As F1 continues to salvage something out of 2020 and the covid restrictions, hot on the heels of the Austrian double header, the show rolls over the border to their former imperial partner in crime, Hungary for the 35th running of the Hungarian GP as a world championship point scoring event.
As is well known, F1 first lifted the iron curtain and held an event in the then communist country of Hungary in 1986, exactly 30 years after the brutal crack down and overthrow of the government during the 1956 Hungarian revolution. By 1985 the Hungarian economy was in real danger of collapse and the governement were forced into a series of economic and political reforms. In a 1986 survey 61 percent of Hungarians responded that their position was hopeless or continually worsening. That first Grand Prix almost certainly brought some much needed publicity and a moral boost to the country. As a result of the growing problems within the country and a wider push towards reform, Hungary provided the first spark that would eventually light the end of the cold war. In May 1989 they removed the old border between Austria and Hungary allowing unrestricted travel between the two. The people of East Germany, who were alowed unrestricted travel between socialist countries took the opportunity to circumvent the hated Berlin wall by fleeing into Austria using this newly opened route. Through the summer of 89 the trickle became a flood and by October Hungary had declared itself a Republic with parliamentary elections scheduled to take place the following year and on the 9th of November the Berlin Wall opened.
The Hungarian GP circuit has changed very little since its first race in 1986. There have been modifications to the first corner altering the line into and throught it but little else. The track is seldom used outside of F1 leading to the early race weekend practice times often being misleading due to a dusty circuit with little grip. As the track beds in, the times soon fall. Known as a tight, twisty track, overtaking is very rarely an option here with CTA database statistics showing that for much of the time race overtakes are in single figures. Strangely however, despite all of this, it actually throws up some interesting results, providing debuts and debut wins for a number of drivers. 17 years ago, among the hysteria for the debut of the first ever Hungarian driver to take to the track in his home GP, Zsolt Baumgartner in a Jordan, a well known young Spaniard took his debut win and broke the record for the youngest ever GP winner at that time. I wonder what ever happened to that young driver?
Mercedes have won the last two races here but as it's a track that is less reliant on power and more on grip and handling, it tends to open the race up a little. Last years pole sitter for example was Max Verstappen who went on to finish 2nd in the race, and also qualifying gave Williams one of their best results of the season. With marked improvements from McLaren this year, who had both cars firmly in the points and top 10 all weekend last year, they could also be on for a very strong result this weekend.
Let's hope we get a classic.
As is well known, F1 first lifted the iron curtain and held an event in the then communist country of Hungary in 1986, exactly 30 years after the brutal crack down and overthrow of the government during the 1956 Hungarian revolution. By 1985 the Hungarian economy was in real danger of collapse and the governement were forced into a series of economic and political reforms. In a 1986 survey 61 percent of Hungarians responded that their position was hopeless or continually worsening. That first Grand Prix almost certainly brought some much needed publicity and a moral boost to the country. As a result of the growing problems within the country and a wider push towards reform, Hungary provided the first spark that would eventually light the end of the cold war. In May 1989 they removed the old border between Austria and Hungary allowing unrestricted travel between the two. The people of East Germany, who were alowed unrestricted travel between socialist countries took the opportunity to circumvent the hated Berlin wall by fleeing into Austria using this newly opened route. Through the summer of 89 the trickle became a flood and by October Hungary had declared itself a Republic with parliamentary elections scheduled to take place the following year and on the 9th of November the Berlin Wall opened.
The Hungarian GP circuit has changed very little since its first race in 1986. There have been modifications to the first corner altering the line into and throught it but little else. The track is seldom used outside of F1 leading to the early race weekend practice times often being misleading due to a dusty circuit with little grip. As the track beds in, the times soon fall. Known as a tight, twisty track, overtaking is very rarely an option here with CTA database statistics showing that for much of the time race overtakes are in single figures. Strangely however, despite all of this, it actually throws up some interesting results, providing debuts and debut wins for a number of drivers. 17 years ago, among the hysteria for the debut of the first ever Hungarian driver to take to the track in his home GP, Zsolt Baumgartner in a Jordan, a well known young Spaniard took his debut win and broke the record for the youngest ever GP winner at that time. I wonder what ever happened to that young driver?
Mercedes have won the last two races here but as it's a track that is less reliant on power and more on grip and handling, it tends to open the race up a little. Last years pole sitter for example was Max Verstappen who went on to finish 2nd in the race, and also qualifying gave Williams one of their best results of the season. With marked improvements from McLaren this year, who had both cars firmly in the points and top 10 all weekend last year, they could also be on for a very strong result this weekend.
Let's hope we get a classic.
