The Hungarian Grand Prix was the fourth most popular race of the season so far.
Here’s what F1 Fanatic readers made of round 11 of the championship.
MlRacing put much of the excitement down to strategy:
It was a very interesting race strategy wise, but not action packed like China, Canada, Monaco.
Some periods of the race even looked a bit boring, which wasn?t necessarily the case, but it was basically just waiting to see who made the right call(s).
MlRacing
Many others, including Damon Smedley, appreciated the thrill of the racing in close proximity:
The start was fantastic and my heart was pounding as Hamilton and Vettel were battling.
The rain shower in the middle of the race made for some great racing between the McLarens, but it?s a shame Hamilton made the mistake of trying to spin the car into the traffic, because the resulting penalty cost us a classic finish.
Damon Smedley
Debaser91 had some advice for Lewis Hamilton, as many readers felt his poor strategy cost him a win:
In future in changeable conditions when Hamilton?s race engineer comes on the radio and asks him what he wants to do regarding tyres, if I were Hamilton I would ask them to get onto Button and ask what he thinks and then follow his lead.
Debaser91
ratings so far
| China | 9.241 |
| Canada | 9.095 |
| Germany | 8.43 |
| Hungary | 8.344 |
| Britain | 7.96 |
| Malaysia | 7.775 |
| Monaco | 7.684 |
| Spain | 7.319 |
| Turkey | 7.306 |
| Australia | 6.751 |
| Europe | 3.871 |
MJ4 would like to see Sauber change their strategies to avoid “Kobayashi trains” becoming a regular feature:
I find it utterly disappointing that while Sauber has a truly combative and overtaking-oriented pilot, their recent strategies invariably force him into hopeless defensive situations.
MJ4
However Stefanauss argued that the team were simply sticking to their strengths on an unpredictable track:
It?s clear they?re often going this way because it?s in the characteristics of their car to be easy on the tyres. And it has often paid off. […]
Given the track’s rollercoaster evolution… the outcome could not be a real sign of regress in the pecking order after all.
Stefanauss
Ben Curly saw the result in terms of the championship:
If Vettel continues to be on podium in every Grand Prix, it’s over. For anyone else to stand a chance, Vettel would have to regularly finish outside the top three, preferably outside the top ten. That seems unlikely, if not outright impossible.
And even if Vettel gives us this gift, we still need one driver to stand out and be considerably better than the others. If Alonso, Hamilton, Webber and Button continue to share the points, none of them will be able to bridge the gap.
Ben Curly
And finally, Matty55 simply seemed very happy with the race:
I?m so glad that F1 is in a period where most races are really exciting and that we have so many great drivers racing against each other.
Hope it stays this way for a long time!
Matty55
Was the Hungarian Grand Prix up there with the best of the year? Have your say in the comments.
2011 Hungarian Grand Prix
- Rate the race result: 2011 Hungarian Grand Prix
- 2011 Hungarian GP: complete race weekend review
- Vote for your 2011 Hungarian GP driver of the weekend
- McLaren: Button made call to stay out during rain
- Red Bull: Vettel says he had the pace to win
- Ferrari: Alonso salvages podium after Webber delay
- Force India: Di Resta claims best result so far
- Toro Rosso: Buemi races to eighth from 23rd
- Renault: No points for first time since 2010
- Sauber: Two-stop gamble fails for Kobayashi
Image ?? Red Bull/Getty images
BasCB (@bascb)
13th August 2011, 11:09
I think I go with Matty55 here and just enjoy the racing, as there really is no realistic perspective to see an exiting battle for the championship.
And who knows, maybe its better not really to have to think about the consequences for the championships, as it enables us to really soak up the action.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
13th August 2011, 12:18
I think that given the absolutely outstanding season we had last year, having the polarisation of dominance this year does make it enjoyable still. Watching the World Champion draw out such a huge lead is what World Champions are about and i’m personally happy to enjoy Vettel’s second title come to him. Of course, if he continues for another 2 or 3 years it MIGHT get tedious, but it’s up to the other teams to pull their finger out, not down to him to fail.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
13th August 2011, 11:36
The first link in that list at the bottom links back to this very page – was it meant to link to the actual Rate the Race page? If not, I think that would be a good idea anyhow.
I would say it was the third best race of the year, slightly edging Germany because it had a lot more drama. Germany was one of those classic races in the old style, not needing mass overtaking to spice it up, but quality overtaking of ultimate significance (i.e. the lead).
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
13th August 2011, 11:44
No, the link in the first paragraph does.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
13th August 2011, 11:46
Haha, fail. I need an eye test.
Rhys Coles (@lightmas)
13th August 2011, 12:03
Rubbish, its just a load of anti Red Bull fans. Every race that a Red Bull hasent won is a the top (and the top 4 happen to be Mclaren wins…this is a British site so…to be expected) lol
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
13th August 2011, 12:20
And Keith will tell you that the majority of users are NOT British.
I agree with the top 4. People always like an underdog to win or at the very least an unexpected result, which McLaren gave us a couple of.
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
13th August 2011, 15:05
It’s not at all. I’m not British, but I agree with the ratings completely. I think people were a bit harsh on Valencia for two reasons:
a) All of the races this year up until that point had been classics.
b) Not many people like the Valencia round, and by giving it a poor vote, it shows the fans aren’t happy with it being on the calendar. It won’t amount to anything if Valencia is giving Bernie money, but all of the negative comments about the event must give them something to think about.
But you can’t simply put it down to the fact a British driver happened to win the top 4 races, because those top 4 races have been the top 4 races of this season in every way. I think it shows that it takes extraordinary circumstances for someone to challenge Vettel, and when it happens, people get excited. I’m sure if Hamilton was dominating the season and Vettel started to make a comeback and started snatching wins from Lewis after amazing battles, the races would be rated equally as high. Sometimes the result, and what it means for the championship can have a big influence on how we vote. Well, it does for me, anyway.
Rhys Coles (@lightmas)
14th August 2011, 10:57
China was no more exciting than Turkey for example, its just Lewis won. The same with Hungary, the race was won easily by Mclaren, but Button won. Monaco was awesome as was Malaysia. It dosent matter if Red Bull are sort of British, they seem to be the enemy, spend Sunday morning on Twitter and the amount of negative things said against Seb is a lot, because he is dominating.
It would be interesting to see which races have been voted highly historically on F1 Fanatic.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
14th August 2011, 11:49
Rubbish. The lead changed hands, what, four or five laps from the end? How often does that happen in F1?
I re-watched Turkey the other day for an article, it was a decent race but at no stage was the winner in any doubt. That wasn’t the case in China and that’s why it’s rated higher.
As usual, it’s the minority accusing everyone else of ‘nationality bias’ who have the blinkers on.
Rhys Coles (@lightmas)
14th August 2011, 23:49
I didnt say the races were rubbish, I just can not belive its a complete coincidence the top 5 are non Red Bull wins, with the top 4 being all and Mclarens only wins.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
14th August 2011, 23:56
And I didn’t say that you said that – I said your Turkey-China comparison was rubbish.
matt90 (@matt90)
13th August 2011, 15:28
Maybe it’s a load of anti HRT fans. HRT didn’t win any of the top races- not even on the podium! Or maybe it’s a load of anti vowel fans- all the top races start with consonants! Conspiracy! Or maybe (more likely) it’s a load of anti ‘boring races’ fans.
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
15th August 2011, 4:05
Can’t believe that didn’t get COTD matt90! Brilliant! :P
Tom
13th August 2011, 22:51
Red Bull is a UK-based team, the team principal is British, and the car was designed by a Brit.
Theoddkiwi
13th August 2011, 12:37
“In future in changeable conditions when Hamilton’s race engineer comes on the radio and asks him what he wants to do regarding tyres, if I were Hamilton I would ask them to get onto Button and ask what he thinks and then follow his lead.
Debaser91”
Or perhaps the team should give the same information to both drivers. They told Hamilton it was going to rain for 15mins, then they told Button the rain was only affecting sector one.
How does the team expect its drivers to make the right decisions if they are giving different information to each driver. If Button had been told it was going to rain for 15min you wonder what he might have decided to do.
Hamilton was further hampered by the team not being able to hear his radio transmissions
Either way Hamilton lost the lead because they put him out on the supersofts then two laps later put Button out on the Softs. If was clear Hamilton would have to stop again and probable that Button would not.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
13th August 2011, 12:48
Interested to hear why you think they didn’t.
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
15th August 2011, 4:10
I see where you’re coming from, but you have to remember we only get to hear about 1/100000th of the team radio from the race. I’m sure they would have told both drivers the same thing, but FOM aren’t going to air the same message twice to 2 different drivers within the same team. Besides, it would be completely illogical for McLaren to throw all of their support behind either of their drivers, especially Button, who is despite winning on the weekend, still further away from the championship lead than his team mate.
TommyB (@tommyb89)
13th August 2011, 14:35
Couldn’t agree with Matty55 any more. I am loving this period of F1! Give it twenty years and 2010-2011 will be the golden era of F1.
UKfanatic (@)
13th August 2011, 14:47
Top three won by Mclaren, no surprise after so many predictable Vettel victories just like last season, anyway a bit surprise to see the british gp so low I know that Hamilton failed to win but it was maybe the second best race of the season, maybe cause it was damp but in terms of real fight it was the best the others were heavily affected by tyre strategy.
matt90 (@matt90)
13th August 2011, 15:31
I think it’s just that the 4 races above it had more action at the very front. Once Alonso took the lead in Silverstone that was it for the fight for the lead. The other 4 had more action at the front for more of the race. That Silverstone is 5th shows how great the other races have been this season.
timi
13th August 2011, 15:31
lol this is such a formula 1 summer break article
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
13th August 2011, 15:38
It’s part of a series being done for every race – the rate the race polls have been going on here for a few years now!
timi
14th August 2011, 15:32
i posted this comment on the wrong article, i always have a few tabs of different articles open and must have gotten confused
Rocky (@rocky)
13th August 2011, 16:41
“lol this is such a formula 1 summer break article”
Unclear as to why you would think a comment of this nature is even required?
It is summer break and in times like these the good followers are looking for stuff to keep us amused.
May I suggest not logging in during summer break and giving us a break!
Excellent work Keith Thanks for all you do.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
13th August 2011, 18:41
This time last year I was having serious F1 withdrawl symptons. At least I can come and share in this experience with other F1 fans.
sumedh
13th August 2011, 16:24
After looking at the ratings of the races, I must say I was wrong by accusing this site of being biased towards British.
The site is more anti-Vettel than anything else. Alonso, Webber, Hamilton, Button wins are all appreciated. Which is why you see Alonso and Button winning driver of the weekend three times each.
Only thing wrong with here is that it cannot say one word good about Vettel or Vettel wins.
DryYoshi
13th August 2011, 19:25
I don’t get how the German GP was better than this. Obvious Hamiilton favouritism again…
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
13th August 2011, 21:30
We didn’t have changeable conditions for a start.
TomD11 (@tomd11)
14th August 2011, 10:35
Why? Germany was similar to Turkey last year, in that until Vettel decided to get better acquainted with his teammate’s car, it was more tense than dramatic, which in my book can be just as enjoyable. The top drivers all pushing all race, pushing each other to the limit, with every tenth being crucial. I really enjoyed it, just like I enjoyed the Spanish GP, where Lewis was pushing Seb all race long. Just because it wasn’t full of incident doesn’t mean its automatically boring. Just watch Monaco ’92.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
14th August 2011, 3:56
Europe got 3.871,just goes to show given how much technology you have in a GP car for overtaking if you don’t have the circuit around you it don’t work.
BasCB (@bascb)
14th August 2011, 12:43
That’s for sure!
Damon (@damon)
14th August 2011, 9:26
One has to admit this season’s been full of awesome races. Most of the top races here where rainy.
TomD11 (@tomd11)
14th August 2011, 10:39
I just hope that next year we can have a championship battle just as exciting as the races.