Paul Henman formula1 Hungarian Grand Prix – Race

Hungarian Grand Prix – Race

After yesterday’s Qualifying, the provisional grid was: SV, LH, JB, FM, FA, MW, NR, AS, MS, SP, PD, VP, KK, NH, RB, JA, PM, [SB*] HK, JT, TG, VL, DR, SB, JD.
*SB’s 5 grid spot penalty from Germany drops him to P23.

It’s raining at the Hungaroring – looks like most people will start on intermediate tyres but same may be on full wets
There’s almost no standing water, so they won’t start behind the Safety Car
Mechanics clear the grid; looks like inters all round

SV leads everyone away on the formation lap
Official FIA live timing isn’t showing any info yet!
Pit-car radio tell AS that it’ll be a long race so “no herioics”
NR off track but recovers
Grid re-forms

01/70: SV leads into Turn 1
JB & LH side by side into T2
NR & MS up to P4/P5
NR cuts a corner and has to yield to JB
Everyone’s clearly struggling for grip on the inters
FM taking a look at MS for P5
FM down the inside into the final turn – takes P5

02: SV, LH, JB, NR, FM, MS, MW
LH right on the tail of SV
Still no live timing data 🙁

03: LH alongside SV into T2 but has to back out
DRS enabled … if anyone’s brave enough to use it

04: FA alongside JB in T1
LH attacking SV around T2
FA runs wide

05/70: SV, LH, JB, NR, FA, FM, MW, MS
SV runs wide in T1; LH takes P1; JB now attacking the Red Bull

06: Pit-car reminds JB he can use “yellow button” to pass SV
Live timing just came to life! At last!
MW has passed MS for P7

07: FA closes on his teammate; passes FM into T1 for P5
Dry line appearing around most of the track but still too soon for dry tyres

08: LH fastest lap 1:41.287 – they’re ~25secs off a dry pace
FM off track at T2; just missed the wall; rejoins in P9
Mechanics are in the pits, trying to dry the box
FM’s rear wing shows some damage so he did just tap the wall

09: FM uses DRS on the straight to ease past NR
Team’s weather forecast says “drops” but no real rain

10/70 LH, SV, JB, FA, NR, MW, MS, PD
FA f/lap 1:40.334

11: MW pits – slicks? Yes, the red-banded super-soft compound dry tyres – brave call!
FM, VP & RB all pit too

12: LH f/lap 1:39.754
JB pits – super-softs and a crank of extra wing
JB slithers through T1
PD, PM & NH all pit

13: LH pits from P1; he’s the only front-runner with new super-softs (everyone used theirs)
SV pits too, as do FA, NR, KK, SB
MW f/lap 1:36.113
MS stays out so he’s P1 for now

14: MS pits and releases LH
JB f/lap 1:35.881
JB attacking SV – takes P2
MW makes a move on FA – takes P5

15/70: LH, JB, SV, MW, FA, NR, MS, PD; no retirements
LH f/lap 1:31.634
SV runs wide but continues
PM under investigation for speeding in the pit lane … and gets a drive-through penalty

16: LH f/lap 1:29.474
HK under investigation for an unsafe release (from his pit stop)

17: LH f/lap 1:28.893
FA closes onto the tail of MW
PM serves his drive-through penalty

18: LH has a 7sec lead over his teammate
FA f/lap 1:28.622

19: LH f/lap 1:28.264
NH attacks JA into T1 but outbrakes himself and instead loses 2 spots
Race control say no further action against HK

20/70: LH, JB, SV, MW, FA, NR, PD, MS
Forecast says steady rain in ~10mins
JT has parked his Lotus well off track

21: LH f/lap 1:27.851
FM closes on MS but the Mercedes seems more stable as MS pulls away again

22: MW f/lap 1:27.413
MS still holding off FM

23: BBC report JT had an oil leak
FM briefly alongside MS but can’t make it stick
PM tries to pass HK but instead runs wide and AS passes him

25/70:
JB f/lap 1:27.057
NH parks his Renault at the pit exit – fire from the front left … or is that their exhaust?
NH jumps out the car as flames rise from front left
Marshals use fire extinguishers – looks like something exploded and hit a marshal!

26: Replay shows slow stop for NH – engine overheating? Flames and smoke as the Renault leaves its box!
I’m surprised they haven’t deployed the Safety Car

27: LH pits – more super-softs
MS, AS & JB pit
Marshals are still clearing NH’s car & debris from the pit lane exit

28: MS has parked his Mercedes after a spin

29: SV pits – has to take evasive action to avoid the marshals towing NH’s Renault into the pits!

30/70: LH, JB, SV, MW, FA, KK, FM, NR; retirements: MS, NH, JT
(KK has not yet made a 2nd stop)
Incident involving car 17 (SP) for overtaking under yellow flag

31: LH is 7.2sec ahead of JB, who in turn is 7.1sec ahead of SV
Huge amount of marbles (rubber discarded from the tyres) on the main straight

32: SV f/lap 1:25.741 – BBC report he cut Turn 11
Drive-through penalty for SP

33: FA still harrying MW for P4

34: SP serves his penalty

35/70 [half distance]: LH, JB, SV, MW, FA, KK, FM, NR; retirements: MS, NH, JT
FM takes P6 from KK

36: KK pits
BBC interview NH – pit stop longer, something overheated; bit scared; fire got quite close

37: FA pits – stop #3 – more super-softs

38 Pit-car for LH asking him to make current set of tyres last another 9 laps or so
JA passes RB in Turn 1 for P9

39: Pit-car from SV saying rear tyres are going away
FA f/lap 1:24.718 on new tyres, so expect SV to stop any minute

40/70: LH, JB, SV, MW, FA, FM, NR, PD
MW pits – going with the prime tyre
In (dry) Quali, prime tyre was ~1sec/lap slower than the super-soft options

41: LH pits from P1 – super-softs – a cautious (i.e. not quick) stop
On-board with SV shows he’s struggling for grip with his very used super-softs
FM pits too

42: SV pits – soft (prime) tyres, same as his teammate; McLaren and Ferrari went with super-softs

43: JB pits – soft, so McLaren have split their strategy
FM easily past JA for P7

44: Pit-car for MW saying no more planned stops – that’ll mean 30 laps on those prime tyres!
If the Red Bulls are planning to go to the end on their current tyres, LH needs to open a 20+ sec gap for another stop or make his tyres last

45/70: LH, JB, FA, SV, MW, NR, FM, JA; retirements: MS, NH, JT
JB f/lap 1:24.549

46: BBC interview MS – gearbox failure

47: Pit-car for JB telling him he can get to the end without another stop as long as he looks after his front left
It’s started raining at the back of the track
JB has passed LH for P1

48: Both McLarens stay on track; FA pits but takes the (dry) prime tyres
Replay shows LH lost the tail in the chicane; spins; almost collects PD as he tries to face the right way; JB sails past; penalty for LH?

49: Still raining? Yes, forecast says “It’s raining”! 🙂

50/70: JB, LH, SV, MW, FA, NR, FM, VP; retirements: MS, NH, JT
LH closing up on his teammate as they come up to lap VP
Clearly still raining around Turn 10

51: JD missed his pit box?
JB runs wide; LH re-takes P1
NR pits – intermediate tyres

52: JB passes LH in Turn 1
JB runs wide – LH back in P1
MW pits – inters
BBC say rain getting heavier
Most of the midfield pitting

53: LH pits – inters and front wing adjustment
JB can’t pit because he’d have to wait behind LH
Car 3 (LH) under investigation for the incident with PD (when he spun around)

54: JB stays out on the soft tyres
MW pits – back onto slicks (soft)

55/70: FA easily past LH for P3
LH given a drive-through for that spin & forcing PD off-track

56: LH pits – takes on dry prime tyres – slow exit from the box – BBC report his clutch is slipping
NR pits again too

57: MW f/lap 1:24.343
LH serve his drive-through penalty – down to P6

58: MW attacking FM on the main straight – takes P4
FA spun at T12
LH past FM too

59: JB f/lap 1:23.937
FM pits – soft tyres
HK parks his Lotus off track – that’s a DNF for both Lotus drivers

60/70: JB, SV, FA, MW, LH, FM, KK, PD; retirements: HK, MS, NH, JT
Big train of cars behind KK – he’s got PD, SB, JA behind him

61: LH f/lap 1:23.876
PD’s past KK for P7

62: FM f/lap 1:23.655
SB past KK in T1; JA tries to follow but KK closes the door and there’s contact

63: JB has 8.1sec lead over SV

64: MW has caught the gaggle of cars behind KK
MW held up by KK; LH past MW
BBC debating whether KK should be penalised for holding them up – were there blue flags before the corner?

65/70: JB, SV, FA, LH, MW, FM, PD, SB
KK pits

66: JB extending his lead slightly – now 9.5sec ahead of SV
MW still hanging on to the tail of LH

68: NR & SB right on the rear wing of PD, fighting for P7

69: MW pushing hard – can LH hold on to P4?
LH catching some more back-markers

70/70 [final lap]: JB’s lead down to 7.3s but that’s easily enough unless he has an incident
JB waves as he comes out of the final turn

JB takes the chequered flag – wins on his 200th Grand Prix 🙂
SV home for P2, followed by FA
LH stays ahead of MW for P4
P6=FM, 7=PD (+1 lap), 8=SB
P9=NR, 10=JA, 11=KK, 12=VP, 13=RB (+2), 14=AS, 15=SP, 16=PM, 17=TG (+4), 18=RD, 19=JD (+5), 20=VL
DNF: HK, MS, NH, JT

Great win for Jenson! 🙂
I agree with LH’s comment after Germany – the British national anthem isn’t long enough – we hear a lot more of other counties’ anthems.
FA doesn’t look very happy despite being on the podium

Interviews:
JB: “great call by the team”; “amazing weekend”; “going in to the break on a nice high”
SV: struggling with inters; maybe could have come in a lap earlier; fun to see both McLarens quite close; problems with the brakes
FA: stuck behind Webber for many laps
JB: “felt at end of first stint” that win was a possibility; difficult on prime tyres (when it rained); great to come away with a victory
SV: “win was within reach” but very long way to end of season; “pushing hard for Spa”
FA: confident of strong performance in 2nd half of season

Provisional result: JB, SV, FA, LH, MW, FM, PD, SB, NR, JA, KK, VP, RB, AS, SP, PM, TG, DR, JD, VL; DNF: HK, MS, NH, JT.

2 thoughts on “Hungarian Grand Prix – Race”

  1. 2011 Drivers’ Championship

    1 S Vettel 234
    2 M Webber 149
    3 L Hamilton 146
    4 F Alonso 145
    5 J Button 134
    6 F Massa 70
    7 N Rosberg 48
    8 N Heidfeld 34
    9= V Petrov 32
    9= M Schumacher 32

    2011 Constructors’ Championship

    1 Red Bull 383
    2 McLaren 280
    3 Ferrari 215
    4 Mercedes 80
    5 Renault 66
    6 Sauber 35
    7 Force India 26
    8 Toro Rosso 22
    9 Williams 4
    10= Lotus 0
    10= Virgin 0
    10= Hispania 0

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