Grand Prix 2018 Hungarian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

So on we go to Budapest (well Mogyoród but anyways) for the 33rd Hungarian Grand Prix. Its the 32nd to be held at the Hungaroring in a row. There is only Monaco and Monza that have been on the calendar for a longer span without any gap. That makes this race a true F1 classic although most won't call it that. The boffins over at wikipedia state 'Due to the nature of the track, narrow, twisty and often dusty because of under-use, the Hungarian Grand Prix is associated with processional races'. Clip the Apex however says differently with Hungary winning the best race of the year more times that any other track. Lets face it there have been some classics. Button winning in a Honda, Heiki winning his 'first of many', Danny Ric showing the 'ladies' how its done, Damon Hill making an Arrows car look like a world beater, Boutson inventing the Trulli train and one of the best wins of all time from Nigel Mansell. Will this years race live up to those standards? I guess we're going to find out.

Hungary itself is a very interesting and beautiful country. It was first defined as a nation in the 9th century, having what it describes as its golden era up until 1526. Then the country was occupied by the Ottoman empire which lasted all the way up until 1699. Hungary then came under Habsberg rule. You might think this has nothing to do with F1 but you would be wrong. Currently racing in F3 is one Ferdinand Habsberg who is a direct descendant from that royal family. Ferdinand is attempting to get into F1 so all that is relevant honest. Under the Habsberg's it was part of the great Austro-Hungarian Empire but after being on the losing side of WWI it was split into two. The borders defined for it then (1920) remain the borders it had today. At the start of WWII Hungary decided to form an alliance with the axis powers. It seems old habits die hard as last year the Hungarian track formed another axis alliance as German Seb Vettel took the win there in the Italian Ferrari. If you are my age and a 20th century history nut Hungary is most famous for its 1956 revolution where students riled up the population to overthrow the puppet government put in place by the Soviet Union. This seemed like it was going to be a success with the USSR even announcing it was going to withdraw troops. However they changed their mind and invaded Budapest and other parts of the country. The Hungarian held out for 6 days with 2500 being killed. 200,000 fled the country as the iron curtain came down. The USSR won but it lost all at the same time as their actions largely turned Western Marxists away from their cause. Talk of the revolution was completely banned from the Hungarian population meaning a whole generation grew up not knowing it even happened. I once met a Hungarian gentlemen who was a qualified historian who told me that until 1990 he had never heard of the 1956 revolution. Just to put that into context, if you'd been in Hungary in 1989 the average citizens would have been able to tell you more about Theirry Boutson and a Williams Renault than they could about their countries own history.

Speaking of Mr Boutson and the day he conquered Hungary - With all these he said/she said calls for penalties on the radio these day I always think back to that 1990 race and a move by Senna on Nannini. Watch it here at 1m 25 and tell me if you think there was a penalty.


The answer is no there wasn't. It wasn't even mention. it was just part of racing. Nannini retired and Senna went on to get 2nd. Later on it the footage Berger tries the same move on Mansell and puts them both out. To say we are living in a different era is an understatement.

Anyways thats my ramblings about Hungary. Its been a topsey turvey kind of year so I'm venturing no predictions for the up coming race other than it will be dominated by Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull. Lewis Hamilton has won here more times than anyone else and comes off the back of his greatest win ever. Of course its only his greatest ever win since the last greatest ever win he had but good all the same. The script should say he comes here on a high and kicks everyones bum. Script isn't always followed this year though.
 
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That is sad news about Force India, so will the Stroll's family money be enough to save them? It doesn't seem like it at the moment.
 
When I was at one of the Canadian GPs, they did play a song and video over the big viewing screens. It didn't sound bad. Tempted to order a copy. Was going to at the time, but someone who had a copy recommended I don't waste my money. ;)

Really Ruslan, I can't think who would do a thing like that.... :whistle::snigger:
 
Thanks FB, interesting! Worth noting is the high engine part usage by Honda. RB will have a 'fun' time next year potentially!
 
I am probably not going to win too many accolades (if any) for this, but there are many places everywhere with price of membership most of us cannot afford, nor we would think about forcing ourselves through the door. How good we are is really secondary, if money is one of main prerequisites for getting and staying in. F1 is not a sport for weak or incompetent. Failing just in one of those marks has consequence in competitive environment. That's the world we live in, and it will stay that way for foreseeable future.

Perhaps FI will be at the end just as lucky as Sauber is today (at least on the surface).
 
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Well shall see what tomorrow brings but it appears looking at the first two practices that:

1. It is either a fight between Ferrari or Red Bull...or
2. The teams are going to stack up Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, Haas, Renault....and be fairly processional.

It would be nice to see a fight.

in think that in the race it might be Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari, the Ferraris suffered badly last Sunday with their rear tyres, I guess that tomorrow it might be more of the same

Regarding Force India everyone was openly talking about it since the beginning of the week, we also discussed the subject on another thread, no big suprise. Now the next big question is whether Williams will surive in today's shape until the end of the season
 
I see your point Izumi but if a nightclub is so expensive to get in that there are only 3 people on th dance floor then no one cares how good the DJ is.

In different perspective, two or three teams requesting from CVC or now Liberty repeatedly more money has fallen on deaf ears, whereas if those three teams were giving a notice they are leaving because they cannot afford to stay, that might got attention and produce countermeasures. Commercial owners got very rich in this business, whereas tracks and some teams lost consequently money. Today, insisting on Ferrari and Mercedes paying for collateral damages is I think misguided notion where the problem is.

Maybe this topic is in wrong column and should be moved elsewhere, but permit me to still add before we leave it, budgeting is just a bandage on large problem, and it would not save FI, as long as incompatibility exists between various membership objectives and why they entered this sport. Differing interests are just irreconcilable IMO. This is not a football or hockey league, but a sport/technology union, and needs to be treated as such.
 
Back to racing, I do agree that RBR is a player this weekend. Bottas complained that his MB was slow.
Interesting comments from Ferrari drivers.
Vettel - we have speed for one lap. Very contrasting to usual - we do better in race. Not sure how to read it.
Kimi - I hope we find more speed for the race. Is this thinly veiled hint for Ferrari aero/setup guys?
 
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in think that in the race it might be Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari, the Ferraris suffered badly last Sunday with their rear tyres, I guess that tomorrow it might be more of the same

Regarding Force India everyone was openly talking about it since the beginning of the week, we also discussed the subject on another thread, no big suprise. Now the next big question is whether Williams will surive in today's shape until the end of the season
Well, free practice 3 does make it seem that Mercedes might hold the advantage over Ferrari and they both have the edge over Red Bull. I guess we will have to see what qualifying shows us in a hour.

Now granted, part of my calculation is that Bottas is almost as fast as Vettel, therefore Hamilton will be faster....but....
 
Both MB cars seems unstable, having both drivers dance on dry surface in similar fashion Vettel did in Germany on wet surface.
 
Yea, I think it is going to be an interesting race. Wondering if Ferrari will be doing "bump-and-pass" maneuvers.
 
Brill qualy. caught up on C4 (due to holiday). Great lap from lewis. credit where its due F1 letting them race 1st competitive wet session of season & since monza?? As think only practises only been wet. But as i said praise for not whimping out as irritatingly full wets usually mean red flag. & wait til inter conditions again. Which ive never understood these are supposedly 20 "best" drivers in the world but how many of 20 is a matter of opinion. Why can't they cope with bad conditions they never had this problem with less downforce in 80s & 90s

Q1 surprise took teams 10 mins. I was watching & id have 2 inter laps. See its just 1 corner was bad & would gamble for ultrasofts. I thought Verstappen was very disappointing in 7th. Because i expect more he was fantastic in brazil was 1 of f1 greatest drives. 1 of few to cope at austin in abandoned qualy & before pens on front row in monza last season. Sainz great 5th just what he needed, 3rd outqualifying vettel on merit at 1 point gasly fantastic & bottas deserves praise so nearly on pole with a great lap
 
There were a lot of people quick to hand Lewis's crown as rain master to Verstappen but I think he well and truly showed it belongs on his head today.
 
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