It used to be British Formula Three races -- short 20 lappers -- in which the start was all important. Today, there are Grand Prix races that are like that. Monaco is one, the Hungarian the other.
A paradox? On the face of it, yes. No two circuits could look more dissimilar, yet have so much in common. The Hungaroring may appear an open track, but with its low grip surface it actually demands more downforce than the Principality. Given the layout of the 2.465 mile venue, the dramatic reduction in braking distances brought about by carbon discs, and that need for so much downforce, overtaking opportunities are as rare as hen's teeth. The start was thus paramount.
Before the race meeting, the betting men of F1 were busy saying how easy this one was going to be for Williams-Renault. After all, hadn't Patrese dominated the 1989 event until his engine overheated after debris had punctured a radiator? Hadn't Boutsen won in 1990 in the generally unloved FW13B? To many, the result seemed a foregone conclusion.
