FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[EwanM]

no antler horns for Hungary either

The MP4-23 is still the nicest car on the grid then.

I dno, I've never been a big fan of the current colour scheme myself.

[bud]

I dno, I've never been a big fan of the current colour scheme myself.

each to their own

[McLaren Fan]

From Planet F1:

You have to feel sorry for Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali. The Scuderia stamp over all opposition at the French GP with a dominant 1-2 win despite Kimi Raikkonen's broken exhaust, and then two races later the press is running 'Ferrari in Crisis' headlines.

That's all it takes to be 'in crisis' in F1 - two duff races. "Crisis-hit Ferrari" still happen to have a considerable lead in the Constructors' Championship and both drivers are closer to Lewis Hamilton than they were at the 2007 Brazilian GP. This is such a lot of fuss and nonsense that you wish the motorsport press would look for a real story. (And of course we may have it now that the F1 are taking a much closer look at the engine homologation since the freeze of last year).

However if Ferrari were to be on the defensive then one of the last races they'd want coming up is the Hungarian GP. Hungary is Monaco without the glamour, the money, the history and the excitement - with only one place to overtake if you can get clos enough to the car in front. Whereas Monaco has unforgiving barriers just centimetres off the racing line, in Hungary there are forgiving hectares of run-off.

It's a race where the main road into the track tells you everything you need to know about why it's still on the F1 calendar - it's called Bernie Avenue and we're not talking about a homage to Elton John's lyricist.

It's traditionally an abrasive track that chews up tyres and although the McLarens will go fast on it - as they did in Monaco - the temperatures, and hence the tyre wear, will be considerably higher than the earlier race. Ferraris look after their tyres - McLarens do not. But in the recent Jerez tests, where the track is a good match for Hungary, Ferrari were a long way off the pace. If that form were to be continued into the GP weekend then we might even have the embarrassment of a Toro-Rosso-Ferrari in the hands of Sebastian Vettel outqualifying the Maranello Ferrari.

Wet races are a good leveller but we know after Silverstone that the Ferrari becomes even more difficult on a wet surface, so what to do for Felipe and Kimi? Pray for rain or pray for some kind of stewards' intervention as we got last year. After all, had the stewards not acted the way they did about a purely intra-McLaren squabble (Alonso blocking Hamilton's final qualifying lap), then Fernando Alonso would be World Champion now.

The 2006 Hungarian GP was an epic won by Jenson Button in the wet and for neutral race fans with no desire to interpret the fuel strategy battle, that will be their only hope to cling on to. With some added variable the Hungarian GP can be gripping, but normally it's like a one-lane version of the M25 with no lorries.

Because of its tight, twisty nature, the F1 specialists who are good on the streets of Monaco will shine. Jarno Trulli, Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber should all make it into Q3.

If McLaren wanted to pick up a 1-2 this season, then this is their best opportunity to do it. Lewis Hamilton is on a roll following magnificent performances in Britain and Germany and Heikki Kovalainen has proved he can qualify well and topped the Jerez testing times.

Given the importance of qualifying high up the grid, a lot of the drama will take place on the Saturday, so it's important that Lewis gets his act together. His first runs in qualifying in both Britain and Germany were poor and he only just managed to pull it all back to snatch the Hockenheim pole. Getting caught in the first turn melee at Hungary is to be avoided.

[McLaren Fan]

no antler horns for Hungary either

The MP4-23 is still the nicest car on the grid then.

I dno, I've never been a big fan of the current colour scheme myself.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=w2ZOsCwafcw

[EwanM]

I dno, I've never been a big fan of the current colour scheme myself.

each to their own

Aye, deff. not like the past tho
I mean I prefer Renault's previous livery, even the 95-99 Benettons were great. When ING took over I was expected more early 80s

I dno, is it just me, or does anyone miss the lighter red colour on the Ferrari's?
Williams too, I miss the BMW logo.

Don't get me started on HONDA

[texasmr2]

I think it's going to be a Hammy win, but Ferrari will show some improvement from the last two outings.

They have both covers available, I wonder which they will use.

I'm thinking they may go with the smaller 'fin' as I see the Hungaroring as more of a 'mechanical grip' circuit than 'aerodynamic grip'?

[Hanwombat]

Woo I actually get to watch this race LIVE

[paulabear]

no antler horns for Hungary either

The MP4-23 is still the nicest car on the grid then.

I dno, I've never been a big fan of the current colour scheme myself.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=w2ZOsCwafcw

cracking response

[Hanwombat]

no antler horns for Hungary either

The MP4-23 is still the nicest car on the grid then.

They are stunning

[welshie]

I think it's going to be a Hammy win, but Ferrari will show some improvement from the last two outings.

They have both covers available, I wonder which they will use.

I'm thinking they may go with the smaller 'fin' as I see the Hungaroring as more of a 'mechanical grip' circuit than 'aerodynamic grip'?

Don't those shark fins just improve high-speed stability, or is there more to it than that?

[texasmr2]

I think it's going to be a Hammy win, but Ferrari will show some improvement from the last two outings.

They have both covers available, I wonder which they will use.

I'm thinking they may go with the smaller 'fin' as I see the Hungaroring as more of a 'mechanical grip' circuit than 'aerodynamic grip'?

Don't those shark fins just improve high-speed stability, or is there more to it than that?

Yes you are correct about them increasing 'high speed stability' as their function, from what I have read and heard, it that they cleanup the air for the rear wing. The issue is that the Hungaroring is the slowest circuit in F1 and aero grip is less important, in my thinking, at this track than mechanical grip.

[7UpJordan]

Yep, mechanical grip is more important than aerodynamical grip here. And as a result this will put Williams the next fastest car behind the BMW's because of their excellent mechanical grip. Also I'm expecting the Renaults to struggle in the race if they chomp their tyres, so I can imagine Alonso going for glory with a 3 or 4 stop strategy and leaving Piquet to trundle with the Force India's on a suicidal 1 stopper.

[welshie]

Latest predicted weather for this weekends GP

It will be partly cloudy on Thursday with an ambient temperature high of 32 degrees Celsius. Showers are expected in the region on Friday, when the temperature will drop to 31, and thunderstorms are forecast on Saturday and Sunday when it will be 32 degrees again.

We all know what hammy can do in the rain!

[Denthúl]

Latest predicted weather for this weekends GP

It will be partly cloudy on Thursday with an ambient temperature high of 32 degrees Celsius. Showers are expected in the region on Friday, when the temperature will drop to 31, and thunderstorms are forecast on Saturday and Sunday when it will be 32 degrees again.

We all know what hammy can do in the rain!

Hmm. If that happens, we may see Heidfeld get yet another second-place finish. And Barrichello will have a good chance of points again.

Looking at Budapest's website, it's supposed to be a cool day with chances of light rain. Their temperature high is listed as 9 celcius. That could play in to the McLaren team's hands, and thwart my hopes of Heidfeld having a good qualifying performance :/

[7UpJordan]

Looking at Budapest's website, it's supposed to be a cool day with chances of light rain. Their temperature high is listed as 9 celcius. That could play in to the McLaren team's hands, and thwart my hopes of Heidfeld having a good qualifying performance :/

9 celcius!!??? Got a link to that weather forecast?