2003 Hungarian Grand Prix

The 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix (formally the Marlboro Magyar Nagydíj 2003 ) was a Formula One motor race held on 24 August 2003 at the Hungaroring , Mogyoród , Pest , Hungary. It was the thirteenth round of the 2003 Formula One season . The 70-lap race was won by Renault 's Fernando Alonso after starting from pole position, scoring his first F1 win and becoming at the time the youngest ever driver to win a Grand Prix, beating the previous record of Bruce McLaren . [ 4 ] This record lasted for ove...

It was the first to be held under the newly revamped Hungaroring, with the main straight lengthened and the first hairpin tightened, as well as further alterations near the latter stages of the lap in order to encourage more overtaking.

Three teams in the 2003 Constructors' Championship had the right to run a third car on Friday's additional testing. These drivers were not scheduled to compete in qualifying or the race.

Alonso, starting from pole on the clean side of the track, made a clean start and lead into the first corner, while the two Williams of Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya , who had started second and fourth respectively on the dirty line had difficulty getting away and were down to around tenth place by the first corner, being compounded by Schumacher's spin at the second corner.

The McLaren-Mercedes of Kimi Räikkönen managed to climb to third on the opening lap from his grid position of seventh. With Mark Webber struggling in second place, Alonso managed to gain 7s in the first three laps and 21s in the first 13 laps before being forced to pit for fuel. Webber, who had also light-fueled to a high qualifying position, also pitted. Alonso reentered the track in second place, just behind Räikkönen, while Webber dropped much further down the field. At the end of the 16th la...

On lap 17 Jacques Villeneuve 's BAR came to a halt with a hydraulic failure before Michael Schumacher pitted, and was passed by Montoya while in the pits, who had been able to do a quicker lap while not being held up by Schumacher. On the following lap, David Coulthard , the last of the front-runners, who had been in front of both Schumacher and Montoya, pitted for a very long fuel stop, re-entering behind both. On lap 19, the Ferrari of Rubens Barrichello suffered a left rear suspension failure...

Alonso's teammate Jarno Trulli led a train of Montoya, Michael and Ralf Schumacher in a train of cars battling for fourth place, when Ralf overtook his brother on the 28th lap. Alonso and Webber were again the first to have a second fuel stop, on lap 30 and 31 respectively but this time Alonso had enough of a lead to re-enter the track ahead of Räikkönen while Webber dropped to ninth after his stop.

Trulli pitted on the next lap, allowing the faster Williams duo of Montoya and Ralf Schumacher into clear air to set fast laps required to jump him, after Räikkönen rejoined after his pit stop behind them, therefore not causing any impedance. Ralf Schumacher immediately pitted on the next lap and rejoined ahead of Trulli but behind Webber who set a fast lap. Montoya set the fastest lap of the race on the next lap, and pitted on the next, exiting in front of Webber as well as Ralf Schumacher and ...

Following the Hungarian GP, Ferrari complained about Michelin front tyres used by its competitors, which, according to the complaint, were wider than allowed towards the end of the race and thereafter. Michelin had to narrow its tyres by the next race . [ clarification needed ] [ citation needed ]

Notes

47°34′56″N 19°14′59″E  /  47.58222°N 19.24972°E  / 47.58222; 19.24972