2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

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Ali
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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by Ali » 27 Jul 2009, 09:46

Jenson Button is by far the most talkative person on the grid, which is very good for us fans to understand what is going on. Here is a very explanatory Q&A with Jenson Button on what just happened to Brawn in this race:
Q. How much of a disappointment was the result of the Hungarian Grand Prix?

Jenson Button
: Yeah, a real disappointment. It was very similar to the Nurburgring in the way of damaging the rear tyres. I got a reasonable start and our aim was to keep position. We thought that we could hang with the front bunch and when they started peeling off we would have a good chance of jumping them.

But I lost a place to [Kazuki] Nakajima at the start. I got him back on lap two which was good, as I was in a good position then. I thought I would then look after the tyres because [Sebastian] Vettel was in front and had had a bad start, which was great for us as I was running five or six laps longer than him. And I thought for four or five laps I would look after the tyres, which I did.

Even looking after the tyres though I grained the rears, and that was it. They started graining and I couldn't keep with the cars in front and lost a lot of time. So I had Nakajima all over me until my first pit stop and after that we went for the softer tyre again, as we didn't think the prime would work for us because of the low temperatures. But we grained it again on the rears, and had the same sort of problems.

I was stuck behind [Jarno] Trulli in the end, and in front of Nakajima, and they were both going two laps longer on the stint. So I thought we were screwed. We put the prime on, I had to put a couple of good laps in which I did, and I overtook Trulli and stayed in front of Nakajima. So we got two points, which in a way was good. Vettel didn't score, Webber didn't win and only got four points on me, which isn't good but it could have been a hell of a lot worse considering how slow we were in the race.

The frustrating thing is that on Friday the car was working well and we were one of the only teams not to get rear graining. We had the best tyre condition out of anyone on Friday, and then the last run in qualifying with fuel on board did not feel great and it was the same in the race. We were destroying the rear tyres and no one else is - so it is amazing how it can turnaround.

Q. Any clues about the reasons why?

JB:
Well, the car hasn't changed. The only thing that has changed is the weather from Friday to Sunday. We keep complaining and saying it is the weather's fault, and it basically is. We have built a car that looks after its tyres when it is the right temperature range, but as soon as it drops out of that we have got a problem.

We cannot just blame the weather. In a way it is our fault for building the car the way it is, and we have got to work out how to make it work in conditions that don't suit our car so much.

Q. But the weather here was not too bad - it was mid 20s...

JB:
Well the circuit was about 33-34C, and on Friday it was 44C. So that was 10 degrees, which is a lot and made a big difference.

Q. Yeah, but it is a bit like Monaco where you were very strong

JB:
Monaco was hotter than here for sure. There are many things that we need to look at. The new aerodynamic parts on the car, are they working? The car doesn't feel like it did in Monaco or Turkey – although Monaco wasn't much hotter than here. We need to look at many things and the new parts we have put on the car. People have got quicker, the Red Bulls are quicker, and many people at the front have improved at the front – but forgetting them, our car does not feel the same as it did three races ago. So, there are lots of areas we need to look at, and if we had tried to concentrate on helping the rears on Friday, which would have been insane because why would we need to, we maybe would have looked after them better today, but then we would have struggled massively with front graining.

Q. You are at a point of the season where you have to start developing next year's car. Is this impacting on your performance relative to the opposition?

JB:
I think most teams will be. Red Bull may be the only ones who are developing a bit later for next year. Ferrari are developing for next year, and they have not really had any big updates. Kimi still finished second, and that is massive.

Q. But they have more resources than you...

JB:
Yeah, but it doesn't make any difference if they haven't improved the car. They haven't had updates. We have had a lot of updates in the last two races, and Ferrari haven't, so for them to be in front of us is a big surprise. It is not just that we are not developing the car as quick as other teams, it is that our performance just isn't there relative to ourselves, not compared to our competitors.

Q. How much of a factor was KERS in the race?

JB:
It is a bit. But I think in a way it is good that the Red Bulls are suffering a bit. They are unsure about their tyres also. They put Mark on a prime in the middle stint which probably was not best for them, and Vettel started on a prime as well which was a surprise. So they are finding it a bit difficult as well, which is nice, and they are the team we are racing. So that is the important thing. The next race, KERS is reasonably important. But the big KERS circuits will be Spa and Monza – they are just going to destroy us on those circuits, which perhaps is a good thing.

Q. Do you still feel comfortable with your championship position?

JB:
For sure, not. I have lost 15 points to Webber over the past three races, and that is massive. It's five points per race. It means he will be in front of me in four races time, and there are seven races left. So it is for sure not comfortable, but I cannot do anything about it at the moment except we just need to go through the data, which is annoying as we have to wait for two weeks [because of the factory shutdown].

Q. Are you using the same tub as you did at the start of the season?

JB:
Yeah, we haven't made any new tubs. We can't.

Q. Do you think that might be a factor, that it might be getting long in the tooth?

JB:
I don't think that happens, and it is not suddenly going to change from like it was in Turkey, which was the best car I have ever driven. We destroyed everyone there. If I had pushed all the way to the end of the race in Turkey, we would have finished 45 seconds or so ahead of everyone. I backed off towards the end of the race and still finished with a 20-second lead. So I don't know.

Q. So you are on holiday from tomorrow?

JB:
Yeah, the factory closes at 6pm tomorrow. So the next two weeks are off, but then we still have two weeks off before the next race. I think you can still think about racing though…. Hopefully people are still thinking about racing.

We have to sort it out because we are leading the championship, but it is inevitable they are going to overtake us if the Brawns keep going like they are. It is like wearing the yellow jersey [in the Tour de France], knowing that when you get to the mountains you are going to be useless and overtaken. It is nice leading the championship, but it won't be the case in the next three or four races if we have the performances like we have had in the last few.

Valencia I say is going to be hot, but then here we thought it would be in the 30s. But if you look at the weather forecast, it has been 34-35C all week, and the weekend was 24-25C and then it is going back up again from Monday. So, maybe someone is trying to make the racing more interesting this year – they don't want us walking away with it. So they are doing their job very well.

Q. But it is fair to say that you still have belief in this team to get the root of the problems?

JB:
Yeah, for sure. They have done great things with this car, and all through the first part of the season we've added updates and it has improved the car. We've made steps forward and we saw that in Barcelona. And the last two updates, I can't see them as worse. It is not something that would unsettle the car. It should just give the car more downforce.

It should work in every condition. It is rear downforce. It works. It helps. So there is something not quite right. We are running at 60C with the tyres, which is out of their working range. But how do we get them in their working range? That is what we need to work out.
"I don't want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it by not dying" -Woody Allen

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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by phil1993 » 27 Jul 2009, 09:47

McLaren wants more wins this year
McLaren thinks its Hungarian Grand Prix triumph will not be a one-off, at it sets its sights on adding more victories to its tally this year following Lewis Hamilton's victory.

The reigning world champion ended Brawn GP and Red Bull Racing's stranglehold on wins with a brilliant performance at the Hungaroring on Sunday, as he made the most of improvements to his car and the benefit of KERS.

With more updates planned for the next race in Valencia next month, McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh says the focus is on delivering even more success now.

"We want to win some more races this year," explained Whitmarsh, who enjoyed his first victory in the role of team boss. "It's a fantastic feeling for me personally.

"I've been in this situation and on the podium before - I was there for Lewis's first ever win – but this was a special one. It was nerve-racking, the last half of that race. The team, Lewis and everyone here needed it, but no-one needed this win more than me. So it was great."

Whitmarsh had been confident heading into the weekend that Hungary would provide a good opportunity for McLaren to end its victory drought – and he took great pleasure that some of his rivals doubted the team's ability to do it.

"I'm sure more than a few people were sniggering down their sleeves at it, but we believed it," he said. "I think we had more than enough pace in the bag to control and dominate this race."

Although McLaren's return to form comes too late in the season to get Hamilton back into world championship contention, Whitmarsh thinks that the fact the team is free from worrying about points could help its quest for more wins.

"The championship fight is an exciting one, and hopefully we can play a part in that and take some victories along the way while they are concentrating on trying to score points to protect championship leads or otherwise," he said.

"In Hungary we were ahead of everyone. I think we will be competitive in Valencia, we've got an upgrade package there and we'll keep pushing."

He added: "This result was very, very rewarding, and really just down to fantastic team work. This team has been at war on a few issues this year, but I think it has come through that and we now want to win some more races."
I predict Ferrari and McLaren back to being dominant next year :O

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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by JoostLamers » 27 Jul 2009, 10:00

Kissing scene!
Image
<<<The flag Lew1s waved at
Image

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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by phil1993 » 27 Jul 2009, 10:20

This is the first time that Hamilton has claimed 2 victories on the same track:

Hungaroring (2)
Monaco (1)
Melbourne (1)
Indy (1)
Montreal (1)
Silverstone (1)
Shanghai (1)
Hockenheim (1)
Fuji (1)

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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by Zack » 27 Jul 2009, 10:39

phil1993 wrote: I predict Ferrari and McLaren back to being dominant next year :O
I feel Hungary was one off ... so may be Ferrari has lost chance to win ''hmm''

I don't follow Mclaren's development so not sure but for Ferrari all upgrade and development are in relation to 2010.
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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by phil1993 » 27 Jul 2009, 10:41

McLaren said that after Valencia they're ceasing development on the MP4/24

Image

Vettel's bro has his sights set on a different team :lol:

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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by Jaguar » 27 Jul 2009, 11:26

The Immortal Dragon wrote:Raikkonen a penalty?
What for?
For finding space between Hamilton and Vettel?
Or for avoiding Hamilton at the exit of turn 1 and slightly touch Vettel?

Oh come on, that's racing guys.
If you don't want to see these things start watching snooker instead.
Don't take this a personal critic but its a global one ...

Rules to be a Ferrari fan :

Rule #1 : Ferrari is always right , Their drivers are never wrong with their actions and reaction
Rule #2 : same as Rule #1
Rule #3 : read what Rule #1 say always

I'm sorry but this is the truth ... kimi ,massa , michael , irvine , rubens were never wrong in case they did something wrong ... Webber almost touched Rubens's car @ German gp he was handed a drive through , Kimi climbed almost on Vettel's car he will be investigated after the race and then he's cleared ! it seems Ferrari International Alliance (FIA) is back to play its role on ground i'm sorry but its totaly bulls**

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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by luque75 » 27 Jul 2009, 11:48

Jaguar wrote:
The Immortal Dragon wrote:Raikkonen a penalty?
What for?
For finding space between Hamilton and Vettel?
Or for avoiding Hamilton at the exit of turn 1 and slightly touch Vettel?

Oh come on, that's racing guys.
If you don't want to see these things start watching snooker instead.
Don't take this a personal critic but its a global one ...

Rules to be a Ferrari fan :

Rule #1 : Ferrari is always right , Their drivers are never wrong with their actions and reaction
Rule #2 : same as Rule #1
Rule #3 : read what Rule #1 say always

I'm sorry but this is the truth ... kimi ,massa , michael , irvine , rubens were never wrong in case they did something wrong ... Webber almost touched Rubens's car @ German gp he was handed a drive through , Kimi climbed almost on Vettel's car he will be investigated after the race and then he's cleared ! it seems Ferrari International Alliance (FIA) is back to play its role on ground i'm sorry but its totaly bulls**
Guys, let's face it: F1 is F1 because the alliance between Ferrari and FIA, i'm a HUGE fan of Ferrari, but I don't agree whit the decisions made in order to favor the scuderia. Alwas has been this way. It's a shame but true. Let's hope in the future this favors don't harm the spirit of the sport.

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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by blizzard » 27 Jul 2009, 13:46

Bla Bla Bla the sky is blue and water is wet.
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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by blizzard » 27 Jul 2009, 13:48

joostlamers wrote:Kissing scene!
Image

Lewis = good, respect and congratz to him
Nicole = b***! Using poor Lewis for her own publicity. She would even sleep with Anthony, if that could increase her next album´s sales. That type of woman. Can´t stand her.
Image

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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by mountford » 27 Jul 2009, 14:48

blizzard wrote:
joostlamers wrote:Kissing scene!
Image

Lewis = good, respect and congratz to him
Nicole = b***! Using poor Lewis for her own publicity. She would even sleep with Anthony, if that could increase her next album´s sales. That type of woman. Can´t stand her.
Jealous much? :lol:
Takuma Sato>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>You

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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by TwistedArmco » 27 Jul 2009, 14:58

Off-Topic: show
She looks like a drag-queen in the wrong light. When she's in the right light, you can see the amount of make-up that needs to be caked on to achieve the right look. Plus, as Phil says, she has the IQ of a peanut, the subtlety and grace of an Essex ladette, and is clearly just one of these singers/dancers who record companies love, because they're interchangeable, faceless celebrities who can be used as a medium for other people's songs to achieve success for the record company.

The world has been going down the chute from day 1, and the fact that people like her music and think that she is some kind of role model for life makes me distrust people generally. Plus she's really not that hot. Laetitia Casta, yes please. :p
No, I'm not calmer. Just more jaded.

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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by mikhailv » 27 Jul 2009, 15:24

I cant stand lewis' girlfriend nicole. You can see her change when she knows theres cameras on her. but then, Lewis does the same thing.

Also, news in is that Massa has damage to the left eye, and that upto yet it seems to have no major affect, however, they cannot tell the extent of it....

.... i fear his career might be over. I love massa, he's a great bloke, and a damn good, maturing driver.

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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by phil1993 » 27 Jul 2009, 15:28

mikhailv wrote:he's a great bloke, and a damn good, maturing driver.
Couldn't agree more. I first started watching F1 in 2004 and saw him as a maturing driver then in 2005 he outperformed JV. When I watched 2002 races I was shocked at how ragged he was, then he went back to his old ways in 2006 before Rob Smedley transformed him in the latter half of the said season. He was improving so much (like a fine wine, as Brundle says) and got better every race - there's no way the Ferrari deserved the points it got with him at the wheel but he managed to get them so Massa's withdrawal (at the moment) is bad for the team and for the sport, to lose such a talented and friendly bloke. Hopefully he'll be back, but if he does return, will he ever be the same again? Most drivers are; some get better, but then there are those that cannot perform at the same rate at which they did prior to a major crash. Reports were that he may have slurred speech, so that obviously isn't good. And of course an eye injury would prohibit him from F1 sadly.

The most important thing is that he can be a good father to his kid (a son I think, whom he will name after his father) when Raffaela gives birth in November

Forza Felipe

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Re: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post by phil1993 » 27 Jul 2009, 15:52

Maybe McLaren will win the next 7 races and Hamilton will win the title by 1 point from Button who will finish the next 7 races 6 or 7th with Webber and Vettel struck by bad luck in terms of reliability and Barrichello slow :rofl:

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