“Those guys were quick, but we managed to do it,” Lewis Hamilton said over the radio after winning the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Despite being fastest in two of the three practice sessions, fastest in qualifying, and then leading much of the race “those guys” were quick. He meant the Lotus cars of Romain Grosjean and Kimi Räikkönen, who both pressured the 2008 World Champion at different points during the afternoon.
Hamilton got a perfect start – despite being worried before the race that it was a chink in his armour – and lead the way from Romain Grosjean, who had qualified a career-best second, and Sebastian Vettel. The double world champion tried to squeeze past the Frenchman at the first turn, but Grosjean hung on and Vettel then also lost a place to Jenson Button – who despite suffering from understeer in qualifying – secured fourth on the grid behind Vettel.
The other excitement at the start involved Michael Schumacher who, when seeing the flashing yellows at the start of the GP rather than the five red lights, switched off his engine. The veteran F1 driver was pushed back into the pits to get restarted while the rest of the field went off on another formation lap.
However, his woes were only just starting and after speeding in the pitlane he was back into the pits again, after an early stop to change rubber, to do a drive through penalty. He eventually retired just under 10 laps from the end. Even without the start line problem and the drive through he would have struggled having only qualified 17th. Mark Webber, who qualified down in 11th, didn’t find it difficult to scythe through the field, though. He was up to seventh on the first lap and went on to finish eighth.
All eyes were on Hamilton and Grosjean in the opening laps, however, as despite the Brit pulling out a gap it settled at two seconds, with each driver trading fastest laps. The Lotus has been much kinder on its tyres all year and many expected Grosjean to take full advantage of this and jump into the lead over the stops. But a slow in lap – thanks to some back markers – and a slow pit stop meant that Hamilton maintained his lead when Grosjean resumed racing after his stop on lap 20. A lucky escape for Hamilton after he suffered another wheel gun problem delaying him by just over a second in his stop.
It was clear that the Lotus was a faster car in race trim and – unlike previous races – the Lotus drivers had qualified better, well enough to challenge the McLarens. This, coupled with Grosjean on soft tyres and Hamilton on mediums in the second stint, meant that he could close the gap right up on the McLaren. Two mistakes from the Frenchman on lap 27 and 28, though, eased the pressure.
Most cars were on a two-stop strategy, but with Button losing ground to the leaders, McLaren decided to put him onto ‘Plan B’, a three-stop strategy. There was no argument from the 2009 champion and he duly pitted on lap 35 for his second stop. Soon after Hamilton was also told that ‘Plan B’ looked like the best option. “Yeah, yeah,” was his reply. Crucially McLaren decided to stick with ‘Plan A’ for the race leader as Button’s day went from good to bad. He emerged from his stop behind Bruno Senna and despite the fact that the Williams was on the less-grippy medium compound, there was no way past for Button. Vettel pitted on lap 39 and emerged in front of the pair, already making ‘Plan B’ look like the wrong decision.
Two laps later it was crunch time again for the leaders. Hamilton pitted with only a 0.9-second gap to Grosjean, but again – thanks to a slow in lap – he emerged in front without problems. Four laps later Bruno Senna pitted, releasing Button, but the damage had been done. Button would finish only sixth after 69 racing laps.
In front of Grosjean Hamilton may have been after finishing his second stop, but he wasn’t leading the race. Out in clean air was Kimi Räikkönen who, after a bad start, had jumped Alonso in the opening round of stops. He was the fastest man on the circuit and by the time he made his second stop, on lap 45, was 18 seconds ahead of Grosjean. He came out of the pits as Grosjean appeared beside him. The pair went into the first turn side by side and it was only some very aggressive – but fair – driving from the Finn that ensured he grabbed second place.
It was now a race – or tyre conservation test – to the finish. Räikkönen quickly reeled in Hamilton, who would have done 29 laps on his medium compound tyres by the end of the race. However, the ex-WRC driver was struggling with only two-thirds power from his KERS and decided on lap 60 that there wasn’t a way past unless Hamilton’s tyres went off. It was clear that Kimi was quicker than the McLaren, but some very clever driving from Hamilton and the nature of the Hungarian track made it almost impossible for Räikkönen to get close enough to attack. The pair eventually finished first and second nine laps later, with Grosjean in third.
Hamilton – in stark contrast with Hockenheim – had a superb weekend, but now the summer break looms and McLaren will be heading off wondering what would have been the result had a Lotus got in front at the start. What’s more Hamilton is nearly two whole race wins off the leader of the championship, Fernando Alonso. He needs to start winning on a regular basis to close that gap, because there’s no way Alonso will stop collecting the points.
“The other excitement was Micheal Schumacher switching his engine off when he saw a yellow light – says it all really. What a boring race!
It was less boring than many Hungarian GPs I can remember (which isn’t saying much tbh, but…) At least the DRS overtaking wasn’t so absurdly ‘in-your-face’ this time, although the tyre fiasco continues apace. Great drives from LH (esp the start) and the two Lotus guys. Still have the feeling that Mclaren chassis is a bit of a dog in race trim. And as for the Lotus, it’s well overdue a win – in fact, both drivers deserve a victory this year. Vettel and Alonso a bit underwhelming, Webber and Button even more so. Still, in this topsy-turvey season, one of them’s likely to win in Spa.
The season is far, far from over, whatever the Tifosi fanboys and girls think. FA looks strong, but it’s between four teams to develop a killer car for the second half – any one of them could do it, and if they do it’s quite possible a single driver could pick up four or five more wins. The aura around Kimi grows stronger. (And what’s happened to Merc, by the way? Gone off the radar – wouldn’t be surprised to see the whole team quit at the end of the year, let alone just Schuey..)
Why do they continue to go to this track where it is impossible to overtake – even with gimmicks like DRS.
perhaps they should re-design the circuit a bit. I hear there is this German chap…..
And what should Vettel and Webber do to close that gap? Kimi? Or is that not important to write about.
This has never been an exciting circuit but the increased run-offs have taken the thrills and spills away.
Outstanding drive by Raikkonen…. There is a reason that the winner always comes from row one here unless there is rain. I think it may be harder than Monaco to pass. Too bad Kimi had no KERS at the start. I think if he had not been passed by Alonso could have been a very different race.
On to SPA, best track in F1….
What were Red Bull thinking when they put Webber on a three-stopper? Seemed like a crazy call. Or now that he’s re-signed with the Drinks Company, is he slated to finish behind “Wunderkind” every race from now on! Yes – I know, stupid, boundless consipracy theory, but I’m so so peeved that Mark seems to get the rough end of the “Luck pineapple” as soon as he’s contracted for the following year. Not happy
:-(
G’day Dave,
We must be careful about being drawn to conspiracy theories. The problem for Webber was in quali and I must assume it was up to him rather than the team. That last stop was a reasonable throw of the dice because if the frontrunner’s tyres went off near the end he may have made a charge for the podium.
regards from Down Under.
what a boring race, see what happens when the tyres hold together! Pirelli’s falling apart does make for better racing indeed!
Finally a proper F1 race again. I know it sounds silly, but I definitely prefer a tactical race with not very much on-track overtaking to all those DRS passing frenzies of late. Didn’t even bother to watch Hockenheim and most auf Silverstone because I just don’t care any more about that kind of racing, but Hungaroring was fun :)
What were McLaren thinking when they put Jenson on Plan B. Surely they have simulations that would have told them he would lose time behind Senna.
I got a kick out of Seb’s comments to his engineer, (and I paraphrase) “Do something!”…. Like what? Re-map the engine? Pay off the guy in front? Maybe the nut behind the wheel needs tightening?…. In the end Lewis put in a great drive to win and nobody else did. Kimi tried hard, but he’s got to do better on Saturday.
Zanti’s post above said it all. I cannot fathom the enormity of money and man hours it takes for teams to go to a race, and for how many overtakes were there…?
Tough one for JB. If any truth in Ferrari rumors this would be a time to mull it over. At least Sam or whoever overturned the initial decision presumably from the command center to do the same Plan B with LH.
I just had a long post written and I got an error when I hit submit and lost it all. Great, thanks. Now I’ll try and bullet point what I originally said in much more eloquent terms.
Circuit should have been gone from the calendar years ago.
F1 used to be a sumptuous banquet. Now it’s the equivalent of a Big Mac. Low on nutrition, artificial, and forgotten immediately when done but for the empty feeling you have inside where enjoyment used to be.
One wonders in the era on hundreds of millions of development budgets how much McLaren has invested in a decent wheel gun.
Yeah, Dave, if I was engineer and heard something like “do something” from Vettel, I’d point out I’m not the one making tens of millions of Euros, and tell him where to put the finger.
There is nothing wrong with the Hungaroring, the problem is with the current stupid formula, apparently, people think DRS passing is not boring.
Kimi’s 2012 is awesome, Shumi should take notes on how to make a comeback. If only Kimi were back in the Ferrari.
year on year the clamor for no more Hungarian GP’s continue, and yet having had the privilege of going there a couple of years ago its a wonderful country and the circuit whilst doing Mickey Mouse credit is a nice little circuit to watch, but sadly that lack of opportunity unless you are seriously good won’t exist and yet i would be sad if Hungary disappeared off the radar. first iron curtain GP and all that – wouldn’t it be nice if the circuit could be developed
Don’t mention the German circuit designer. I mentioned him once but I think i got away with it!
Nice work Bonedwarf.
Bernie of course knows he can sell many many more Big Macs than sumptuous banquets……………
First of all, John B. let’s leave that “German chap” to explore new endeavours, OK.
I don’t despair of Hungaro-ring like some do, often a race that is undecided until the final corner, albeit scripted in the first.
Hamilton drove well, and always has pace here, his European Montreal.
I had thought the would be “Lotus’ ” first victory of the new order, and they were near. Still not over the “rookie jitters” in and out of the cockpit. Grosjean looked really viable early, but wilted after GP2 distance. Wonder about conditioning, deep in a fight, late, thwarted by a pit drama. Out front, he’ll walk one in a familiar fashion.
Kimi was the show really, very gritty, a subliminal memory drive.The early KERS deal, costly.
Dave C. must agree, Vettel sounded petulant, now walking in other people shoe’s. Button and Webber, just a tick off luck in track position.
Ferrari seemed in salvage mode, and partly won that. Sauber, Force India, Mercedes, one Williams all mired without inspiration.
Schumacher just stunk up the place, slow, apathetic on the grid and in racing deportment. His rises seem unsustainable, at this point.
Rosberg actually advanced position,(almost invisibly) not an MB racing strong suite ever.
Let’s give one up for Bruno Senna, raced fair, gained a spot or so, having qualified well.
Finally, I wonder why the cranky survive at Toro Rosso, they’ve gone down a mine shaft. I doubt it’s the drivers fully, either. Some continuity from before would allow analysis.
Hamilton was on it all weekend – good show, but can he repeat such form in the next 10 races? I hope so as it would be a terrific second half of the season if there is a competitive fight for the title by 3 or 4 drivers all the way.
I certainly hope that Kimi stays at Lotus and brings them to the top of the podium and higher in the Constructors – ditto Greosjean who is looking like a man reborn. It would be a shame if Kimi was drawn back to Ferrari for the lira (sorry, Euro’s), although Luca probably would like some return on the 50M sterling paid for his year out at WRC whislt still on contract to Maranello!!
I am clearly not the only one who is enjoying the schadenfraude of witnessing Vettel not get everything his own way now that the regs have levelled the playing field (to some degree).
He was a fine and worthy champion first time round, last year his hubris developed quickly into apparent arrogance and now he is somewhat petulant at almost every race. He should look back at the likes of Stewart, Moss, Icxx, Andretti and study their poise, grace and sportmanship when things turned against them.
Mr Schumacher should certainly NOT be offered an extension to his contract……..
Yes Alex, the sign of the great drivers is how they behave in substandard cars. At the beginning of the season, Alonso did not criticize Ferrari to “do something”, he acknowledge the team had to work hard on development, meanwhile, he did his job well without the whining.
Mike Thackwell was right, F1 drivers live in a bubble.
Ray,
How I wish there was a Mike Thackwell driving today. I was not aware of him during his time in F1, but what a man! The recent article on him in Motor Sport was a tremendous read.
….and Alonso, well what can one say?
His hands may not be fully clean wrt to Singapore, but what a driver!
A true raging racer’s temperament like a Mansell or a Rosberg, coupled with a brain like Prost and professionalism and comportment of a Stewart or Moss.
Surely the most complete driver in the current period. Vettel can reach the same giddy heights if he chooses, it would be a shame if he becomes remembered for negative personality traits rather than his skill as a driver.
Fully agree with the recent comments about Mike Thackwell, and the fine article in the print version of MotorSport. More like him needed. The article was much appreciated.
Vettel’s plight to his engineers to ‘do something’ just reaffirms my doubts about his qualities as a really top, great driver. Relying up to now (sure, we will always bring up his exploits and first GP win with Toro Rosso at Monza, with which I agree but after which He himself as a racing driver has not, or been able to prove) on the top machinery at his disposal whereupon the credit shall be Adrain Newey’s and not his.
As things stand today I so far place Vettel among this category of ‘empty car parking greats’ when 1.- you’re ahead, 2.- with definitely the best car, and 3.- nobody pressing on your tail, WOW !????, Is that the modern definition of a great driver I ask you guys???
SI far I really don’t know ho great Vettel is, do you…
Can anybody beat Alonso? Sure.
If Lewis gets 4 wins in a row while Alonso finishes 4th, Lewis will have the WDC lead by 5 points with 5 races to go. The new points system is a little deceptive, Alonso’s is not really that big a lead.
How much longer must we suffer this abominably awful circuit? Has there ever been an interesting dry race there? If so, I must have been asleep on the usually reliable basis of precedent.
My assumption has always been that the banking “community” in Hungary is exceptionally accommodating to Bernie’s no doubt specialised requirements and that this race is by way of reciprocity.