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Race Preview: Hungarian GP

Hungarian Grand Prix, the last race before F1 breaks for the summer. (Note to self: Don't Panic! There are still more races to come after August. I can get through August without an F1 race. Really I can!) It'll likely be a hot and dry race since the Hungarian Grand Prix has never seen a wet race up until the 2006 Grand Prix. Interestingly enough, due to the way the track is situated amongst the nature setting, you can see the track from any point of the stands. This gave the Hungarian Grand Prix track a special name - the dinner plate, as the spectators can sit on the edge of the plate and follow the events from there. Doesn't that just make you hungry for Hungary? Yes, that was a terrible joke.

Some say the track at Hungaroring is twisty, narrow and impossible to overtake. According to Vettel, who has never won here, "The Hungarian GP is one of the hardest for the drivers".  Meanwhile, Raikkonen is full of confidence, "Usually this Grand Prix weekend is one of the hottest in the calendar, so it should suit our car very well." Both Button and Hamilton have won twice here before, McLaren must be quietly optimistic for grand results this weekend. 

The track has actually proven entirely possible to overtake, moreover, one can even achieve a massive comeback from 14th on the grid to win the race (that was Button's win back in 2006). Like every race, it will certainly be paramount to be in the front part of the grid if not the pole, but if by chance a driver majorly messed up the qualifying, an aggressive race day performance could be key to the podium. We'll also see some great action at the DRS zone, so I imagine we'll see some overtaking around there as well.

Will we see another driver other than Alonso take home the victory at Hungarian Grand Prix? We shall find out soon enough. Catch you after the race!!

// Get a feel for the GP in Budapest by checking out our Pinterest board

 

Eni Magyar Nagdij on Pinterest

 

Qualifying Preview: Hungary

Lewis Hamilton has stepped up his game and shown great pace in Friday's sessions in Hungary (photo by HOCH ZWEI)

The last race weekend before the summer break kicked off with Lewis Hamilton commanding the field in both Friday practices, being the only driver to set a sub-1:22 time in a shortened wet-dry practice 2.  His teammate, Jenson Button, also showed his grit turning in the 2nd and 6th fastest times of the two sessions, just .1 seconds behind Hamilton in P1.  Championship points leader Fernando Alonso, who has been one with his car as of late, was fast enough for 3rd and 5th.  2007 Champion Kimi Raikkonen has yet to win a race since his return to F1 this year, but demonstrated he has the pace to reach the top step of the podium by finishing 2nd in practice 2, just .185 seconds behind Hamilton.

For Saturday’s qualifying session, look for arguably the most consistent driver of the field in Alonso to challenge for a third straight pole with a streaky Hamilton nipping at his heels.  Don’t count out Button though for pole though – while he may be all but out of championship contention, he drove a brilliant race in Germany to take 2nd from Sebastian Vettel and is among the fastest when his car is healthy.  Vettel’s teammate Mark Webber has been driving consistent enough to find himself in second place in the championship race, and arguably would have landed on the podium in Germany had he not been the victim of a 5-place grid penalty for an unexpected gearbox change before.  Look for him to make a qualifying statement to Alonso along the lines of “down but not out.”

Could we see another new race winner Sunday?  With 10 grands prix left in the season, the fans are sure to be delighted this weekend with a spirited battle for momentum into Belgium in one month.

Within Arm's Reach: Construction Update at COTA

// Click on any of the photos above to go to the full gallery.

With just under four months to go until the November Formula 1 race at Circuit of The Americas, construction is moving along steadily as the deadline approaches. On site today for a media tour, there was evidence of significant progress since our last visit exactly one month prior. Many are concerned that significant strides may not be enough to achieve the impossible, but COTA and their contractors are confident everything is on schedule.

First stop on the trip was Austin's zenith, Turn 1, where the temporary observation platform has been removed to make room for grandstands and permanent restroom facilities. We were able to exit the shuttle and step out on the run-off area, walking trough the gravel trap and on to the asphalt.

The difference between the track now and a short three months ago (April), makes the less than four month deadline seem completely within reach for COTA. With 700 workers on site at any point during the day, there is no shortage of hands to get this project completed. The guard rails are in place and bolted together and the FIA required fence is taught and ready for race operation. All together, the only thing remaining to finish Turn 1 is the final layer of asphalt for the race surface and some cosmetic details.

Speaking to an Austin Commercial representative (the general contractor), I learned that FIA Safety Delegate Charlie Whiting's June visit to the Circuit (post Canadian Grand Prix) was very positive. Concerns about completion where squashed when compared to recent F1 tracks like Korea and India, both of which staged races but fought the clock late into the night before their respective events. COTA's FIA inspection is scheduled a minimum of 60 days before F1 arrives on track, which makes the weekend of Sept 15-16 the true target for circuit operation.

Continuing on the racing line to our next stop at Turn 11, our ride was smooth and free of previous bumps and rattles from a dirt surface; only the circuit's inherent undulation and natural character came through. Despite traveling only 30 miles per hour in a large shuttle bus, we were able to get a taste of the complex maneuvering that will be required by future drivers; they will certainly enjoy the challenges the first half of the circuit presents.

Stopping at Turn 11 was an opportunity to survey the progress in just one month since Mark Winterbottom's visit to the circuit. This hairpin turn is surprisingly narrow so cars must make their move early coming out of Turn 10 and secure their position before entering Turn 11. In terms of progress, the access road behind the barriers looks complete while the kerbs and fencing are just behind at about 50% completion. Like the majority of the track, the run-off area and track surface are ready to receive final treatment.

Traveling down the main straight to Turn 12, it's hard to not focus on the Tower under construction. With many of the prefabricated steel sections in place, the commanding white tower dominates the western side of the circuit even though it has yet to reach its 251 foot peak. 8" steel tubes painted COTA red will create the canopy of the Tower and stretch down to the amphitheater below. Some evidence of these red tubes adorns the back side of the Main Grandstand and will also be part of the Grand Plaza entrance on the far west side of the track. We didn't stop to look at the Tower, but I'm looking forward to investigating it in the future to understand how the amphitheater and Tower will connect.

Our final stop - on the main straight - was the heart of the on-site action today. With the paddock building on the left, the Main Grandstand on the right, and Turn 1 in the background, the activity and excitement levels here are electric. The Main Grandstand's canopy structure is complete and the first piece of canopy covering has just been installed. The glass windows of the paddock building are practically done and the main scoreboard and starting line gantry are in position. Much remains to satisfy the typical paddock club clientele from what's visible on the track below, so crews are likely beginning to focus more on the buildings and guest amenities as the track and safety elements near completion.

In total, the pieces of the puzzle that will transform this circuit into America's new home for motorsports are secret no more. The world's greatest drivers will soon compete on this track; the top three will grace the podium, spraying champagne over the edge and rewarding their teammates and crew members for their hard work. Thousands of fans have dreamed about the return of an American F1 race for over five years. Within a matter of months now, all the glory will be within arm's reach.

Need seats at Circuit of The Americas? Buy your USGP tickets from TicketCity.

THE RELEVANCE OF MAGYAR: HUNGARIAN GP

 Hungaroring - July 27, 2011

Mogyoród is just 19kms from the nation’s capital twin-cities (of Buda and Pest, unified in 1873 but always divided by the beautiful Danube River) and still creates interest for motor racing fans keen to comprehend what once lay behind the ‘Iron Curtain’. Sadly, the experience is not as clear cut as it might be and, despite a resident enthusiasm to host the mid-season race, the Hungaroring’s place in the calendar might be in jeopardy.

Whose Line Line Is It Anyway?

Sebastian Vettel contemplates his moves during the German GP press conference (Photo by Vladimir Rys/Getty Images)

To suggest that he was not exactly thrilled and that Sebastian Vettel was all but robbed of a second place in the German GP rocked the boat of Iain Robertson enough for him to demand another closer inspection of the final result.

Race Review: German Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso came in first while Sebastian Vettel took second position (though Seb was penalized for his overtake on Jenson Butto - Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

Nothing throws a wrench into Race day grid positions like a bit of rain on Qualifying day. That is precisely what we had at the German Grand Prix this weekend. Some teams were prepared (or lucky) while others were slightly doomed (or not prepared). Alonso, the front-runner of the championship after British Grand Prix, was certainly prepared with a wet setup and capture Pole position. Not so lucky was Massa, Rosberg and Grosjean, none of them made Q3 Top-10 shootout.

To keep things interesting, Hokkenheim gave the German Grand Prix a sunny and dry race day. Alonso was on pole, followed by Vettel and Schumacher. With 4 wins in the pocket and a 3rd place on the grid, I had high hopes for Schumacher. However, ultimately it was just not meant to be. Schumacher ended the race at 7th.

Taking full advantage of the pole position, however, is Alonso. Alonso blew away the competition, surged ahead and never looked back from the moment the race started. Alonso seems to be ready for any challenge and made his strategy stick in recent races. Even in a seemingly less competitive car, Alonso has driven the wheels off of the Ferrari and took the top spot on the podium for the German Grand Prix. This is the 3rd win for Alonso at the Hokkenheim track. I think he may have shed some joyous tears on the podium. In my pre-race post, I've mentioned that the odds are in Schumacher, Alonso and Hamilton's favor at this Grand Prix, I'm mildly excited that my guesses are getting more accurate in this unpredictable season.

Hoping for a comeback from a disappointing finish last week, Hamilton started on 7th and ended up retiring at Lap 58 due to lack of pace and a puncture. With a bit of reversed fortune, Button did very well in the race, going from 6th to 3rd by lap 12 and just kept pushing up front. It certainly helped that McLaren has dramatically improved their pit stop time, with one of Button's stop taking a fleeting 2.31 seconds, fastest ever in the records. All these with some good driving nudged Button to 2nd near closing stage of the race. That was until Button started losing tyres performance. Vettel saw the weakness and decided to be naughty (and play innocent), attempted to pass Button on Lap 66, went wide AND off the track that give him some grip to slip in front of Button to take 2nd place on the podium.

Even though Vettel was on podium for 2nd, the stewards investigate the overtaking move and decided to give him a 20-second penalty which dropped him to Fifth. Quite the misfortune for Vettel at the home race. As a result, Button is 2nd, with Raikkonen taking 3rd in the 67-lap race. Button must be absolutely thrilled to be back on the podium after a drought of wins.

Honorable mentions of the Hokkenheim race are Kobayashi, who went up 7 spots with a 2-stop strategy to end the race in 5th, and Perez, went up a whopping 11 spots to 6th place. Both of these drivers are not always the front-runners, but are always driving their heart out with their cars, great pleasure to watch and definitely adds to the entertaining factor of the race to see them dual!

Grid girls, what's going on with the outfits? Is it because we're still in Europe that the last few races your outfit has not changed? It's still a red dress with a white bow-knot in the front and red heels. I was hoping that there'd be some new outfits, but alas. And who wins the Post-race Best hair award? That prize goes to none other than Button, who kept his cool on the podium with cool head and hair while waiting for the stewards to decide Vettel's illegal overtaking move.

That's all for the German Grand Prix! Can't wait for the Hungarian Grand Prix to come around July 27-29! Catch you then!