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Showing posts from July, 2017

Story behind the photo: Vettel soaks up the celebrations

I really love the amazing circuit at the Hungaroring, it’s one of the modern classics having first hosted a Grand Prix in 1986. It hasn’t changed much, only upgrades for safety, but generally it’s amazing for photos and great for spectators to see lots of the circuit.My photo of the day is from a privileged position on the media centre roof, which I spotted some years ago and it ... Keep reading

Hamilton accepts Bottas swap was a "risky" move

Hamilton was aware that Max Verstappen was close behind his Mercedes teammate, and with backmarkers that he had just lapped also in the picture, there was an obvious concern that the Red Bull driver would also be able to sneak past behind Bottas.In the end Hamilton was able to let the lapped cars back through before he made space for Bottas, and he was just able to get across the line ... Keep reading

Small race boots were "killing" di Resta in Hungary

The 31-year-old took over from the unwell Felipe Massa and went straight into qualifying, lining up 19th before retiring from the race with an oil leak while running 18th after 60 laps.Before the race, di Resta anticipated that the biggest challenge would be a physical one on his first grand prix outing since November 2013, but while he did suffer some mild shoulder discomfort, it was ... Keep reading

Grosjean on Hulkenberg clash: "We are not in NASCAR"

The German went unpunished for the incident, but Max Verstappen received a 10-second penalty for hitting Daniel Ricciardo at the next corner.Grosjean's Haas teammate Kevin Magnussen was also penalised five seconds after forcing Hulkenberg wide later in the race.Grosjean expressed his frustration about what he perceives as a lack of consistency in decisions, and especially the fact ... Keep reading

Hulkenberg and Magnussen in foul-mouthed exchange after Hungarian F1 GP

Nico Hulkenberg couldn’t contain his frustration at Kevin Magnussen’s elbows-out manoeuvre in the Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix as his anger boiled-over post-race. With nine laps to go, Hulkenberg attempt to overtake the Haas driver around the outside of Turn 2 but Magnussen declined to give him any room and pushed him onto the grass. […]

Analysis: How teammate tension lit up the Hungarian GP

The Hungarian GP turned into a fascinating afternoon, but it was also a hugely frustrating one – for both drivers who wanted to race, and fans who wanted to see one.Firstly, the venue demonstrated once again that it is not conducive to overtaking, a trait exacerbated by this year's cars. And as usual the high temperatures made it hard for anyone to sit in a rival's slipstream without ... Keep reading

Hungarian GP: Issue #14 of GP Gazette now online

Straight from the paddock, we give you an all-encompassing account of all the action from the race weekend, plus compelling interviews with the sport’s star names.It was all about teammates in Hungary. Sebastian Vettel took a crucial win, but had to hold up Kimi Raikkonen to get it done. The Mercedes drivers swapped places to try and beat the Ferraris, and the Red Bulls simply crashed ... Keep reading

Horner: FIA too "zealous" with Verstappen penalty

Verstappen locked up on the entry to Turn 2 on the opening lap which led to him running wide into the side of teammate Ricciardo. The incident damaged Ricciardo's car and forced him out of the race.Ricciardo was initially fuming over the matter, and the FIA was swift in blaming Verstappen. It handed him a punishment that cost him a chance of fighting for the podium.Horner thinks that ... Keep reading

Ferrari eyes Monza to confirm new Vettel/Raikkonen deals

Both of Maranello's drivers are out of contract at the end of the year, and there have some doubts about Raikkonen in particular after Marchionne accused him of being a bit of a 'laggard' earlier this month.But speaking at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Marchionne suggested that there was now a greater than 50 percent chance that the Finn would keep his place.Asked about the driver ... Keep reading

Sergio Marchionne says that Sauber engine deal will create Ferrari F1 “junior team”

Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne made an unexpected visit to the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday. After the race he gave some details of how he sees the renewal of the engine supply deal with Sauber, which decided to ditch the agreement with Honda, signed by previous team boss Monisha Kaltenborn. “It’s a very positive thing […]

Mercedes: We could regret Hungary swap, but it was right thing to do

Hamilton went through with a promise to relinquish third place to Bottas on the final lap at the Hungaroring, having been released earlier by the Finn to see if he could better challenge the Ferraris ahead.Although Hamilton knew he had to live up to his word to give back the place, he is mindful that if he loses the world championship by the three points he gave away, the decision ... Keep reading

Stroll to replace Massa at Hungary F1 test

Massa withdrew from the Hungarian Grand Prix after ending final practice early because he felt unwell. It came after he felt sick and dizzy during Friday running.The team's reserve driver Paul di Resta replaced him for qualifying and the race, retiring from 18th with 10 laps to go because of an oil leak.Massa was set to complete a full-day of testing on Tuesday at the Hungaroring but ... Keep reading

Race Analysis - An uneasy breeze: How Vettel barely won

Hungarian GP - Race AnalysisBy Dan Knutson in Budapest

Hungarian GP: Post-race press conference

PODIUM INTERVIEWS(Conducted by David Coulthard)Q: Sebastian, 46th victory in Formula One, very measured but looked like you had some issues there with the steering, we heard lots of radio transmissions saying “keep off the kerbs”. First of all, congratulations on your win and tell us about what you ... Keep reading

Mercedes reveals cause of radio meltdown

Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas' efforts at the Hungaroring were compromised when Mercedes lost much of its communications and data systems.And although it managed to muddle through, thanks to extra help from its engineers back in Britain, the team was slightly compromised in terms of being able to capitalise on the difficult situation Ferrari found itself in.Asked if the team had ... Keep reading

Steiner: Magnussen right to stand up to "bully" Hulkenberg

Renault driver Hulkenberg had been angered by Magnussen's robust late-race defensive manoeuvre and approached the Dane during media interviews to sarcastically congratulate him on being "the most unsporting driver".In response, Magnussen told the German: "Suck my balls, honey."Talking to the media afterwards, Steiner argued Magnussen's defensive move – which yielded a five-second ... Keep reading

Vettel admits Raikkonen "a lot faster" most of the race

Vettel realised on the grid that his car's steering was not right, but he hung on ahead of Raikkonen and the Mercedes to take a win that rebuilt his F1 championship lead over fourth-placed finisher Lewis Hamilton to 14 points.Though Raikkonen repeatedly told Ferrari over the team radio that he was faster, they maintained position throughout."Kimi had good pace and could go a lot ... Keep reading

Ocon says Perez “ripped off my floor” in first-corner clash

Following their costly clash in Baku, which cost the team a shot at a likely podium finish, Perez ran into the side of Ocon on the exit of the first corner in Hungary.Both cars continued, although Ocon’s car clearly shed some parts from underneath his right sidepod after the contact, and Perez suffered light wing damage. “It was a pretty messy start,” said Ocon, who went on to finish ... Keep reading

Hamilton hopes Bottas gesture won't cost him title

Bottas let Hamilton through on lap 43 as they closed on the Ferraris, which were slow due to Sebastian Vettel battling a steering problem.When asking to be let through to attack Kimi Raikkonen, Hamilton offered to let Bottas back ahead if he couldn't make a pass stick, and he stuck to that promise on the final lap despite Bottas falling back and being caught by Max ... Keep reading

Hulkenberg slams "nasty" Magnussen after post-race spat

Hulkenberg had found himself stuck behind the Dane in the closing stages of the race after a very slow pitstop, as his mechanics had struggled to change the right-rear wheel on his Renault RS17.On fresher soft tyres and with seemingly better pace, he ran close behind the Haas for many laps but couldn't make a move stick to take 11th place from Magnussen.Eventually, their battle ... Keep reading

Verstappen apologises to Ricciardo after clash

Verstappen locked up and ran into the side of Ricciardo's car into the tight Turn 2 left-hander on the opening lap.That caused damage that led to Ricciardo spinning and retiring, while Verstappen was given a 10-second time penalty by the stewards and finished fifth."It was of course not what you want," Verstappen told TV crews after the race. "I think everything started in Turn 1 ... Keep reading

Sebastian Vettel hangs on in Hungarian F1 GP to take 1-2 victory for Ferrari

Ferrari hung onto a one-two victory in the Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix as Sebastian Vettel won from pole against a looming Mercedes threat. The Ferrari garage was a picture of uneasiness as the Mercedes pair hounded Kimi Raikkonen but the Hungaroring proved a tough overtaking circuit for all to Ferrari’s ultimate advantage. Vettel has […]

Race Notes - Vettel wins Hungary

Hungarian GP - Race NotesBy Mark Karp

Hungarian GP: Vettel scores anxious win in hobbled Ferrari

Vettel, who drove most of the race with steering issues, crossed the line 0.9 seconds ahead of Raikkonen to secure Ferrari's second one-two of the season.Lewis Hamilton ceded third to Valtteri Bottas on the final lap as agreed after his teammate had let him through under team orders earlier in the race to try and attack the Ferraris.It was Vettel's fourth win of the season, his first ... Keep reading

Ricciardo slams “immature” Verstappen after first-lap clash

As the race got going, both Red Bulls had passed Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes at Turn 1, who got boxed in behind teammate Valtteri Bottas at the first corner.But Verstappen – who himself had to check up to avoid running into the back of Kimi Raikkonen at the first corner while attacking Bottas – locked up at Turn 2 and whacked into Ricciardo’s left-hand sidepod.“Someone hit me,” said ... Keep reading

Verstappen hoping heat will hurt rivals more

Verstappen and teammate Daniel Ricciardo start in fifth and sixth places, and the Dutchman says that long run data suggests that Red Bull is in good shape for the race, and that a good balance will help to protect the tyres."I did one [long run] today, and it was already warmer than yesterday, and it actually felt alright," said the Dutchman."We'll see. It can affect other cars more ... Keep reading

Di Resta admits fitness will be biggest challenge in race

The 31-year-old qualified 19th after taking over the unwell Felipe Massa's Williams ahead of qualifying at the Hungaroring, and despite having trained to F1 standards and being race fit thanks to his full-time DTM drive, he is anticipating a draining race."Physically," he said when asked what will be the most difficult challenge to deal with in the race."I'm trained, but you're tense ... Keep reading

McLaren eyeing September deadline for engine decision

McLaren has a contract with Honda, however the future of that relationship has been put in doubt on the back of troubles this term.The team is evaluating its options - even though Ferrari and Mercedes have made it clear they will not supply engines to McLaren for next year - while Honda is doing the same.When asked how late a team could leave it to make a final call on the engine ... Keep reading

Mercedes says Ferrari resurgence "track specific"

Ferrari put a host of updates to good use on a tight and twisty Hungaroring track, which better suits its SF70H car, to lock out the front row for the first time since Monaco in May.But while Lewis Hamilton feared that Ferrari's progress was real and it had moved forward, Wolff believes that circuit characteristics are the real reason behind his team being beaten in qualifying."I ... Keep reading

F1 signs deal with $3000-per-bottle Carbon champagne brand

Liberty has made it clear from the outset that it plans to ramp up the number of F1’s official partners and suppliers, whereas in contrast Bernie Ecclestone preferred to foster exclusivity and focus on a smaller number. More deals are expected to be announced in the coming months.Carbon magnums were first trialled at the Monaco GP, with the top three positions represented by gold ... Keep reading

Hungarian GP: Post-qualifying press conference

GRID INTERVIEWS (Conducted by Will Buxton)First question inaudible.Sebastian VETTEL: … to have the car in the right window, to have the sun shining, to have people around, that’s what it is about, so it was really big fun. Obviously a front row for us, which is incredible and now we are looki ... Keep reading

Ferrari will have "easy breeze" to victory, says Hamilton

Although Mercedes duo Valtteri Bottas and Hamilton were only a few tenths adrift of pole position as they locked out the second row, Ferrari's consistently strong form throughout Saturday suggests it should be just as quick in the race too.And Hamilton has no doubts that Ferrari will be fully in control of proceedings at a venue where overtaking is notoriously difficult."They have ... Keep reading

Dates revealed for F1 2018 pre-season testing

There will be two four-days tests, each to be held at Barcelona, ahead of the season-opening race in Melbourne, Australia on March 25.The first test will run from February 26 to March 1, with a second following between March 6-9.There was consensus among teams that Barcelona was the best option given the quality of the track for data gathering and weather conditions at that time of ... Keep reading

Paul di Resta to race for Williams F1 as unwell Felipe Massa pulls out of Hungary

After Felipe Massa withdrew from the Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix, reserve driver Paul di Resta will take the wheel on Sunday having qualified 19th for the race. Massa first reported feeling dizzy and nauseated during Friday’s practice sessions and the Brazilian had to pull out of Saturday morning’s FP3 session. Williams elected reserve driver […]

Raikkonen admits he “threw away” chance of pole

Raikkonen qualified 0.168s slower than pole-winner Vettel, and rued a big moment at the Turn 6 chicane.“Actually not too good,” said Raikkonen of his fastest lap. “I mean, the start was good, and the end was not too bad, but in the chicane I braked on the outside kerb and got loose and really threw it away there.“It was decent enough still for second place, but it’s a bit ... Keep reading

Ricciardo says he won't have "many friends" in Hungarian GP

The Red Bull driver was disappointed to qualify sixth on the Formula 1 grid, but he has vowed to attack the leading cars ahead of him."We'll find a way to be quick tomorrow," he said. "If we can get track position we can help ourselves. It will be a fun race. I'm not sure I'll have too many friends after the race but that's OK."Because I'm at the tail of that pack I need to force my ... Keep reading

Kvyat moves closer to race ban with Hungary penalty

The Toro Rosso driver explained his team had warned him too late that his Williams rival was on a hot lap and when he realised, he took to the grass.Stroll, who was on a flying lap and seeking to escape Q1 elimination, came up on Kvyat at Turn 11 and  was forced to go around the Russian, telling his team that he was "blocked” on the radio.Between the two segments, a radio message ... Keep reading

Mercedes says Q3 error cost Hamilton pole shot

Hamilton went off the circuit at Turn 4 during his first run and then failed to match the pace of the Ferraris in his second and final one.Wolff believes the mistake stopped Hamilton from fighting for pole."Throughout qualifying we improved and I think we would have been in the fight for pole position," said Wolff."But obviously the mistake in the second to last lap compromised ... Keep reading

Verstappen upbeat after “one of my hardest weekends”

Verstappen couldn't find the right balance with the upgraded RB13 throughout practice, and was well off teammate Daniel Ricciardo, who topped both sessions on Friday.But the Dutchman bounced back in qualifying, placing second and third in Q1 and Q2 respectively before qualifying behind the Ferraris and Mercedes in the top-10 shootout.“I just couldn’t get it to work properly, always ... Keep reading

Qualifying Report - Ferrari front

Hungarian GP - Qualifying ReportBy Dan Knutson in Budapest

Hungarian GP: Vettel leads all-Ferrari front row, Hamilton fourth

Vettel was fastest in final practice at the Hungaroring, led the way in Q1 as well, and was the first F1 driver to lap under under 1m17s around the Hungaroring in Q2, before Hamilton made a second run.Vettel then set a 1m16.276s best on his first run in Q3 which proved enough to get the job done despite lapping slightly slower on his second attempt.Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen ... Keep reading

Ferrari boosts championship hopes with one-two in Hungarian F1 GP qualifying

Sebastian Vettel took pole position for the Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix as Ferrari locked out the front row at the Hungaroring on Saturday. Lewis Hamilton was denied a record-equalling 68th pole with Michael Schumacher as Mercedes struggled to make its Pirelli super-soft tyres work. Felipe Massa was taken unwell in FP3 with ex-Force India […]

Williams: Di Resta the best option for "tough" late call-up

Di Resta will take over the car, which will run as number 40, from the start of qualifying after Massa felt unwell.Di Resta has not driven the FW40 on track, although he does have some knowledge of hybrid technology after driving the 2014 FW36 test car used by Lance Stroll.Williams believes that the Scot has the experience with which to deal with his last-minute substitution ... Keep reading

Di Resta replaces Massa at Hungarian GP

Massa felt sick and dizzy at the end of Friday's running at the Hungaroring and, after examination at the track's medical centre, he was transferred to hospital in Budapest for further checks. No major issue was discovered.Although he felt better on Saturday morning and was given the all-clear to resume driving in final free practice, he was forced to cut short his running after ... Keep reading

Practice 3 Report - Red Alert

Hungarian GP - Practice 3 ReportBy Dan Knutson in Budapest

Hungarian GP: Ferrari dominates FP3, Ricciardo hits trouble

Vettel clocked a 1m17.017s on the super-softs during his qualifying simulation to finish the session 0.475s quicker than Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen.The lap was 1.464 seconds quicker than the previous track record, set by Rubens Barrichello in 2004.Mercedes struggled for pace, with Valtteri Bottas Ferrari's closest challenger in third, 0.897s off the pace, and Lewis Hamilton half ... Keep reading

Sauber to run full power for first time in 2017

The Swiss team has struggled with cooling problems all season, which in turn meant it had been forced to run the engine at lower levels to prevent overheating.But a new cooling system was part of an upgrade package Sauber brought to Hungary and, following Friday practice, Marcus Ericsson believed it has delivered as hoped."The big thing is the cooling system," Ericsson told ... Keep reading

Unwell Massa needed hospital checks

The Brazilian had had a difficult day on track – spinning twice and ending Friday's afternoon session 15th fastest, just behind teammate Lance Stroll.But after feeling unwell and dizzy when he got out of the car, Massa cancelled his post-session media activities and went to the medical centre at the track to see doctors.A decision was then taken for him to be transferred to the MH EK ... Keep reading

Haas F1 suffers “brutal” day in Budapest, admits Steiner

With tester Antonio Giovinazzi crashing early on in first practice, and Romain Grosjean struggling with brakes and a baffling balance problem, Steiner is under no illusions about how much his outfit is now on the back foot.“It is the most difficult one of Haas F1 – including last year,” Steiner about the Friday running. “Ever. I don’t think we ever struggled this much.”He added: “The ... Keep reading

Vettel "proud" rivals are complaining about Ferrari

Ferrari’s recent struggles against Mercedes have coincided with clarifications from the FIA relating to oil burn before Baku, and a stiffening of the SF70H’s floor from the Austrian Grand Prix.Just how much impact these elements have had on Ferrari’s form is unclear, but Vettel says he is not too upset about the matter – and instead insists that it is a positive the opposition are ... Keep reading

Hamilton "always in the way," says Magnussen

Magnussen's running was limited to 11 laps after Antonio Giovinazzi borrowed his car in FP1 and crashed it, delaying the Dane getting out on track for FP2 while it was repaired.When he did get out on track, Magnussen felt he was held up by Hamilton and said to his engineer on the radio: "What is Lewis doing?"When asked by Motorsport.com about the incident, Magnussen said: "There's no ... Keep reading

Mercedes duo say car wasn't "good enough" on Friday

The Silver Arrows were no higher than third in both of Friday's sessions, with Hamilton ahead in FP1 and Bottas in FP2."We don't know how much the other teams can improve tomorrow, we for sure can," Bottas said at the conclusion of the day's running."We'll do the work as usual to try to still get the car better. It didn't feel good enough today, balance-wise."Asked what exactly ... Keep reading

Ricciardo says upgraded Red Bull feels like B-spec car

Ricciardo led both sessions by a margin of around two tenths, setting a benchmark of 1m18.486s in FP1 and improving to 1m18.455s in FP2.The Hungaroring was expected to be a strong track for the Austrian team, as it is not power-dependent and is similar in characteristics to Monaco, which is a happy hunting ground for Red Bull.But Ricciardo's hopes for Hungary were pinned on a ... Keep reading

Practice 2 Report - Second verse same as the first

Hungarian GP - Practice 2 ReportBy Dan Knutson in Budapest

Hungarian GP: Ricciardo completes Friday practice sweep

Ricciardo, who was fastest in the opening 90-minute session at the Hungaroring, clocked a 1m18.455s on the supersoft tyres to finish 0.183 second clear of Sebastian Vettel.Valtteri Bottas was third fastest, ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton, with the top five drivers separated by just 0.324s.Much of the early running was completed on the soft compound tyre, with Hamilton ... Keep reading

Honda confirms customer talks amid Toro Rosso link

The cancellation of Sauber's Honda deal for 2018 means Honda is currently only tied up to McLaren for next year, but the future of that relationship has been put in doubt on the back of troubles this season.While McLaren evaluates its options - even though Ferrari and McLaren have made it clear they will not supply engines to the team for next year - Honda is also reviewing its ... Keep reading

Video: Lifting the lid on F1's airflow secrets

But new videos from Motorsport.tv have lifted the lid on one of the key areas of performance of the car, and in particular offer some insight in to why front wings are not just about creating downforce.Former Benetton and Ferrari aerodynamicist Willem Toet has helped create these new 3D airflow animations, which show how teams work so hard to try to control airflow over the car to ... Keep reading

Prost: Halo goes against F1's DNA

While the Frenchman, who is a special advisor to the Renault F1 team and helped set up the successful Renault e.dams FE team, accepts that improving safety is something that should always be welcomed, he is against the Halo on visual grounds."I was always defending and supporting safety - but I cannot say I am happy about the Halo," Prost told Motorsport.com."It is against the spirit ... Keep reading

Alonso says Indy the only positive moment of 2017

The McLaren driver made his debut in IndyCar's blue riband event in May, starring in qualifying and the race before retiring with an engine problem near the end.In Formula 1, however, the Spaniard and his team have struggled all year, having scored just two points in the first 10 races of a season plagued by reliability issues with the Honda engine.The two-time champion has seen the ... Keep reading

Practice 1 Report - Tumbling Times

Hungarian GP - Practice 1 ReportBy Dan Knutson in Budapest

Hungarian GP: Ricciardo leads Raikkonen in FP1

The Red Bull driver clocked a 1m18.486s on the supersoft Pirelli tyres, the time just 0.05 seconds slower than the fastest ever lap of the Hungaroring in an F1 car, set by Rubens Barrichello in 2004.The Australian, running in an updated Red Bull, finished 0.234s seconds ahead of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, with Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes just over a tenth further back in ... Keep reading

FIA further explains 2018 halo situation before Hungarian F1 GP

The FIA has provided more information about the strength and quality of the halo before its adoption as Formula 1’s new head protection device in 2018. In the FIA’s Thursday media briefing in Hungary, it revealed that the halo was “designed to prevent the injuries sustained to Henry Surtees and Justin Wilson. “The Halo significantly […]

Sauber renews Ferrari engine deal

Less than 24 hours after Sauber confirmed that it will not be going through with an original idea to switch to Honda engines, the Hinwil-based team said it was continuing with its current engine partner.Team principal Fred Vasseur said: "I am very pleased to confirm that we will continue to work with Scuderia Ferrari as our engine supplier in form of a multi-year agreement."The ... Keep reading

Red Bull strengthens front wing after flexing intrigue

The way in which the lower section of Red Bull's front wing appeared to flap down at high speed at Silverstone prompted interest from rival teams, amid fears it could prompt another arms race with regards to flexible bodywork.It is understood that the FIA had been alerted about the matter by Red Bull's rivals, which may well have prompted a request for modifications to be made.As ... Keep reading