In stark contrast to yesterday’s wet Qualifying session, it’s hot and dry at the Budapest circuit.
Air temperature 32°C; track 60°C; humidity 41%
Grid: HAM, BOT, RAI, VET, SAI, GAS, VER, HAR, MAG, GRO, ALO, RIC, HUL, ERI, STR*, VAN, LEC, OCO, PER, SIR
*STR will start from the pit lane as they’ve had to revert to an old-spec front wing following his off in Quali [FIA]
Because Quali was wet, everyone gets a free choice of their starting tyre compound (Tyre compound choices are the same as for Germany: medium, soft and ultrasoft)
Looks like VET and SAI are on softs, and the rest of the top 10 on ultras; STR is the only one starting on mediums
HAM leads everyone (except STR) away on the formation lap
01/70: RAI attacking BOT into Turn 1 but BOT keeps P2
HUL has jumped up 3 places on the first lap
VET past his teammate
02: HAM, BOT, VET, RAI, VER, GAS, MAG, SAI, HAR, HUL, ALO, GRO, VAN, OCO, PER, RIC, SIR, ERI, STR, LEC
LEC has parked his Sauber
03: HAM fastest lap 1:23.184
04: HAM f/lap 1:22.893
Replay shows ERI and RIC banging wheels
05/70: HAM, BOT, VET, RAI, VER, GAS, MAG, SAI, HAR, HUL, ALO, GRO, VAN, RIC, OCO, PER, SIR, ERI, STR
RIC attacks VAN but the Red Bull runs wide
06: HAM 3.5sec clear of BOT
RIC inside VAN to steal P13
Radio from VER – “no power, no power”; told to use mode 1
VER slowing; parks on the grass
Virtual Safety Car deployed briefly, and then cleared
07: ERI pits; medium tyres go on
DRS enabled again
08: RIC looking for a way past birthday boy ALO
Radio from ALO – “GRO overtook me” under VSC
09: RIC attacks again; takes P11 this time
10: Sounds like VET’s drink tube isn’t connected up, which could be a challenge in the heat
11: RIC past GRO for P10
13: RIC closing on HUL … and sweeps by to take P9
14: RIC continues moving up the points, taking P8 from GAS
15/70: HAM f/lap 1:22.783
RAI pits from P4; that’s an early stop (or on time for 2-stop); rear left slow going on; rejoins P6
16: HAM f/lap 1:22.539
BOT pits; soft tyres go on; rejoins P4
RIC inside SAI for P7
17: HAM f/lap 1:22.402
RIC f/lap 1:22.397
RAI past MAG for P5
18: BOT takes P3 from GAS
RAI f/lap 1:22.046
20/70: HAM, VET, BOT, GAS, RAI, MAG, RIC, SAI, HAR, HUL, GRO, ALO, VAN, OCO, PER, SIR, STR, ERI; retirements: VER, LEC
RIC harrying MAG for P6
21: RIC attacks; MAG closes the door; RIC attacks again, and this time makes it stick
22: RAI takes P4 from GAS
24: VET pushing hard, runs wide
25/70: HAM, VET, BOT, RAI, GAS, RIC, MAG, SAI, GRO, ALO, VAN, OCO, HAR, HUL, SIR, STR, ERI, PER
26: HAM pits from P1; softs go on; rejoins P2
VET will probably go another 15 laps on softs and then take ultras for the last 20-ish laps
27: RIC closing on GAS; storms straight past the Toro Rosso; takes P5
28: HAM f/lap 1:21.968
30/70: VET, HAM, BOT, RAI, RIC, GAS, MAG, GRO, ALO, VAN, OCO, SAI, HAR, HUL, SIR, STR, PER, ERI
GRO pits; rejoins P12
31: PER takes P16 from STR
32: MAG pits from P7; struggle to get front left off; rejoins P9
33: GAS pits from P6; rejoins still P6
35/70: VET, HAM, BOT, RAI, RIC, GAS, ALO, VAN, MAG, OCO, SAI, GRO, HAR, HUL, PER, STR, ERI, SIR
VET laps GRO
HAM almost 1sec/lap quicker than VET because of backmarkers
38: VET has cleared the backmarkers; apparently SAI passed 9 blue flags before letting the Ferrari past
39: BOT f/lap 1:21.842
RAI pits; softs going on
40/70: VET pits; front left a bit slow; rejoins P3 just behind BOT
BOT f/lap 1:21.736
41: RAI f/lap 1:21.405
ALO and OCO pit
VET attacking BOT
Radio from RAI complaining that STR was in the way
42: RAI f/lap 1:21.381
Reminder – RIC (P4) has yet to pit
43: RAI f/lap 1:21.278
44: RAI f/lap 1:21.135
45/70: HAM, BOT, VET, RIC, RAI, GAS, MAG, ALO, VAN, SAI, GRO, HAR, HUL, OCO, PER, STR, ERI, SIR; retirements: VER, LEC
RIC pits; rejoins P5
46: VET seems to be struggling with heat – he’s moving out from behind cars well before he laps them
47: RIC f/lap 1:20.012
49: STR pits; he started on mediums
50/70: HAM, BOT, VET, RAI, RIC, GAS, MAG, ALO, SAI
51: VAN slowing; parks the McLaren on the grass
VSC deployed
52[VSC]: HUL pits
VSC ends
54: VET closing up on BOT
55/70: HAM, BOT, VET, RAI, RIC, GAS, MAG, ALO, SAI, GRO, HAR, OCO, PER, HUL, ERI, SIR, STR; retirements: VAN, VER, LEC
56: HUL around the outside of PER for P13
BOT and VET lap ALO (P8)
57: Radio from BOT – rears are going off (Those softs are 41 laps old)
60/70: HAM, BOT, VET, RAI, RIC, GAS, MAG, ALO, SAI, GRO
VET still hanging on to BOT’s rear wing
61: HAM leads by 17sec, but VET is now within DRS zone (1sec) of BOT, and RAI is under 1sec behind his teammate
62: Why isn’t VET using DRS?
63: Looks like VET’s DRS wing is open now
65/70: BOT defends; VET gets past; contact with BOT’s front wing
Visible damage to BOT’s wing
66: BOT doesn’t pit though
67: RIC closing on BOT
68: RIC goes around the outside but BOT can’t turn in; hits RIC
69: Incident involving BOT & VET “noted”
Incident involving BOT & RIC will be investigated after the race
70 = final lap: Radio for BOT telling him to let RIC take the place
BOT doesn’t exactly “give” the position to RIC, but RIC takes P4
HAM takes the chequered flag
Provisional result: HAM, VET, RAI, RIC, BOT, GAS, MAG, ALO, SAI, GRO; HAR, HUL, OCO, PER, ERI, SIR, STR
DNF: VAN, VER, LEC
No action in the incident between BOT & VET
Still waiting to hear on the BOT/RIC incident…
“Obviously I felt all of a sudden that I got hit from behind,” said Vettel. “I think for him there wasn’t really anywhere to go. I don’t blame him.” [F1]
That’s very good of him, but I’m not convinced it was BOT’s fault – I saw replays from a couple of angles and I’m not convinced VET left enough room.
Valtteri Bottas says he is hurt by comments from Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolf that he was a “sensational wingman” in the Hungarian Grand Prix. [autosport]
Valtteri Bottas has been given a 10-second penalty and two penalty points by the Formula 1 stewards for his clash with Daniel Ricciardo in the Hungarian Grand Prix. The punishment does not change Bottas’s fifth-place result as he had a 23s cushion back to Pierre Gasly in sixth. [autosport]