19th
"It was an amazing feeling to take a home victory for myself and Mercedes-Benz at Hockenheim. That race and Monaco are the ones I really want to win, so I came into the weekend hoping for a good result and it worked out perfectly. My Silver Arrow was so dominant and I have to thank the team for this fantastic car. So many positive things have been happening for me in the last few weeks. Getting married was definitely the best feeling, then with the new contract, the World Cup for Germany and the weekend at Hockenheim. It's been a very special time for me. Now we head to Hungary, which is always a really fun weekend in a lot of different ways. Budapest is a really cool city, with a lot of nice things to do in the evening with all the restaurants on the river. I often have friends come to this race as they really enjoy the place - although, of course, while they're out partying on the Saturday night, I'll focusing and preparing for the race! We've had some great after-race parties on the Sunday night in Hungary before, as it's the last one before the summer break. Hopefully we can give everyone back at the factories and here at the circuit something to really cheer about as a reward for all their hard work before they go on holiday!"
Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"Our performance at the last race in Germany was very satisfying indeed. So many of our board members, colleagues and friends from Stuttgart were there in Hockenheim for the weekend so the pressure was on. We've performed well at the other big races for the team in Malaysia and Britain, but this was the pinnacle for us as a home race. As our thoughts now turn swiftly to the next race in Hungary, it's important to recognise the hard work put in by everyone at our factories in Brackley and Brixworth. It's a tight turnaround between the two races and this will be the final trip before the summer break, so we are pushing flat out to make sure we wrap up the first part of the season on a high. It has been a very busy year so far and another strong result would be the right reward for everyone involved before taking a well-earned rest. We had a spectacular race in Hockenheim and Budapest also has real potential to deliver an exciting Sunday afternoon, although overtaking is much more challenging there. the Hungaroring has always seen fantastic levels of support and we are looking forward to putting on a good show for the fans."
Paddy Lowe, Mercedes team executive director (technical)
"Germany proved to be a busy weekend for the team from start to finish - both in the garage and off track as the home race for Mercedes-Benz. The big talking point going into the weekend was, of course, the demise of FRIC. Much was made of its potential impact on the relative performance of the teams, but as we saw from the first sessions on Friday this did not come to fruition. Lewis' incident during qualifying came as a big shock. The damage to the car left us with some difficult decisions to make and, in the end, changes to the gearbox meant a 5-place penalty dropped Lewis even further down the grid. Lewis then produced a superb recovery drive from the back of the grid to claim a fine podium finish. Nico, meanwhile, built on a strong qualifying position with a perfectly judged race performance to take a well-earned home win. We now move on to Hungary, which will be another interesting challenge. It's usually very hot in Budapest, which will be a consideration in terms of car setup. Overtaking is also notoriously tough around the Hungaroring circuit - with a high emphasis placed on a good qualifying result. Lewis has a fantastic record at this particular venue, with four pole positions and four wins from his seven races here. Nico, by contrast, has had a tough time in Hungary in previous years. However, judging by his performance in Germany last weekend we should be set for another fascinating battle between the two drivers. As a team, we will approach this race as we would any other as we look to cap off a strong start to the season with an equally strong result heading into the summer break."
Marussia
Jules Bianchi
2013 Qualifying - 21st, 2013 Race - 16th
"I have some good memories of Hungary as my second race in Eurocup in Formula Renault took place here in 2007 and I got two pole positions. It is an interesting track because there are big braking events, long corners and some quite bumpy parts and also there is little time to draw breath around the lap. It will be a busy week for sure, and probably a very hot one, so I hope we can have a nice reward and end the first part of the season in a strong position versus the cars around us."
Max Chilton
2013 Qualifying - 22nd, 2013 Race - 17th
"I really like the Hungaroring and it's a place that holds special memories for me having won here in GP2 from pole position. The track is quite arduous as the lap is so relentless and the temperatures can be tough for the cars and the Team. It is all corners, so driving technique and car set-up are very important. In development terms we need a strong and reliable weekend, hopefully benefiting from what we learned in Germany last week. The progress continues but we need to ensure we can realise more of it during the course of a race, so we're not finding ourselves out of position with the Caterhams."
John Booth, Marussia team principal
"As is usually the case with the back to back races, part of the Team went on ahead to Budapest to commence the set-up process, while the engineering group returned to the UK. Back at our base there we have been making the most of a short but valuable period to consider the findings of the German Grand Prix and look to what we can do at the Hungaroring to ensure we end the first half of the season on a positive note. Although the rapid turnaround in what are usually very high temperatures can be tough on the Team, this is a race and venue we enjoy and the fans are very welcoming and enthusiastic. Over the next few days we have a lot of work to do to apply what we learned last weekend and ensure there is sufficient momentum to carry us through the break so that we continue to be strong when we embark on the crucial second phase of the season."
Stats via the f1statblog:This will be the 29th Hungarian GP, all of which have been held at the Hungaroring. The 4.381km long track will have 70 laps and a total race distance of 306.670km, one of just five races on the calendar with 70+ laps, the average being 60. The Hungaroring is one of the shorter tracks on the grid and also one of the slower tracks.
15 different drivers have won the Hungarian GP, first winner was Nelson Piquet in 1986 and most recently Lewis Hamilton last year. McLaren are the most successful at the Hungaroring with 11 wins, Williams are second most successful with seven wins. The most successful drivers with four wins each are Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.
The Mercedes team may have only won the Hungarian GP once, but their engines have a record nine wins. The lap record at the Hungaroring is 1:19.071, an average speed of 199kph or 124mph, fourth slowest in 2014 behind Monaco, Marina Bay and Yas Marina.
The Silly Stats
The Rubik’s Cube was invented by a Hungarian, you could line 76,860 of them around the Hungarian GP. It would take 14,832,564 of them to completely cover the track surface in Rubik’s Cubes.
Preview courtesy of the FIA, formula1.com, f1broadcasting.wordpress.com, and Pirelli Motorsport.8
Comments
-
-
From formula1.com
In our series exploring the history of Grands Prix through a selection of iconic images, we turn our attention to the Hungaroring - home to the Hungarian Grand Prix since 1986. This look back through history takes in defiant drives by Nigel Mansell and Thierry Boutsen, one of Michael Schumacher’s greatest ever victories, maiden wins for Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, and more…Formula One racing’s historic first race behind the ‘Iron Curtain’ was a humdinger with Nelson Piquet (centre) eventually taking the spoils ahead of disappointed countryman Ayrton Senna (left). The Brazilian duo fought over the lead for much of the Grand Prix until Piquet made the decisive move into Turn 1 on lap 57, dipping two wheels on the grass and snapping sideways before flamboyantly hurling his Williams around the outside of Senna’s Lotus. The elder Brazilian would eventually go on to win by over 17s, lapping team mate Nigel Mansell (right) in the process, as an estimated 200,000 spectators watched from the stands.
Piquet beats Senna in ‘battle of the Brazilians’, 1986
(© Sutton Images)It was for races like the 1989 Hungarian Grand Prix that Nigel Mansell earned the nickname Il Leone (The Lion) from Ferrari’s devoted tifosi. A failure to get to grips with Pirelli’s qualifying tyres meant that Mansell started back in 12th place, but in the race the moustachioed Englishman tore through the field, oblivious to the notion that overtaking was supposed to be nigh on impossible at the Hungaroring. By lap 52 Mansell’s tenacity had hauled him up to second behind Ayrton Senna’s McLaren (leading Mansell in this picture), but the Ferrari man was not about to let the Brazilian waltz to his fifth victory of the season. Instead, Mansell kept the pressure on and when Senna hesitated whilst lapping Stefan Johansson’s Onyx on the 58th lap, the Englishman dived past. Mansell went on to finish over 25s ahead of Senna before declaring the race as “maybe the best of my life.”
Mansell defies the odds, 1989
(© Sutton Images)Like our first two ‘moments’, our third moment also recalls a race when Ayrton Senna - a winner in Hungary in 1988, 1991 and 1992 - had to settle for second best because of an inspired drive by a rival. This time the man to defeat the great Brazilian was Belgian racer Thierry Boutsen. The Williams driver - who started on pole - led every one of the race’s 77 laps on a single set of tyres, but to suggest his win was straightforward would be to do him a disservice, such was the amount of pressure he had to withstand from Senna, particularly in the closing stages. Boutsen is pictured here crossing the finishing line 0.288s ahead of Senna’s McLaren.
Boutsen keeps Senna at bay, 1990
(© Sutton Images)No one expected Damon Hill to challenge for victory at the 1997 Hungarian Grand Prix; after all, he’d been having a torrid year for minnows Arrows. But, to the surprise of everyone, the combination of a tyre advantage and supreme driving skill took Hill and Arrows to within two miles of one of Formula One racing’s most unlikely triumphs. The reigning world champion had started third in his Bridgestone-shod, Yamaha-powered A18 but made use of a good start to jump up to second behind race leader Michael Schumacher’s Goodyear-shod Ferrari. Then, on lap 11, came the iconic moment captured in this photograph as Hill flung his car up the inside of Schumacher’s into the first corner. The Briton, suffering far less from tyre graining than many of his rivals, would go on to lead for 62 memorable laps before a hydraulics leak enabled Williams’ Jacques Villeneuve to catch and pass him on the final lap. Cruel luck.
Hill performs heroics as Arrows narrowly miss the bull’s eye, Hungary 1997
(© Sutton Images)The 1998 Hungarian Grand Prix is rightly remembered for a driving masterclass by Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher, but the catalyst was surely Ross Brawn, the Scuderia’s technical director and strategy guru. With Schumacher trailing the McLaren’s in the opening stint of the race, Brawn took the bold decision to switch Schumacher from a two- to a three-stop strategy, but to make it work he told the German he was required to make up 20 seconds in 19 laps. In a display of incredible speed and consistency, Schumacher duly did just that and emerged from his final pit stop comfortably ahead of David Coulthard’s McLaren. This photo shows Schumacher (centre) celebrating on the podium in front of a jubilant crowd. To his right is second-place finisher David Coulthard and to his left is Jacques Villeneuve who finished third.
Sublime Schumacher executes strategy to perfection, 1998
(© Sutton Images)Fernando Alonso was just 22 years and 26 days old when he took his (and Spain’s) maiden Grand Prix victory at the Hungaroring in 2003. The Spaniard, pictured here taking the chequered flag, surpassed Bruce McLaren as the youngest winner in F1 history, but there was nothing immature about his performance. Running a three-stop strategy, Alonso rocketed into the lead at the start and only relinquished it once, when he made his first pit stop on lap 13. For the rest of the race he was in complete control, the icing on the cake coming towards the end when he lapped both Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari and the Renault of team mate Jarno Trulli. A star had been born.
Alonso makes his mark with historic first win, 2003
(© LAT Photographic)“It all happened so quickly,” said Red Bull’s Christian Klien after Sauber’s Jacques Villeneuve (who we’re riding onboard with in this picture) flipped him out of the race at the first corner in 2005. “I came to land on four wheels and luckily nothing happened, but that was not a good feeling…” But that wasn’t the end of Red Bull’s woes as moments later David Coulthard collected Fernando Alonso’s discarded front wing and ripped a wheel off his car. Rarely has a team had such an abysmal first lap.
Villeneuve flips Klien out of contention on a nightmare first lap for Red Bull, 2005
(© FOM)Having burst onto the F1 scene with Williams in 2000, Jenson Button had to wait six and a half seasons - and 113 races - before finally tasting the winner’s champagne. His arrival on the top step of the podium in the 2006 race seemed improbable before the race given his P14 grid slot, but in wet-dry conditions the Briton brilliantly scythed his way through the field to second before inheriting the lead when Fernando Alonso’s Renault shed its right-rear tyre. Button’s triumph also gave Honda their first win as a fully-fledged F1 constructor since 1967.
Button breaks his duck, 2006
(© Sutton Images)In November 2008 Lewis Hamilton sensationally claimed the world drivers’ title in Brazil, but by the Australian Grand Prix the following March his McLaren team were struggling. The Woking squad had missed the boat on the controversial but highly effective double diffuser and the MP4-29’s newly fitted Kinetic Energy Recovery system (KERS) had proved as much of a weight penalty as a performance benefit. But such was the pace of McLaren’s development that by July’s race in Hungary, Hamilton was right back in the thick of the action. He used KERS to his advantage at the start, jumping up to third behind Mark Webber’s Red Bull whom he dispatched three laps later with a fine around-the-outside pass at Turn 2. Then, when race leader Fernando Alonso made an early pit stop, the Briton went into a lead that he would never relinquish. Hamilton’s victory was not only the first of the season for McLaren; it was also the first in Formula One racing for a car equipped with hybrid technology.
Hamilton and McLaren claim first hybrid win, 2009
(© LAT Photographic)As team mates at Ferrari Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello enjoyed unprecedented success, but at the Hungaroring in 2010 - a track where they finished one-two in 2001, 2002 and 2004 - there appeared to be little love lost between the duo. The pair were fighting over tenth place (and the final world championship point) when Barrichello attempted to pass Schumacher’s Mercedes on the pit straight with four laps to go. Reluctant to cede the position, Schumacher (right) dangerously pushed the Williams (left) closer and closer to the pit wall until Barrichello finally forced his way by. The Brazilian was understandably nonplussed by his former team mate’s actions, as were the FIA stewards who penalised the seven-time world champion for ‘illegitimately impeding’ and handed him a ten-place grid drop for the next race in Belgium.
Schumacher crosses the line with former team mate Barrichello, 2010
(© Sutton Images)0 -
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
to say I was upset when Villeneuve passed Hill on the final lap is an understatement,not to mention the look on Walkinshaw's face,he knew what was coming when the radio message went through,i think Hill's lead before the problem was just under 33 seconds and he crossed the line 9 seconds behind JV,had he kept pushing harder earlier in the race he could well have built up the 40 second+ gap that was needed,has to be one of the most memorable races for me,but it ended the wrong wayI was at that race as a Hill fan. It was so good...and yet so bad at the same time :-(
0 -
-
-
Advertisement
-
I was there at the 2006 GP. Never read the weather forecast before going. Hungary was always sunny and beautiful and indeed it was that day. During the race it started to cloud over and then stared poring on us. Only one oversized rainfleece was available to buy and we got soaked still. Kimi was leading but drove into a back marker right in front of us. Button came through the field in the wet and then drying track and took a great first win.
Great win but never so wet in my life. I didnt get the jacket by the way but the plastic sheeting it came in 0 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
Jordan 191 wrote: »Probably Bahrain. Some beautiful dices between Hamilton and Rosberg at that race.
That was class. Hard to believe it was that long ago since they were mixing it up together 0 -
-
Advertisement
-
Hamilton's 'Luck' strikes again......
Luck > something random that on average affect both cars over a season... not just one side of the garage..
"This is beyond Bad Luck".
Really Merc... Brake failure in Q1 in Germany, now Fuel pump failure leading to a BBQ ...also in Q1...REALLY!!!!
Hungary like Canada are Hamilton's tracks (enjoyed most success)... yet he gets Technical/Mechanical trouble at both of these???? Lewis was looking to a strong result before the Summer Break... to put himself back level with Rosberg (before Q1), had dominated all of practice so far.
We've seen it before at Ferrari with their official Number 2 Drivers and Red Bull's Unofficial No.2's with Webber... "Not bad for a No2 Driver" (Also McLaren (Unofficial) Mika over DC.
Lewis..... you are Merc's Unofficial No.2 this year.
Please can we have some rain for the race, Wet races in Hungary tend to be memorable.
Also sad to see the legions of Finnish fans that travel ever year for the race wont have Kimi fighting from the front due to a bad tyre call in Quali from Ferrari.
It looked as Raikkonen was expecting to have a Race Weekend running in the top 6, as he also has a good record around Budapest.
At least Bottas is at the sharp end, looking to add to his collection of Podiums on Sunday.0 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
![[Deleted User]](/applications/dashboard/design/images/defaulticon.png)
Advertisement