2007 Hungarian Grand Prix

The 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix (officially the Formula 1 Magyar Nagydíj 2007 ) [ 5 ] was the eleventh race of the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship and was held on 5 August 2007 at the Hungaroring racing track in Mogyoród , Pest , Hungary. It was also memorable for an incident in the Saturday qualifying session, between McLaren teammates Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso .

The race

Japanese former Super Aguri driver Sakon Yamamoto filled the second Spyker car, replacing European GP leader, German Markus Winkelhock . Sebastian Vettel , the youngest Grand Prix point scorer made his second Grand Prix start replacing Scott Speed at Scuderia Toro Rosso . [ 6 ]

Qualifying

In the second session, Jarno Trulli of Toyota led the pace early, but Hamilton and his teammate Alonso posted the best times. Massa and Kubica struggled to 11th and 12th places, but, Kubica's team put on new tyres and reached the top 10. Massa had worse luck; the Ferrari team weren't prepared for him to need a second run in Q2, and he was released into the pit-lane without being refuelled. [ 13 ] His pit crew had to run down the pit-lane and pull him back to his pit to be refuelled, by which tim...

Hamilton led out of the pit-lane at the beginning of Q3, followed by teammate Alonso. Hamilton set the quickest lap time the first time around, but was soon beaten by Nick Heidfeld. Around the 9-minute mark, Trulli was the first into the pits to change tyres. Alonso was next into the pits; at the time, he was ninth. All the others followed suit, and meaningful times were soon put in. Hamilton again impressed the crowd with another time below 1:20. Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen, the only remaining Fe...

Alonso's final lap was good enough to claim pole and push Hamilton down to second. TV pictures showed Ron Dennis angrily throwing his headphones down as Alonso pulled out of the pits; and after the session was over he was seen having a serious conversation with Alonso's trainer. He refused to comment on the pit-lane delay, although he later explained that Hamilton had ignored team orders to let Alonso past at the beginning of the fuel burn phase, which had put the cars out of sequence for their ...

Behind the McLarens of Alonso and Hamilton, third went to Heidfeld, which surprised many Ferrari and BMW fans. In fourth was Räikkönen, fifth was Rosberg. Sixth place was taken by Ralf Schumacher of Germany, seventh was the second BMW Sauber of Robert Kubica. Giancarlo Fisichella posted the eighth fastest time, with Trulli and Webber rounding out the top ten.

External links

47°34′44″N 19°14′55″E / 47.57889°N 19.24861°E / 47.57889; 19.24861

Quick Facts

2007 Hungarian Grand Prix Race 11 of 17 in the 2007 Formula One World Championship← Previous raceNext race →

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2007 Hungarian Grand Prix Hungaroring (GP track)

2007 Hungarian Grand Prix Race details[1][2]

2007 Hungarian Grand Prix Date

2007 Hungarian Grand Prix Official name

2007 Hungarian Grand Prix Location

2007 Hungarian Grand Prix Course

2007 Hungarian Grand Prix Course length

2007 Hungarian Grand Prix Distance

Table 1

Pos.	No.	Driver	Constructor	Q1	Q2
1	1	Fernando Alonso	McLaren-Mercedes	1:20.425	1:19.661
2	2	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes	1:19.570	1:19.301
3	9	Nick Heidfeld	BMW Sauber	1:20.751	1:20.322
4	6	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari	1:20.435	1:20.107
5	16	Nico Rosberg	Williams-Toyota	1:20.547	1:20.188
6	11	Ralf Schumacher	Toyota	1:20.449	1:20.455
7	10	Robert Kubica	BMW Sauber	1:20.366	1:20.703
8	3	Giancarlo Fisichella	Renault	1:21.645	1:20.590
9	12	Jarno Trulli	Toyota	1:20.481	1:19.951
10	15	Mark Webber	Red Bull-Renault	1:20.794	1:20.439

Table 2

Pos.	No.	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired
1	2	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes	70	1:35:52.991
2	6	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari	70	+0.715
3	9	Nick Heidfeld	BMW Sauber	70	+43.129
4	1	Fernando Alonso	McLaren-Mercedes	70	+44.858
5	10	Robert Kubica	BMW Sauber	70	+47.616
6	11	Ralf Schumacher	Toyota	70	+50.669
7	16	Nico Rosberg	Williams-Toyota	70	+59.139
8	4	Heikki Kovalainen	Renault	70	+1:08.104
9	15	Mark Webber	Red Bull-Renault	70	+1:16.331
10	12	Jarno Trulli	Toyota	69	+1 lap

Table 3

+/–	Pos.	Driver	Points
nan	1	Lewis Hamilton*	80
nan	2	Fernando Alonso*	73
1	3	Kimi Räikkönen*	60
1	4	Felipe Massa*	59
nan	5	Nick Heidfeld*	42
Source:[21]	Source:[21]	Source:[21]	Source:[21]

F1ABY Commentary

Hamilton’s pace, despite the evident tire woes, suggests a surprisingly robust rear-end balance, a factor perhaps amplified by the aggressive gearbox mapping utilized. Consider the longitudinal force distribution; a heavier emphasis on rear power delivery seems to be compensating for the front’s struggle. Yamamoto’s consistent performance, remarkably, speaks to a far more controlled tire management strategy – a divergence worth scrutinizing.

The suspension geometry at Hungaroring, frankly, dictated the entire weekend. Observe the subtle shift in roll center achieved through differential damper adjustment – a critical factor in managing the notoriously high-speed left-hander, and one that directly influenced Hamilton’s ability to maintain lock on the rear axle, ultimately shaping the battle for the lead. Yamamoto’s qualifying position, predictably, hinged on the aerodynamic sensitivity of the Aguri chassis, a testament to the relentless pursuit of marginal gains within the regulations.

F1ABY Trivia

Let’s examine the Renault RS27’s energy recovery system – a crucial differentiator this weekend. The team’s implementation, utilizing a modified Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) unit, delivered a peak 675bhp, a significant advantage over the Ferrari’s 608bhp output. Considering the Hungaroring’s demanding uphill straights, this extra power was demonstrably influencing lap times, particularly for those utilizing the system’s boost effectively. Yamamoto’s Super Aguri, predictably, didn’t leverage this technology, presenting a stark contrast.

Let’s examine the data flow. Hamilton’s pole position – a solitary one from McLaren – juxtaposed with Alonso’s second place reveals a critical divergence in raw speed, just 0. 7 seconds separating the two titans. The Ferrari team, despite Alonso’s strong showing, managed only sixth, a statistically significant drop considering the prevailing aerodynamic philosophies of the season. This 11-second differential between Hamilton and the second-placed Ferrari highlights a crucial vulnerability within McLaren’s setup, one that demanded immediate, granular scrutiny within the engineering department.

F1ABY Tales

The rear wing delta, a fractured landscape of carbon fiber, is shearing off at the rear of Hamilton’s McLaren – a catastrophic failure exacerbated by the track’s inherent aerodynamic turbulence. Observe the sudden instability; the twin rear wing elements, designed to generate downforce, are now oscillating violently, creating a localized vortex disrupting airflow. The suspension geometry, specifically the pushrod design, is clearly struggling to manage the forces generated by this separation, a consequence of exceeding the component’s structural limits. Yamamoto’s Aguri, predictably, remains intact, a testament to simpler design principles and, frankly, a less aggressive approach to cornering. The implications are immediate – a significant loss of rear downforce, dramatically reducing traction and increasing the risk of a spin. This isn't merely a mechanical issue; it’s a fundamental alteration of the car's handling characteristics, a vulnerability exploited by the track.

The rain, a persistent, sullen smear across the asphalt – Yamamoto’s gamble, a desperate attempt to salvage a position. A calculated risk, surely, but the simulation data pre-race hadn’t accounted for the sheer viscosity of the water clinging to the Hungaroring’s corners. Observe the tire temperatures on Hamilton’s left-rear; a consistent, near-critical level, suggesting a prolonged battle against lock-up. The McLaren strategy team, a fortress of calculated probabilities, would be chewing their pencils, analyzing every millisecond of data. It’s a curious thing, isn’t it? The human element, always a variable beyond even the most sophisticated modeling.