[Official] Hungarian Grand Prix 2021: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 11 of 23

[Born Racer]

The history

The Hungarian Grand Prix dates back to 1936 in Budapest and was run in Népliget, the largest park in the capital. It was won by Scuderia Ferrari with Tazio Nuvolari driving an Alfa Romeo.

The Grand Prix was not run again until 1986 and although not highly regarded in earlier days, it has come to be much more appreciated over the years, perhaps due to its rather unique track, which has been over-simplistically compared to 'Monaco without the houses'. Actually, after the lack of a Monaco Grand Prix in 2020 due to COVID-19, only Monza has hosted more consecutive races than the Hungaroring, a circuit where it can be tremendously difficult to pass, yet throw up some enthralling races.

Quite unlike Monte Carlo, there are some reasonably long and winding corners, which lend it its own relentless nature; in Sector 2 particularly, there is little respite for the drivers. Some drivers love it for this reason and have talked about how it is great to be able to get into a groove here. The misnomer also fails to take into account how with more run-off than the Monte Carlo street circuit, limits can be pushed differently.

The downhill Turn 1 plunges tight-right, with another straight the critical preparation for a sort of hairpin at Turn 2, several approaches to it meaning that passes are possible here on the opening tour. After then shooting around 60 degrees right, a straight takes the drivers uphill before the quick left, Turn 4, is soon halted by a tight right, Turn 5. The track then heads into a quick chicane with a 90 right and a much more open left on the exit, daring drivers to push harder to gain more time through there.

After a left at Turn 8 and the 90-right Turn 9, the track sweeps through 10, goes 90 right at 11 and 12 and then goes into two long hairpins to end the lap, a constant test of balance and throttle control as drivers wait eagerly to stamp on the throttle again. The DRS detection zone is just before the final of these and there is activation on the start-finish straight and just coming out of Turn 1.

In the inaugural world championship Grand Prix in 1986, Williams's Nelson Piquet put a great pass around the Lotus of Ayrton Senna at Turn 1 on opposite lock. After a wheel nut came off Nigel Mansell's car the following year on Lap 70, he took that one too. Derek Warwick took the final point in sixth despite driving with flu and conjunctivitis. Jonathan Palmer came seventh and won the Jim Clark Cup that year for normally-aspirated cars.

In 1988, Alain Prost made an audacious move on Ayrton Senna and the drivers they were lapping, Gabriele Tarquini and Yannick Dalmas. However, he ran wide at Turn 1. Senna went on to win from Prost and Thierry Boutsen, who often seemed to figure well at this circuit. Nigel Mansell retired, feeling unwell with chicken pox before he missed the next two Grands Prix.

The next year, Mansell made a decisive move on Ayrton Senna exiting Turn 3 as they caught Stefan Johansson's Onyx, and went on to win the race after scything his way through from 12th on the grid. Boutsen was once again third for Williams.

In 1990 Thierry Boutsen held Ayrton Senna at bay for lap after lap to win, and was the victim of rather disparaging comments about how tough it was to overtake here instead of being congratulated on a solid defensive drive.

The following two years, Senna won and Nigel Mansell took his championship here in 1992.

First-time winners at the Hungaroring are Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, Heikki Kovalainen (his only Grand Prix win) and Damon Hill.

Damon's first victory was in 1993, following two races he had led and had failures in. As he usually did in 1994, Michael Schumacher won in his Benetton-Ford. He was followed home by Damon Hill and Jos Verstappen.

In 1995, Damon Hill won from pole position in a race in which Taki Inoue was hit by a marshal's car as he tried to put a fire out on his Footwork. Jacques Villeneuve won in 1996, followed home by team-mate Hill.

It was, in fact, Damon who was the star of the slightly bizarre 1997 race, which he so nearly won for Arrows before lugging the car home runner-up. There were few Bridgestone-shod teams in that first year for the Japanese manufacturer and that day the Bridgestones were the tyres to have. Damon came within a whisker of a win, a hydraulic pump failure three laps before the chequered flag giving him an intermittent throttle and only third gear at his disposal. Villeneuve again took the win.

1998 was another notable race, where Michael Schumacher was ordered by Ferrari to build an enormous lead (24 seconds) in order to emerge from his final splash-and-dash stop ahead of McLaren’s David Coulthard. He managed 27 seconds. Mika Hakkinen won the next two races, in 2000 jumping ahead of Schumacher and Coulthard off the grid to take the lead.

A Ferrari one-two for Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello in 2001 meant that the Scuderia clinched their third consecutive constructors’ championship, while Ferrari grabbed their fourth in a row the next year as this time it was Barrichello who finished in front of Schumacher, with Ralf Schumacher in third.

Alonso led home Räikkönen and Montoya to take his first win in 2003, becoming the youngest driver to win a world championship Grand Prix until Vettel beat that record. It was another Ferrari 1-2 for Schumacher and Barrichello in 2004, while Räikkönen led home Michael and Ralf Schumacher in 2005.

Button’s first Hungarian Grand Prix win in 2006, and first Grand Prix win overall, was from 14th on the grid, the furthest back anyone has won at the circuit, in a wet race. Pedro de la Rosa was second for McLaren.

In 2007, we saw the McLaren qualifying controversy when Fernando Alonso waited in the pits to stop Lewis Hamilton from getting around to the start-line in enough time to make it for a hot lap and a livid Ron Dennis could be seen on the pitwall. Lewis turned the tables in the race. Lewis’s team-mate Heikki Kovalainen took his only win in 2008 after Felipe Massa’s engine blew up on Lap 67. Timi Glock followed home in second for Toyota.

The next year, it was Massa who was injured in qualifying when a spring from Barrichello’s Brawn flew off and hit him in the helmet. Hamilton won the race. In 2010, Mark Webber went back into the lead of the world championship after winning with Red Bull.

McLaren took the next two wins, with Button in 2011 and Hamilton in 2012.
Hamilton took his first win for Mercedes in 2013, the last race of that season that was not won by Sebastian Vettel.

In 2014, one of the stars of the season, Daniel Ricciardo came through from 4th on the grid to take the last of his three 2014 wins.

In 2015, both Mercedes drivers had particularly scrappy runs. Daniel Ricciardo collided with Hamilton and Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel took the victory. The next year, eventual world champion Rosberg won from Hamilton and Ricciardo.

In 2017, it was the Red Bull team mates' turn to collide. Vettel won from Räikkönen and Bottas, who had been let back through by Hamilton, who had earlier given him the same favour.

A year later, Lewis Hamilton won from pole and would become the first driver since Michael Schumacher in 2004 to win the race and go on to win the championship that year. This was also the first of a hat-trick of victories. Bottas was in 2nd, but had made contact with both Vettel and Ricciardo while being overtaken, ending up down in 5th.

In 2019, Hamilton beat Max Verstappen after hunting him down from 15 seconds back with 14 laps to run, while Vettel came 3rd. Last year, Hamilton's victory was again over Verstappen and then Bottas. The world champion's team-mate had moved slightly before the start, but the sensors did not determine it to be a big enough move to merit a penalty. The drivers soon pitted for dry tyres after the damp start and the Haas cars of Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean found themselves both running in the top four after starting on a dry compound, with Magnussen going on to finish in tenth.

The track



Other information

Circuit length: 4.381 km
Number of laps: 70
Race distance: 306.63 km
Dry weather tyre compounds: C2, C3 and C4

Race Lap Record: 1:16.627 (2020 - Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes)
First Grand Prix: 1936
First Grand Prix at this circuit: 1986
First Grand Prix on current configuration: 2003

Join in the fun with the F1 Predictions Contest and Fantasy F1:

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[Tourer]

Thanks for the intro BR - really good and really comprehensive as always! Hungary seems to throw up some unusual results and therefore looking forward to this weekend.

No doubt much of the commentary leading into the weekend and probably even leading into the race will be about some incident that apparently happened at Silverstone, hopefully won't go on & on & on & on about it (but then they ARE the media) as this can be a pretty good race in its own right.

Can be really quite sticky and humid in the area this time of year - I've seen suggestions of possible rain so could make it a pretty wild weekend.

[P38 in workshop]

An excellent introduction to the race weekend-as ever.I have never been a particular fan of the circuit,but will grudgingly admit that it has seen some good races over the years.If there is a shower or two on Sunday afternoon this year could add another and maybe shake up the normal pecking order.

[E.B]

Top intro as usual BR. Much appreciated.

Originally Posted by P38 in workshop

An excellent introduction to the race weekend-as ever.I have never been a particular fan of the circuit,but will grudgingly admit that it has seen some good races over the years.If there is a shower or two on Sunday afternoon this year could add another and maybe shake up the normal pecking order.

We have had a few decent races here.... certainly more than we have had wet races. I think we have had 3 since 1986! In fact 2006 2011 and 2014 are I believe the only times we have ever seen a wet race here, so my fear is it wont happen regardless of forecast.

[S griffin]

Lovely intro as ever BR.

Wonder if Alpine is there yet. I saw their trucks on the M25 a week ago Thursday, so I guessed they were making the trip early in case of quarantine

[wnut]

Thanks BR great intro.

One small point.

In 2015, both Mercedes drivers had particularly scrappy runs. Daniel Ricciardo collided with Hamilton and Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel took the victory.

Footage of Ricciardo colliding with Hamilton.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5L2dc6bBV0


Ricciardo and Rosberg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3iREE_t5_I

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Lovely intro as ever BR.

Wonder if Alpine is there yet. I saw their trucks on the M25 a week ago Thursday, so I guessed they were making the trip early in case of quarantine

I would imagine that that is about right considering that the drivers only have limited hours to drive, and the installation crew have to set up everything ready for the rest of the team to arrive on the Wednesday or Thursday. Although it is a well oiled machine, it all takes time.

[crmalcolm]

Top three of Verstappen and the two Mercs in both FP sessions so far.
Max will be hoping that Perez can join the battle, or he risks being 'ganged up on' by the Silver Arrows.

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

I would imagine that that is about right considering that the drivers only have limited hours to drive, and the installation crew have to set up everything ready for the rest of the team to arrive on the Wednesday or Thursday. Although it is a well oiled machine, it all takes time.

A mate of mine is a Williams truckie. They left on July 20th and arrived early doors on 22nd.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Excellent intro as ever.


As the dust starts to finally settle on the British GP, after Red Bull failed in their request to get the stewards to review the penalty decision on the Hamilton/Verstappen incident, all eyes will be firmly on the Hamilton/Mercedes v Verstappen/Red Bull battle, as it recommences. This will be the race to watch.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

This will be the race to watch.

Very good point.

Although I am struggling to care at the moment. Probably will by the time we get to the green light, but I’m happy watching the Olympics. Seeing people competing against and celebrating with everyone. A breath of fresh air.

[chillibowl]

Same. Trying to build up the energy to handle the next episode.

In a weird way i may have flipped on the whole sprint race idea because the last thing F1 needs right now is more hours on tv to fill up.

[S griffin]

Close between Merc and RBR in practice. Expect more fireworks

[Lancsbreaker]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Close between Merc and RBR in practice. Expect more fireworks

But Max Verstappen apparently unhappy with his car after being third in FP2, having led FP1.......



Mind games?



But whose?

[Aysedasi]

Mind games? In F1?

[Lancsbreaker]

Hmm - three practice sessions, three different fastest drivers - could almost bode well for a good race

[bjohnsonsmith]

Sainz goes into the wall and Q2 is red flagged.

[bjohnsonsmith]

A bit of gamesmanship from Mercedes?

[Beau2]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

A bit of gamesmanship from Mercedes?

Of course not, Mercedes and Hamilton are the most sporting team out there.

[E.B]

His behaviour rather backfired on his chances of improving his own time with his ridiculously slow outla leaving his tyres underdone and him unable to improve. Of course those behind suffered similarly, those that were able to even start their lap.
I did find it curious that Max did not choose to pass Lewis on that outlap.

Did I imagine it or did the Stewards or Masi not say recently after a similar episode, that they would not tolerate such outlap antics?

Asking for a friend.

It does however leave us with the prospect of medium shod Mercs ahead of soft shod presumably faster starting RBRs arriving at T1in rather close company.....

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by E.B

His behaviour rather backfired on his chances of improving his own time with his ridiculously slow outla leaving his tyres underdone and him unable to improve. Of course those behind suffered similarly, those that were able to even start their lap.
I did find it curious that Max did not choose to pass Lewis on that outlap.

Is a driver allowed to pass another driver on the outlap during qualifying?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by E.B

Did I imagine it or did the Stewards or Masi not say recently after a similar episode, that they would not tolerate such outlap antics?

Asking for a friend.

You can remind your friend that the instructions were issued for specific tracks.

For Baku - it was between corners 17 and 20. 'During any practice session, any driver intending to create a gap in front of him in order to get a clear lap should not attempt to do this between the entry to Turn 17 through to the exit of Turn 20.'

For Sochi, it is in place for turns 12 to 13.

AFAIK, no instructions exist for Hungary.

Albon has previously said that there is a 'gentleman's agreement' between racers that they will not attempt to overtake another driver on an out lap.

[Aysedasi]

That's what I understood too, although I'm sure I've seen it happen many times, albeit early in the lap. Perfectly executed by Mercedes..... Perez would have got a lap in had he not left such a large gap. And in the circumstances, I'm amazed RBR didn't just tell Max to go for it.

[S griffin]

RBR have no complaints this time, so it's all well. Anyway gonna be an interesting race with the two Mercs in front of the two Red Bulls

Quite an off by Sainz, hope the car isn't too badly damaged. We've already seen quite a few shunts this weekend, what with Schumi and Tsunoda too

[E.B]

Engine change for Max after a problem noticed after qualy. (It was the engine from the Silverstone crash) No grid penalty, but not looking good for a penalty free run to the end of season. This is #3 of 3 allowed.

https://www.racefans.net/2021/08/01/...an-grand-prix/