2010 MAGYAR NAGYDIJ "HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX" PREVIEW

[Vettel.]

Did any of you read Thursday's press conference?

Was laughable at best. How some of them can even keep a stright face I've got no idea.

Although I like Alonso being up there with the Red Bull guys, purely because of the way he says "Red Bulls" - It's so delightfully Spanish.

[Vettel.]

Looks like a bit of a cakewalk at this point. Ferrari were only mucking around doing aero tests, so we haven't seen what they've got yet. They'd want to have a lot.

01. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:20.976 29 laps
02. Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:21.106 + 0.130 27 laps
03. Kubica Renault 1:22.072 + 1.096 21 laps
04. Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:22.444 + 1.468 17 laps
05. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:22.601 + 1.625 25 laps
06. de la Rosa Sauber-Ferrari 1:22.764 + 1.788 24 laps
07. Alonso Ferrari 1:22.772 + 1.796 25 laps
08. Rosberg Mercedes 1:22.777 + 1.801 25 laps
09. Schumacher Mercedes 1:22.792 + 1.816 26 laps
10. Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:22.966 + 1.990 25 laps

Hamilton complained about the balance, and then had some sort of technical issue, so he only did 15 laps or so, and ended up P18.

[Matt]

Practice 2 Times
1 Sebastian Vettel [1:20.087] +0.000
2 Fernando Alonso [1:20.584] +0.497
3 Mark Webber [1:20.597] +0.510
4 Felipe Massa [1:20.986] +0.899
5 Vitaly Petrov [1:21.195] +1.108
6 Lewis Hamilton [1:21.308] +1.221
7 Robert Kubica [1:21.375] +1.288
8 Nico Hulkenberg [1:21.623] +1.536
9 Jenson Button [1:21.730] +1.643
10 Michael Schumacher [1:21.773] +1.686

Another Red Bull and Ferrari dominant affair. McLaren get some flexible front wings now plz thx. Renault could be a bit of a thorn in McLaren's side this weekend, carrying over their strong form from Monaco but it looks like we have an arms race at the front between Red Bull and Ferrari with everyone else a long way back. The track will change a lot over the course of the weekend with rubber going down and rain potentially washing it off but like Vettel. already said it's a big gap to catch up for everyone!

[Vettel.]

Anyone see the Friday press conference with Domenicali, Horner, Kolles and Boullier?

Had to be the most boring press conference ever. Boullier was alright, Kolles - said nothing, and I haven't seen as much spin as I saw from Domenicali and Horner since the Shane Warne ball of the cetury.

[KenN0898]

Practice 2 Times
1 Sebastian Vettel [1:20.087] +0.000
2 Fernando Alonso [1:20.584] +0.497
3 Mark Webber [1:20.597] +0.510
4 Felipe Massa [1:20.986] +0.899
5 Vitaly Petrov [1:21.195] +1.108
6 Lewis Hamilton [1:21.308] +1.221
7 Robert Kubica [1:21.375] +1.288
8 Nico Hulkenberg [1:21.623] +1.536
9 Jenson Button [1:21.730] +1.643
10 Michael Schumacher [1:21.773] +1.686

Another Red Bull and Ferrari dominant affair. McLaren get some flexible front wings now plz thx. Renault could be a bit of a thorn in McLaren's side this weekend, carrying over their strong form from Monaco but it looks like we have an arms race at the front between Red Bull and Ferrari with everyone else a long way back. The track will change a lot over the course of the weekend with rubber going down and rain potentially washing it off but like Vettel. already said it's a big gap to catch up for everyone!

Like this ????
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/381/rb6china.gif

[Matt]

Despite what any of you think, this thread isn't just for me and Vettel.


McLaren is in danger of losing quite a bit of ground in both championships if they can't find some extra pace in the car. Hamilton is saying the car feels perfectly fine and so it's not a set up or balance problem they're just not fast enough and the worrying thing is both Williams and Renault look like matching their pace in the long runs with Mercedes also very close.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Im around Matt, but wasnt able to follow P1 or P2, and have not spent much time following the GP news in the last couple of days, to be honest, tieing up all the lose ends befor 6 weeks away. (Leaving Monday am now.)

I see Ferrari and Red Bull have both decided not to use their F-ducts here, given the lack of long straights where the system most shows its benefit. As a result neither team is showing on the Top Trap Speeds on the main straight.

Similarly, Force India have removed their blown diffuser for the balance of the weekend.

Times in P3 are coming down, and it looks like Vettel is really turning the screws, having been behind Webber temporarily, is now over 0.8 secs ahead, with Alonso 1.5 behind. Button and Hamilton both very close to Alonso's time.....

[Oldtony]

If the 107% rule was applied this year, on P3 times both HRTs would be out.
If the time difference is maintained the RBRs should lap them ever 15 laps, or 5 times over a race distance.
With the lack of long straights they could easily have an influence on the race result.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Had to laugh at this twitter dialogue between the media, basically to do with the Ferrari Team order bizzo, and when the Five Live people carrier was being tailed by the Ferrari one.....

[Everso Biggyballies]

AHHHH!!! Internet has been slowed to dial up speed 3 hours before the end of the month. (And just before the BBC preview and qualy show goes to air)

Bloody football delays for ONE qualy show.

[Vettel.]

That's amazing speed. Amazing.

Well done to Hamilton, Petrov and ESPECIALLY Nico Rosberg. Great job from him.

Button shown up again.

[Everso Biggyballies]

If the 107% rule was applied this year, on P3 times both HRTs would be out.
If the time difference is maintained the RBRs should lap them ever 15 laps, or 5 times over a race distance.
With the lack of long straights they could easily have an influence on the race result.

Mate the way the RBRs Newey's Rocketships are going in qualy, half the grid will be outside 107%!

Awesome lap from Vettel though. And others. But not Button, or Schumacher.

Does not bode well for the race, I managed to fall asleep waiting for Q1, first I remember is the end of Q2.

[BleedingGums]

Like this ????
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/381/rb6china.gif

What the fark does that prove?

[the Stig]

That red line datum point comparison is interesting, although you would have to eliminate suspension travel to get anything accurate out of it...plus tyre sidewall flex. looks damning, but not really admissable evidence.

The slo mo filming at the end of the qualifying coverage looked a bit more conclusive though

[BleedingGums]

There was absolutley nothing valuable in those two photos. Load, track, braking accelerating... Were they even taken on the same day at the same circuit?