Grand Prix 2019 Hungarian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Everyone who has followed F1 since the 80’s or longer will be aware of Hungary’s status as the first GP to be held behind the Iron Curtain. It was Winston Churchill who first used the phrase “Iron Curtain” in a post WW2 speech commenting on the collapse of the war time alliance between East and West and the eventual creation of the Warsaw Pact.

The Hungarian GP, first held in 1986, represented another thaw in the Cold War which, by the early 80’s and the first term of Reagan presidency had seriously escalated towards all-out war at one stage.

It’s difficult to imagine now, just how close we were to triggering all out, global nuclear war in the early 80’s. Some history books have claimed that it was the Reagan doctrine that eventually forced the collapse of the Soviet Union through the economic and technological might of the US strangling the economy of the USSR in to submission. While this will remain the popular view in some parts of the West it is far from the reason why the Soviet Union collapsed. In the end it fell to people of the USSR to bring it down from the inside. From the strikes and riots across Eastern Europe, a more confident resistance to the regulation of Communist Rule spread relatively unchecked until a few, small but critical events toppled the whole empire.

One of these was the decision on May 2nd 1989 by the Hungarian Government to remove the electric fence border between Hungary and Austria. By the end of July 25 thousand East Germans had made the crossing from East Germany, through Czechoslovakia, into Hungary and then on to Austria and into the West. While the Austro-Hungarian border remained closed, there was now little to stop people crossing. Finally, on the 10th of September, the Hungarian Foreign Minister announced that the border between Hungary and Austria would be unrestricted. In just two days another 22,000 people crossed the border into the west. With growing demonstrations against the East German government and more civil unrest many more thousands followed suit and left for a new life. Czechoslovakia opened their border with West Germany on the 4th of November and finally, on the 9th of November the Berlin Wall opened.

Who knows what role if any, the Hungarian GP had in opening Hungary to the West and helping to give the country a wider outlook at a time when there seemed to be no end to the cold war? It certainly was worth having though.

Let’s hope for a fourth great race in a row.
 
History books will claim that it was the Reagan doctrine that eventually forced the collapse of the Soviet Union through the economic and technological might of the US strangling the economy of the USSR in to submission.

Well, I haven’t done a survey of what people are writing now, but I doubt that many history books are claiming this. It is a popular political theory among certain elements. Not sure it carries much weight with most historians.

Beatles probably had more impact than the Hungarian GP, but it certainly helped.
 
It wasn't just Mercedes who had a bad race in Germany as we know, Renault had an unhappy time with neither driver finishing. Apparently their bad luck is continuing after one of their trucks crashed on the way to Hungary. They got the truck out under yellow flags, a safety car wasn't needed :snigger:;)

https://www.motorsportweek.com/news/id/23869
 
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Boring track given its slow medium speed corners and there is no room to pass bar first corner if you dare to brake late like Riccardo
The wet races seems to mix things up a little .

Based on Monaco - the Mercedes were only just ahead of the Ferrari's and Red Bull so it could be another close race

I expect Mclaren to be best of the rest while Haas to fall back due to no long straights to exercise the power of the Ferrari engine
 
No real running for Bottas, that's not going to help his situation. It was close at the top too, just 0.2 between 1st and 3rd and only 0.001 between Verstappen and Vettel. Then there is Gasly, enough said. Should make for an interesting qualifying if they continue to remain that close.
 

Well, I watched FP1 at mostly fast forward x2. The times are deceiving. Hamilton looked comfortable early on with a margin. You note that he ran mostly mediums. Verstappen actually spun once. At one point half-way through the session both Verstappen and Gasly were running serious laps and Verstappen was 0.6 seconds ahead. Then Verstappen spun and I suspect took it easy the rest of the session. Horner was interviewed, and continued to stress that they were making no driver changes "...for this season."
 
FP3 delayed by 10 minutes due to work taking place on the track.

BBC Sports F1 web site: It looks like they've poured an industrial amount of white sand at Turn Four to clear up some oil, and are sweeping it around.
 
That Ferrari must be another car that has been built to be solid. Congratulations to the mechanics, from what we saw and heard they took it in their stride, got on with the job and got the result.

Congratulations to Max Verstappen as well, it has been some time coming but has worked out to be at a circuit where overtaking happens infrequently. A shame that Red Bull don't have a second driver to go for the team championship.
 
George Russell out qualified both Racing Point cars and Ricciardo!! They have improved that Williams, well not the car they Kubica, obviously.
 
quite amazing to think, considering how successful & highly rated verstappen has been over the last 3 years. that is his 1st pole position you wouldve thought guy like him wouldve had 1 before. but stunning pole lap on circuit i felt would suit a red bull, absoultely aced that final sector to find a quarter of a second on himself & tenth on bottas. as he was 0.12 up on himself but 0.061 down on bottas. but also thats Bottas luck at the moment. chance of a podium in germany crashed, hungary the lap of his life beats lewis & still 0.018 short of pole.

i know this is weird but i was giving driver of qualifying. it wouldn't be verstappen as good as he was it wouldbe to russell in 16th. what a job he did outqualifying both racing points & Ricarddo. so close to making it into Q2. on track where downforce is more important than power

Kubica 1.3 secs off russell. will he last the season & after some research i knew someone had something about kubica thats turned true back in feb & it was Radical F1 who took a bit of stick

- Kubica will not see the end of season. 1 Day too old, 1 Hair too Bald.

you make a good point. it could go pearshaped i remember hearing something cant remember if it was testing or a podcast. but someone made great point. kubica up til now its a brilliant feel good point & we are proud that he has got back to F1 which seemed impossible. but once qualifying starts that ends & he becomes just 1 of 20 drivers & if russell outqualifies him by 1/2second the sympathy will vanish

i cant argue with either of them points above & it horrible but questions will be asked about kubica
 
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