The Official 2018 Hungarian Grand Prix Thread **SPOILERS**

[Dr Z]

Date(s): Friday 27 July 2018 - Sunday 29 July 2018

UK Broadcast Timings (and local time)

All sessions are live on Sky F1 and highlights on Channel 4.

Session	Day	Sky F1	Channel 4	Session Start	Local Time
Practice 1	Fri	0945		1000	1100
Practice 2	Fri	1345		1400	1500
Practice 3	Sat	1045		1100	1200
Qualifying	Sat	1300	1730	1400	1500
Race	Sun	1230	1845	1410	1510

Hungaroring



Live timing for all sessions available here:

https://www.formula1.com/en/f1-live.html

Lap times, PU component use, technical reports and Stewards' decisions for the weekend will appear here:

https://www.fia.com/events/fia-formula-one-world-c...

Weather forecast:

http://www.myweather2.com/Motor-Racing/Hungary/Hun...

The tyre choices:



2017 Qualifying



2017 Race

---

In a bit of a hurry, so Pirelli’s preview comes to the rescue.

• Just like Germany, the notable feature in Hungary is the ‘gap’ in the tyre nominations, with no supersoft nomination between soft and ultrasoft. The medium is the hardest compound.

• This is the first time ultrasoft has ever been chosen for the tricky and bumpy Hungaroring.

• Overtaking is notoriously difficult in Hungary, putting the emphasis on qualifying well and finding an effective race strategy. Handling and agility is more important than outright power.

• It's all about mechanical rather than aerodynamic grip, despite high downforce levels.

• A one-stop supersoft-soft strategy was Sebastian Vettel’s winning option last year (selected by the majority of drivers) in a race that was also affected by an early safety car.

I disagree on the 4th point above...but hey what do I know!

Also…

Mario Isola of Pirelli said:

After an exceptionally tough start to the year, Hungary marks the traditional mid-season break, so the teams will be especially keen to finish the first half of the year strongly. Hungary is often decided in qualifying, so it’s going to be interesting to see the effect of the ultrasoft this year and how it degrades on what is normally a hot surface, where the tyres are constantly working. Understanding this, and how the ultrasoft relates to the rest of the range that we have brought to the circuit, will be the key to unlocking a successful race strategy. For the third time this year, we have a ‘step’ between the nominated compounds: this means that there should be quite an evenly spaced performance gap between all three tyres, allowing different strategic options.

[RZ1]

Looking forward to this one

[The Moose]

Should be a good race - looking forward to it!

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Chance of thunder for Saturday?

[Derek Smith]

I thought that the RB had great aero grip, hence their parsimonious use of tyres. Ferrari, we are told, by them, have great mechanical grip, and to show it Vettel has two more sets of ultras than the two RBs. Yet on this circuit, which rewards mechanical grip, we are told the favourites are the RB pair, at least until they break down.

What am I missing?

[slipstream 1985]

Derek Smith said:

I thought that the RB had great aero grip, hence their parsimonious use of tyres. Ferrari, we are told, by them, have great mechanical grip, and to show it Vettel has two more sets of ultras than the two RBs. Yet on this circuit, which rewards mechanical grip, we are told the favourites are the RB pair, at least until they break down.

What am I missing?

Power doesn't matter very much at this track which evens the field.

[suffolk009]

Am I right in thinking this could (potentially, hopefully, please) be a good circuit for McLaren?

[kambites]

suffolk009 said:

Am I right in thinking this could (potentially, hopefully, please) be a good circuit for McLaren?

Relatively speaking, probably. Their woeful down-force to drag ratio wont be as much of a handicap here and nor will the Renault engine.

[Derek Smith]

suffolk009 said:

Am I right in thinking this could (potentially, hopefully, please) be a good circuit for McLaren?

To slightly misquote Murray: whilst there are downhill sections, which might be of help, there are uphill bits as well. So no.

[number2]

Derek Smith said:

To slightly misquote Murray: whilst there are downhill sections, which might be of help, there are uphill bits as well. So no.

That amused me

Although I still have my McLaren 2010 shirt buried in a drawer, I have lost hope with the team... but this is not the thread...

Edited by number2 on Tuesday 24th July 22:21

[HustleRussell]

This being 2018, I’m expecting a complete swing the other way with Vettel dominating flawlessly and on off-colour Hamilton scratching around for a 4th or 5th place finish.

I don’t think Red Bull are going to beat Ferrari in qually but if they use the Ultras they might have a go at Mercedes for 2nd / 3rd /4th place... does one of them try for the overcut on the Soft tyre?

[thegreenhell]

Ferrari dominated last year, and I don't see why they won't again this year.

[Dr Z]

Derek Smith said:

I thought that the RB had great aero grip, hence their parsimonious use of tyres. Ferrari, we are told, by them, have great mechanical grip, and to show it Vettel has two more sets of ultras than the two RBs. Yet on this circuit, which rewards mechanical grip, we are told the favourites are the RB pair, at least until they break down.

What am I missing?

I think it is as much about mechanical as aero. RB can have more downforce for the wing levels for the track but it looks like they are going to be focusing on the 'soft' compound for the race and less quali sims during the practice sessions. This simply means they are confident of their qualifying pace on the ultrasoft and will try to tune the car balance to work well on the soft, which they might be planning on doing Q2 with.

By contrast, Ferrari look confident of their car working well on the soft, and will probably need to have more time/work tuning the car with the ultrasoft. Their car puts a lot of heat into the tyres and they'd need to get the balance right for 1-lap pace and possibly for the race, if they have plans for using it as a race tyre. The tyres don't have much of a rest in a lap, so it will be very easy to overheat the ultrasofts (Soft & Medium = high working range; ultrasoft = low working range). What I said for RB applies to Merc as well. I think in terms of overall downforce it's RB>Merc>Ferrari.

Lap average speed is pretty low but for the drag levels being run, fuel efficiency will come into it as well I think. Who has the better fuel efficiency/downforce/drag/tyre management? Find out this weekend.

Last year (IIRC) it was very close between the cars until the last couple of corners, Vettel aced the 12/13/14 and pulled out the time compared to others.

[Derek Smith]

Dr Z said:

I think it is as much about mechanical as aero. RB can have more downforce for the wing levels for the track but it looks like they are going to be focusing on the 'soft' compound for the race and less quali sims during the practice sessions. This simply means they are confident of their qualifying pace on the ultrasoft and will try to tune the car balance to work well on the soft, which they might be planning on doing Q2 with.

By contrast, Ferrari look confident of their car working well on the soft, and will probably need to have more time/work tuning the car with the ultrasoft. Their car puts a lot of heat into the tyres and they'd need to get the balance right for 1-lap pace and possibly for the race, if they have plans for using it as a race tyre. The tyres don't have much of a rest in a lap, so it will be very easy to overheat the ultrasofts (Soft & Medium = high working range; ultrasoft = low working range). What I said for RB applies to Merc as well. I think in terms of overall downforce it's RB>Merc>Ferrari.

Lap average speed is pretty low but for the drag levels being run, fuel efficiency will come into it as well I think. Who has the better fuel efficiency/downforce/drag/tyre management? Find out this weekend.

Last year (IIRC) it was very close between the cars until the last couple of corners, Vettel aced the 12/13/14 and pulled out the time compared to others.

Thanks for that.

I'm in two minds whether to opt for Now! to watch it live. I regret not doing so for last Sunday. I went to Brooklands but the heat was too much so came home just 10 minutes too late for the start. It's Hungary. It's bound to be processional. But if this season proves anything it is that any circuit can produced exciting racing as long as the cars are getting on for equal in potential. There've been some wonderful mid-field battles.

I'm supposedly going to a classic car meeting on Sunday. If the temperature is still as high, I think Now! might be a more attractive proposition.

[thegreenhell]

Derek Smith said:

It's Hungary. It's bound to be processional. But if this season proves anything it is that any circuit can produced exciting racing as long as the cars are getting on for equal in potential. There've been some wonderful mid-field battles.

If this season proves anything it's that any circuit can produce exciting racing as long as there's a safety car period in the second half of the race.

[ralphrj]

thegreenhell said:

Ferrari dominated last year, and I don't see why they won't again this year.

Ferrari dominated at Hungary last year as the 2017 car had a short wheelbase relative to the opposition (they also dominated at Monaco for the same reason).

This years car has a longer wheelbase so they probably won't enjoy the kind of advantage as they had last year.

[Dr Z]

Derek Smith said:

I'm supposedly going to a classic car meeting on Sunday. If the temperature is still as high, I think Now! might be a more attractive proposition.

I'd probably choose the classic meet, but looks like there's some weather around on Saturday, so if qualifying delivers a mixed up grid, Sunday might be worth watching.

Also there's the Curse of the Hungaroring. For the last thirteen years, whoever had won the Hungarian GP had never gone on to win the title, so it's going to be one of the RB drivers or the Finns winning it this time. If Vettel or Hamilton win it, their chances of winning the big prize take a hit.

Who is worthy to break the Curse? The last man to do so was Michael Schumacher (2004).

[paulyv]

Visiting my first GP in 3 years. Never been to Budapest and really looking forward to it. I appreciate we might not see much overtaking but the earlier poster is right - thunderstorms and occasional rain are still forecast through the weekend which might mix things up.

[Derek Smith]

Dr Z said:

I'd probably choose the classic meet, but looks like there's some weather around on Saturday, so if qualifying delivers a mixed up grid, Sunday might be worth watching.

Also there's the Curse of the Hungaroring. For the last thirteen years, whoever had won the Hungarian GP had never gone on to win the title, so it's going to be one of the RB drivers or the Finns winning it this time. If Vettel or Hamilton win it, their chances of winning the big prize take a hit.

Who is worthy to break the Curse? The last man to do so was Michael Schumacher (2004).

It's good advice to await the qually. I'll probably do the Classic anyway, but reserve the right to leave early to get back in time for the start.

The curse is remarkable. I don't believe such things have any effect, but it might be a bit like evolution; it works whether you believe in it or not.

[suffolk009]

paulyv said:

Visiting my first GP in 3 years. Never been to Budapest and really looking forward to it. I appreciate we might not see much overtaking but the earlier poster is right - thunderstorms and occasional rain are still forecast through the weekend which might mix things up.

Budapest is a wonderful city. Had a great time there a few years ago. Try the Goulash.