Hungarian GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

The Hungarian GP celebrated its 30th with a heart-pounding, hair-raising race. One that we won't forget anytime soon.

     Before the race started, the drivers formed a circle for a moment of silence, along with Bianchi's parents, sister and brother. Bianchi's passing last week left the world of motorsport and most of the world in general, in mourning. Tributes, flags, stickers and shirts were seen all around Hungaroring. Whether it was family, the fans or the drivers, Jules was in everyone's hearts and will always be.

     When the lights were about to go out, instead of that, we saw green & yellow lights blinking above the circuit. An aborted start. Why? Felipe Massa was out of position on the grid. (Massa was later given a 5-Second-Drive-Through-Penalty for such action). Drivers went for another formation lap which caused the race to be cut down to 69 laps. Afterwards, they all lined back up and it was time for the start of the race.

     On the opening lap, it was clear Ferrari was eager to leave Mercedes in the dust. Sebastian Vettel went straight past Hamilton and Rosberg while his team-mate, Raikkonen, followed Vettel and did the same. A little farther back, Ricciardo & Bottas made contact, leaving Ricciardo slightly airbourne. Rosberg & Hamilton battled it out behind the Ferrari's and Rosberg got the advantage, with Hamilton ending up running off the track and into some gravel. This pushed the driver all the way back to 10th from his original starting position on Pole. Not a good start to the race for him.

     On Lap 19, Kimi Raikkonen witnessed a piece of his front wing come flying off of his Ferrari without any warning. He told the team over the radio what had happened and the team was quick to get a new front wing ready. He pitted and got it fixed but that was only the first of his mechanical issues during this race.

     Only 1 lap later, Pastor Maldonado & Sergio Perez got into an intense battle while Perez was passing the Lotus drivers. Maldonado didn't quite move over enough and ended up colliding with Perez, sending him into the dirt after a spin. While Perez was able to go on, he later retired on lap 54 due to brake issues. Maldonado was given 2 penalty points and a 5-Second-Time-Penalty for causing the collision.

    Meanwhile in the pits, Lotus found themselves in more trouble after an unsafe release. Grosjean almost crashed into Massa while leaving the pits and ended up with a 5-Second-Time-Penalty and 2 penalty points to his license as well.

     Nico Hulkenberg was the first driver to retire from the race. As he headed down the short straight right before turn 1, his front wing suddenly collapsed and flew under his car. It was smashed into bits, causing debris to fly towards Kvyat who was behind him. Hulkenberg lost front suspension mobility and went flying into a tyre-barrier, narrowly missing Bottas who was in front of him. Hulkenberg got out of the car, uninjured, but unfortunately it was a bad ending for the Force India team, especially with Perez later retiring as well.

     in the later laps around 48 & 49 there was a slight collision between Hamilton and Ricciardo with the two touching wheels and bits flying off Hamilton's front wing, which he ended up needing changed. Hamilton was given a Drive-Through-Penalty for this and also 2 penalty points.

     Sebastian Vettel continued to impress as he lead the race, something we haven't seen since the beginning of the year. However, for Raikkonen things were soon to be over at Hungaroring. He told the team over radio that there seemed to be something wrong with the car and the team was quick to tell him that they'd lost the MGU-K. This meant he was losing performance and speed. He later went to the pits as the engine seemed to die down. The pit-crew managed to restart the car, but Kimi unfortunately retired on lap 57.

       Both Bottas and Rosberg suffered late-race tyre punctures. They'd been in the top 10, battling for points. Bottas ended up back in 14th and Rosberg 8th. Meanwhile, more penalties were being handed out. Verstappen got a Drive-Through-Penalty for speeding under the safety car after Hulkenberg's crash and also 3 penalty points to his license. Maldonado got a Drive-Through-Penalty for speeding in Pit-Lane and also a 10-Second-Time-Penalty for overtaking during the safety car. Daniil Kvyat received a 10-Second-Time-Penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. He also got 2 penalty points added to his license.

     While it was a good day for Max Verstappen, finishing in 4th, it was an unfortunate end for his team-mate, Carlos Sainz, who retired on lap 62 due to loss of power from an engine problem.

      Sebastian Vettel went on to win the race and he dedicated his win to Jules Bianchi. Daniil Kvyat got his first podium, finishing second ahead of third-place-finisher & team-mate, Daniel Ricciardo, who won the race last year. McLaren also had reason to celebrate as both cars finished in the points with Alonso in 5th and Button in 9th.

Now we have quite a few weeks before the race at Spa in Belgium, which is always a crowd favorite.

Here are the race results.

RESULTS:

1. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 25 Points
2. Daniil Kvyat / Red Bull-Renault / Russia / + 18 Points
3. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-Renault / Australia / + 15 Points
4. Max Verstappen / Toro Rosso-Renault / Netherlands / + 12 Points
5. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / + 10 Points
6. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 8 Points
7. Romain Grosjean / Lotus-Mercedes / France / + 6 Points
8. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 4 Points
9. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain / + 2 Points
10. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / + 1 Point
11. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil
12. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil
13. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland
14. Pastor Maldonado / Lotus-Mercedes / Venezuela 
15. Roberto Merhi / Manor-Ferrari / Spain
16. Will Stevens / Manor-Ferrari / Great Britain
RETIRED - Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain / Engine
RETIRED - Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / Engine
RETIRED - Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / Brakes
RETIRED - Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / Accident/Front Wing

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Hungarian GP: Qualifying - Results

It's almost time for the last race before F1 goes on Summer Break. So, let's take a look at how the grid lines up for the Hungarian GP. Lewis Hamilton will start on pole.

STARTING GRID:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany

3. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

4. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-Renault / Australia

5. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

6. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland

7. Daniil Kvyat / Red Bull-Renault / Russia

8. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

9. Max Verstappen / Toro Rosso-Renault / Netherlands

10. Romain Grosjean / Lotus-Mercedes / France

11. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany

12. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain

13. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

14. Pastor Maldonado / Lotus-Mercedes / Venezuela

15. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

16. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

17. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

18. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

19. Roberto Merhi / Manor-Ferrari / Spain

20. Will Stevens / Manor-Ferrari / Great Britain

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Hungarian GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Results

The good weather continued in FP3 while the cars got to work gathering last minute data in their last practice session.

No huge dramas on track apart from a few lock-ups and such. Force India was back to running after missing out on FP2 due to an investigation on both of their cars after Perez had a crash in FP1.

Mercedes dominated the session with a 1-2 finish while Vettel rounded up the top 3.

Here are the times from the session.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:22.997 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Nico Rosberg - 1:23.095 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:23.886 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Daniil Kvyat - 1:24.215 / Red Bull-Renault

5. Carlos Sainz - 1:24.326 / Toro Rosso-Renault

6. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:24.483 / Force India-Mercedes

7. Max Verstappen - 1:24.678 / Toro Rosso-Renault

8. Fernando Alonso - 1:24.846 / McLaren-Honda

9. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:24.929 / Red Bull-Renault

10. Romain Grosjean - 1:24.941 / Lotus-Mercedes

11. Pastor Maldonado - 1:24.953 / Lotus-Mercedes

12. Felipe Massa - 1:25.094 / Williams-Mercedes

13. Jenson Button - 1:25.229 / McLaren-Honda

14. Valtteri Bottas - 1:25.345 / Williams-Mercedes

15. Sergio Perez - 1:25.393 / Force India-Mercedes

16. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:25.661 / Ferrari-Ferrari

17. Felipe Nasr - 1:26.060 / Sauber-Ferrari

18. Marcus Ericsson - 1:26.095 / Sauber-Ferrari

19. Will Stevens - 1:28.757 / Manor-Ferrari

20. Roberto Merhi - 1:28.908 / Manor-Ferrari

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Hungarian GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Results

More lovely weather in the Second practice session. The sun continued to glow around the circuit and the heat was quite intense.

Force India chose not to run in this session while they investigated the cause behind Sergio Perez's FP1 crash. The team decided it was safest if Hulkenberg did not run, even though his car had been fine in the beginning of the first session. 

Thankfully there were no accidents in this session. However there was a Red Flag when Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull began smoking. There was a loud 'Popping' noise and he quickly pulled the car over in an area of grass. He had suffered an engine/power unit failure. However, he will not take a penalty.

Here are the times from the session.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:23.949 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Daniil Kvyat - 1:24.300 / Red Bull-Renault

3. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:24.451 / Red Bull-Renault

4. Nico Rosberg - 1:24.668 / Mercedes-Mercedes

5. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:25.134 / Ferrari-Ferrari

6. Carlos Sainz - 1:25.599 / Toro Rosso-Renault

7. Sebastian Vettel - 1:25.660 / Ferrari-Ferrari

8. Fernando Alonso - 1:25.752 / McLaren-Honda

9. Valtteri Bottas - 1:25.881 / Williams-Mercedes

10. Felipe Massa - 1:25.920 / Williams-Mercedes

11. Max Verstappen - 1:25.935 / Toro Rosso-Renault

12. Jenson Button - 1:25.994 / McLaren-Honda

13. Pastor Maldonado - 1:26.090 / Lotus-Mercedes

14. Felipe Nasr - 1:26.379 / Sauber-Ferrari

15. Romain Grosjean - 1:26.442 / Lotus-Mercedes

16. Marcus Ericsson - 1:26.831 / Sauber-Ferrari

17. Roberto Merhi - 1:29.113 / Manor-Ferrari

18. Will Stevens - 1:29.115 / Manor-Ferrari

DID NOT RUN - Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes

DID NOT RUN - Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes

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Hungarian GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Results

The last F1 weekend before the big Summer Break has gotten underway. Before we talk about the session - We'd like to say that we are still thinking of Jules Bianchi & his family/friends at this difficult time. Teams & Drivers in F1, GP2 & GP3 all have tributes and mentions of Jules on their cars/helmets and are keeping him in their thoughts as well.

The weather in Hungary is nice and Sunny this weekend but it could change quicky as we saw in 2014. In this session, Jolyon Palmer drove for Lotus in Grosjean's car while Fabio Leimer drove in Roberto Merhi's Manor-Marussia.

There was 2 Red Flags in this session with the first being caused by a huge accident involving Sergio Perez. Due to right-rear suspension failure, the car spun out and tagged a barrier before becoming airbourne and flipping over. The car landed upside down. The team was quick to ask Perez if he was alright over the radio, with which he responded. "I'm OK" - He walked away from the accident unscathed and was taken to the on-site Medical Centre for precautionary checks. He was released minutes later. The car is severly damaged & repairs will take quite awhile.

Red Flag #2 was caused when Kimi Raikkonen's front wing collapsed off the car and was run over by the Ferrari. Bits and pieces of debri lined the track & He had to limp the car back to pit-lane.

Lotus missed out on most of the session due to late payments to Pirelli. However, Maldonado was still able to set a time at the end of the session, while Palmer was unlucky and the only driver not to set a time.

Here are the times from the session.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:25.141 / Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg - 1:25.250 / Mercedes-Mercedes
3. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:25.812 / Ferrari-Ferrari
4. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:26.053 / Red Bull-Renault
5. Daniil Kvyat - 1:26.070 / Red Bull-Renault
6. Sebastian Vettel - 1:26.395 / Ferrari-Ferrari
7. Carlos Sainz - 1:26.727 / Toro Rosso-Renault
8. Sergio Perez - 1:26.776 / Force India-Mercedes
9. Valtteri Bottas - 1:26.825 / Williams-Mercedes
10. Max Verstappen - 1:26.934 / Toro Rosso-Renault
11. Fernando Alonso - 1:27.272 / McLaren-Honda
12. Jenson Button - 1:27.308 / McLaren-Honda
13. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:27.317 / Force India-Mercedes
14. Felipe Massa - 1:27.381 / Williams-Mercedes
15. Felipe Nasr - 1:27.409 / Sauber-Ferrari
16. Marcus Ericsson - 1:27.732 / Sauber-Ferrari
17. Pastor Maldonado - 1:28.568 / Lotus-Mercedes
18. Will Stevens - 1:29.693 / Manor-Ferrari
19. Fabio Leimer* - 1:30.631 / Manor-Ferrari
20. Jolyon Palmer* - No Time Set / Lotus-Mercedes

* - Only driving in this session.

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Hungarian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

Preview Quotes - Mercedes


Lewis Hamilton - "Saying goodbye to Jules was incredibly hard for everyone. For myself, I wished I had known him better. But from what I knew of him, he was a kind heart with a great spirit and a bright future.  Now our sport embarks on a tough road ahead. We have been shown once more the dangers of our sport, that these should be respected and that we drivers commit ourselves to the chance that those dangers are there when we step into the car. We have made great progress for safety thus far and I know that the FIA will continue to make steps forward to improve even further. Hungary is a beautiful place, one of my favourites. I will be carrying Jules with me in my prayers and thoughts, not only this race but for the rest of my driving days. I know he'd want us to race hard as he did, and so I will."

Nico Rosberg - "It has been a very emotional week. The drivers paid our final respects to Jules and said farewell. He was a very talented driver and a good guy. My thoughts in these days are with his family and close friends. Everyone will be sharing the same feelings in the paddock this week – but we must race on and race hard for Jules as he would have wanted to be doing himself. It’s the final race before the team gets a well-earned break and I’ll be pushing as always to give everyone something positive to take into their holidays. It’s a tough track on the driver – narrow, very twisty and usually very hot. It’s one of those circuits where you can really show your skill and that makes it a good challenge. The race here last year wasn’t ideal for me in the end – but it’s a proper circuit, in a beautiful city, with big crowds always filling the grandstands, so I’m looking forward to it and hoping bring home a stronger result this time around."

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Hungarian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso


Carlos Sainz - "I enjoy racing at the Hungaroring. It’s a circuit that I know pretty well as I’ve raced there many times in the junior categories, finishing on the podium a few times. It’s definitely one of the historic European tracks that everyone loves going to! I think it could also be a circuit that suits the Toro Rosso car well, so I’m looking forward to the weekend. The very high air and track temperatures also mean it could be a challenge physically, so I’ve been training hard in warm conditions. It’s a very enjoyable layout to drive and its narrow and twisty nature means there’s little time to relax on a lap because there are no real straights. I’ve spent a bit of time in the centre of Budapest and I can say it is a really beautiful city, especially the parts close to the river Danube. It’s truly special.”

Max Verstappen - "I’ve raced at the Hungaroring in Formula 3 and it’s a bit of a Mickey Mouse track. I’m looking forward to racing there with an F1 car; I think the circuit will suit our car and I’m optimistic we can fight for a good result. This could be one of our best races of the season. Qualifying will be a key part of the weekend as in Hungary it is very difficult to overtake during the race, but, as always, I will do my best and try to overtake every time the opportunity arises. I have seen the city a bit and it’s one of the nicest we visit. After this race, we have our summer break, but I’m not really looking forward to it: I’d prefer to have another three races in the three weeks off!”

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Hungarian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

Preview Quotes - Williams


Valtteri Bottas - Budapest is a great city and hosts a great race. There are a lot of Finnish fans living in Hungary, but also many who make the trip for this race weekend so I always have a lot of support - it’s almost a Finnish Grand Prix. The circuit is very different from the last few because it’s much tighter with more medium and slow speed corners, but our development has been focused on tracks like this and generating higher down force. We should be looking to have a strong weekend and to build on the good momentum we have built.”

Felipe Massa - "Hungary is a special place for me. I have a lot of fans there after my accident in 2009 and since then the people have really got behind me which is great. Being so close to a city which has such fantastic culture really adds to the race weekend. This circuit wouldn’t normally suit our car because it’s quite low speed, but we have improved the car so much in recent races with the upgrades we have introduced so we should have another competitive weekend.”

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Hungarian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

Preview Quotes - McLaren


Fernando Alonso - "It's funny to think that both Jenson and I won our first grand prix in Hungary. That, of course, makes it a special place for me, and a venue that'll always hold good memories for me. I really like this place; it's a track that you really have to attack to get a good laptime, and, although it's often thought of as a slow circuit, the sweeps around the back of the circuit are all really satisfying, and require a lot of commitment. The left-hander at Turn Six, in particular, is a really great corner - approached blind over a crest, and really hard to nail perfectly. I think the team is looking forward to this race: the track will offer us a reasonable opportunity to showcase our steady progress, and I'd like to think that, if everything runs smoothly, we could have a less difficult weekend."

Jenson Button - "It's going to be a nice feeling to return to the Hungaroring with Honda power behind me, having last won a race for Honda at this very track back in 2006. Obviously, I have a place in my heart for this place i any driver's first grand prix victory is a special event - but, that aside, it's a place I've always enjoyed.

Although my race at Silverstone was extremely disappointing, Fernando's points finish was well deserved. There's been absolutely no let-up on the technical side - having personally seen the effort that's been going on at MTC, and heard about the work that's being done at Sakura, I know we're slowly but surely getting there. Of course, that's difficult to substantiate without decent results, but let's hope we can go into the summer break feeling confident about the second half of the season."

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Hungarian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

Preview Quotes - Sauber


Marcus Ericsson - "The Hungaroring is a difficult circuit - a small track, quite narrow, also bumpy, with a lot of corners. Budapest and its surroundings usually have extremely hot temperatures at the end of July, therefore, we require good tyre management and need to make sure they are working in the right way. That will be one of the big challenges. We have to see in practice how competitive we are on this type of track with the car. As far as I know a lot of Swedish fans are coming to the race, including more than a dozen friends of mine. So it will be nice seeing a lot of Swedish people around the track, and hopefully they can help to push me even more."

Felipe Nasr - "The Grand Prix in Budapest is always very challenging. This circuit has many combinations of corners and only short straights. The track is very demanding for the tyres. We need to have a lot of braking stability, as well as good traction. As a driver, on this track you feel as if you are busy all the time. You always have to be concentrating for the next corner. There is only a brief break on the main straight. The grip on the track improves from day to day. We must, therefore, rely on our experience  in order to anticipate grip level changes from day to day and adjust accordingly. Normally Budapest is a hot place during the whole grand prix weekend, and that can be really tricky for the tyre strategy. Overall I like racing there."

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Hungarian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

Preview Quotes - Force India


Nico Hulkenberg - “I've always had good memories of racing in Hungary, ever since I first raced there in 2009 in GP2. It’s an unusual track with a tight and twisty layout. You have to find your rhythm because all the corners flow into each other and it’s easy to lose your momentum with just a small mistake. Away from the track it’s always a popular race with everyone in the paddock. The weather is usually hot and sunny, and the city is beautiful with lots of cool places to explore.

The last race at Silverstone was a lot of fun. I’m very pleased with the B-Spec update and happy with our performance across the whole weekend. After the first couple of laps in the new car I knew we had made a step in the right direction and I had a smile on my face. We obviously need to keep exploring our package, but it was satisfying to get a good result at the team’s home race.

The engineers have spent the last couple of weeks digging deep into the data because we can’t afford to stand still. We need to keep pushing in this direction and getting more performance from the car. There’s a good feeling in the team and I think we can be competitive again this weekend. The low and medium-speed corners should suit us and the tyre choices are a bit softer than Silverstone, which should help us.”

Sergio Perez - "The Hungarian Grand Prix is always a cool event. The fans are very enthusiastic and they show lots of support for all the drivers. It's definitely an enjoyable weekend in a very historic city. The track itself is very technical: you need good traction to exit the low-speed corners and you have to be very accurate and precise. Because it's so twisty, it feels like you are always in a corner and it’s not easy to follow other cars or overtake, so a good qualifying result becomes even more important. It's also quite demanding on the tyres, so it's important to look after them when you can.

It's the last race before the summer holidays and getting a strong result in Hungary is always a nice boost. I'm feeling optimistic that we can go there and race for some good points, especially with the performance step we made at Silverstone. We are still learning about the new car, but I feel there is great potential to get some special results before the end of the year.”

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Hungarian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Lotus

Preview Quotes - Lotus


Romain Grosjean - "It’s a great track and one that’s suited us in the past. It was great to be on the podium there in 2012. I can remember feeling frustrated that year as we did have a chance to be fighting for the win, but that didn’t work out because of traffic. I like the circuit and its style of up and downs and twisty corners. I like the feeling you get when driving on the track and the grip you get from it. I’ve been very quick in qualifying pretty much every time there. It’s also the venue of one of my best overtaking ever in my Formula One career in 2013, even though I was penalised for being a few small centimetres over the line, which was tough at the time… Nevertheless, it is hard to overtake at the Hungaroring making qualifying very, very important and equally so the race strategy. We showed in 2012 that being on the front row certainly helps and 2013’s P3 wasn’t too bad either.

In terms of driving, it’s not the most physically challenging in terms of high speed corners, but the heat you experience in the cockpit can be quite an issue. It can also be a difficult circuit early in the weekend as the track is not used very much, meaning it’s quite slippery when you first go out. The Hungaroring is not a high-speed circuit so it won’t play to the strength of our car through the speed traps, but we’ve worked pretty well in the low-speed stuff. The tyre allocation of the soft and medium compound Pirelli is certainly quite a conservative one, but we should be able to go quite well. I think if we start the weekend well we could have quite a strong race and bag some more juicy points ahead of the summer break.”

Pastor Maldonado - "The Hungarian Grand Prix is one of the best of the season. We are very close to the city of Budapest which is a place that I like very much. There is a big community of fans at the race weekend and the people are very friendly. On track it can be very challenging. The weather is usually very hot there meaning that it is very demanding from a physical point of view. It is one of the races that I enjoy best because of these demands and I really like the challenge that it presents.

It is a very demanding circuit for drivers as it is often very hot and there are limited overtaking opportunities. It has quite a slow speed layout and we’ve looked quite good with the E23 in low-speed corners so it will be interesting to see how quick we are here. Qualifying is so important at this track because of the small number of overtaking opportunities, but I’ve qualified well there in the past so hopefully I can deliver a strong performance. I have won in Budapest in other categories so the track has good memories for me. The fans create a good atmosphere and it’s always nice to race at a track where there is a good feeling like this. I am looking forward to the weekend."

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Hungarian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Red Bull

Preview Quotes - Red Bull

Daniel Ricciardo - "The Hungarian Grand Prix has a lot going for it. Personally, I love these races in the European summer when you have the high temperatures and - usually - the great weather, plus it’s the final race before the summer break and that tends to put everyone in a good mood. There’s usually a really good party on Sunday night and, because of the break everyone tends to stay and have fun. Budapest is a cool city, really good restaurants and bars, really nice, really loyal fans and basically a great place to have a Grand Prix. That’s the short version.

It’s a great, great track for a qualifying lap, one of the best of the year. It’s tight, twisty and bumpy, and you have to use a lot of kerb - so getting in a low fuel, new tyre lap right on the limit it’s lots and lots of fun. But, for the same reasons the race tends to be quite tight with not a lot of overtaking. Last year was a great race for me! Of the three wins last year, it was the one where I was definitely most excited during the race. It’s tough for me to judge but probably it was the best performance of the three, purely because of the people I passed to finish in the lead. I had tyres in better condition - excellent strategy from our guys - but Fernando and Lewis don’t let you have the places for free - I had to really work for it!  Winning the race was awesome but the fact I had half a dozen mates over for the race made it even better. What I said about Hungary being the final race before the break? We had a really good Sunday night."

Daniil Kvyat - "I really used to enjoy it in Formula Renault 2.0 but it’s probably a little bit too narrow for modern Formula One cars. But still, in qualifying it really makes you push to the limit. You’re right on the edge and you never get a rest during the lap. I think that’s the biggest characteristic of the circuit. I was on pole and won there in Formula Renault 2.0 in 2012 and was on the podium in GP3 in the feature race, so I’ve got pretty good memories of racing here.

It is pretty challenging. You need to hit every apex right, don’t make any mistakes in your line selection, it’s quite a difficult one to get right but I do find it to be a lot of fun. (Speaking of fun) it’s one of the best cities we go to during the whole championship. Budapest is very cool. We don’t go crazy, obviously, but there are a few really nice restaurants along the river - particularly one Italian where I go quite often when I have time. I really like it along the river, it’s cool."

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Jules Bianchi - 1989-2015

ENGLISH: It's with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Jules Bianchi. The young F1 driver had been battling injuries sustained in a crash at Suzuka circuit last year. He had been in a coma for the last 9 months, fighting the most important race of his life. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, his friends, Manor F1 Team and of course everyone who had the great privilege of knowing Jules. He was loved very much by everyone in and out of the sport and he will be deeply missed.

Jules was a very talented driver & had such amazing potential in the sport. We will never forget when he scored his & Marussia's first points in Monaco. Not only was he a talent but he was also a genuine human with a heart of gold. He was always smiling, always happy and an overall wonderful guy. Words cannot express the sadness that we & so many others are currently feeling.  There is no doubt he was a fighter and a true champion.

Rest in peace, Jules.


ITALIA: E 'con il cuore pesante che annunciamo la scomparsa di Jules Bianchi. Il pilota di F1 giovane era stato combattendo ferite riportate in un incidente sul circuito di Suzuka l'anno scorso. Era stato in coma per gli ultimi 9 mesi, combattendo la gara più importante della sua vita. I nostri pensieri e preghiere sono con la sua famiglia, i suoi amici, Manor F1 Team e, naturalmente, tutti coloro che hanno avuto il grande privilegio di conoscere Jules. Era amato moltissimo da tutti dentro e fuori dello sport e lui mancherà profondamente.

Jules era un pilota di grande talento e aveva come potenziale incredibile in questo sport. Non dimenticheremo mai quando ha segnato il suo e Marussia di primi punti nel Principato di Monaco. Non solo era un talento, ma era anche un vero e proprio uomo con un cuore d'oro. Lui era sempre sorridente, sempre felice e un ragazzo meraviglioso complesso. Le parole non possono esprimere la tristezza che abbiamo e tanti altri stiamo sentendo. Non vi è alcun dubbio che era un combattente e un vero campione.

Riposa in pace, Jules.

FRANCAIS: Il est le cœur lourd que nous devons annoncer le décès de Jules Bianchi. Le jeune pilote de F1 avait été aux prises avec des blessures subies dans un accident sur le circuit de Suzuka l'an dernier. Il avait été dans le coma pendant les 9 derniers mois, la lutte contre la course la plus importante de sa vie. Nos pensées et nos prières sont avec sa famille, ses amis, Manor F1 Team et bien sûr tout le monde qui a eu le grand privilège de connaître Jules. Il était aimé par tous beaucoup dans et hors du sport et il nous manquera beaucoup.

Jules était un pilote très talentueux et il y avait un tel potentiel incroyable dans le sport. Nous ne pourrons jamais oublier quand il a marqué ses premiers points de Marussia et à Monaco. Non seulement il était un talent mais il était aussi un véritable humain avec un cœur d'or. Il était toujours souriant, toujours heureux et un gars merveilleux ensemble. Les mots ne peuvent exprimer la tristesse que nous et tant d'autres sommes en train de sentiment. Il ne fait aucun doute qu'il était un combattant et un vrai champion.

Reposez en paix, Jules.

RIP Jules Bianchi 1989-2015 / Son, Brother, Racer & Fighter

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Hungarian GP: Circuit Preview

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It's a bit early but none the less, it's time to take a look at the next circuit. The teams are heading to Hungary for this one and it's going to exciting.

The "Hungaroring" is located in Mogyorod, Hungary and first opened in 1986. It's been hosting races ever since and not only Formula 1, but other championship races as well.

The circuit runs Clockwise and has a capacity of 70,000. There are a total of 16 turns on the current version of the circuit and it's 2.722 miles in length. The F1 race will run for 70 laps as it did in previous years.

2014's Hungarian GP saw Nico Rosberg take Pole Position but the Mercedes driver didn't make it onto the podium. Daniel Ricciardo took the win with Alonso finishing Second and Hamilton finishing Third. It was quite the achievement for the Brit as he had started from Pit-Lane.

Retirements included: Marcus Ericsson (Accident), Romain Grosjean (Spin), Nico Hulkenberg (Collision), Sergio Perez (Accident), Kamui Kobayashi (Fuel System) & Esteban Gutierrez (Electronics)

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Hungarian GP: Schedule

While there's a few weeks before the next Grand Prix, we're already preparing for it! The Hungarian GP will be the 10th round of this season and will also be the last race before F1 takes its Summer Break, allowing the drivers a little Vacation time and also to go home and see their families before getting back to the on-track activities in Belgium at Spa-Francorchamps.

Here is the Schedule for the Hungarian GP Week.

SCHEDULE:

July 23rd / Thursday

15:00 - Drivers Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)
16:00 - 19:00 - Pit-Lane Walk for 3-Day-Ticket-Holders only

July 24th / Friday

08:45 - 09:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk
10:00 - 11:30 - Free Practice #1
12:50 - 13:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk
14:00 - 15:30 - Free Practice #2
16:00 - 17:00 - Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

July 25th / Saturday

08:30 - 09:15 - Team Pit-Stop Practice
08:30 - 09:35 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk
11:00 - 12:00 - Free Practice #3
13:00 - 13:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk
14:00 - 15:00 - Qualifying

July 26th / Sunday

12:25 - 13:15 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk
12:30 - Drivers Track Parade
12:45 - 13:15 - Starting Grid Presentation
13:46 - National Anthem
14:00 - Race Start

(Times subject to change)

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Feature: Star Drivers Of The British GP

Amy Hawk (Lead Writer & Editor) - "My driver of the weekend is Fernando Alonso. Not only was he finally able to get a point  but he fought so hard during the whole race, battling back from car damage due to the accident at the beginning and also battling with Ericsson towards the end of the race. It's really great to see McLaren doing better & also a great end to the race for Alonso after the accident in Austria with Raikkonen. It may be just 1 point, but there's so much more to come from the team. I'm sure of it."


Frances Fry (Assistant Writer) - "I spent most of Sunday afternoon arguing with myself over this and only now have I reached my answer which now seems the obvious choice. Between the several drivers I was considering, Felipe Massa has come out on top! I seem to be choosing Felipe a lot this season. Well, more than others.

I think the first thing that caught my attention with Felipe was his incredible start. I mean, both Williams did a great job but Felipe! He was well away from the start line. It was like he was flying! I've been watching Formula 1 for my whole life and I can honestly say, I cannot recall ever seeing a start like that! It was simply mind blowing as he tore through the front row; it seemed he was unstoppable.

In addition to this, I'd like to bring his defensive driving to note. Felipe, although he may not have finished on the podium, lead the race for a significant amount of time. Long enough for it to cross my mind that he could win. Some can rule off his incredible performance as a coincidence. Others may say it's because he's driving with a Mercedes power unit. Yes these things can play a part but nothing can replace skill and experience and that's what we saw from Felipe on Sunday."

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Feature: British GP - Our Post-Race Quotes

Amy Hawk (Lead Writer & Editor) - "I'm still thinking about the race. It had so much to offer and I was on edge the whole time with nerves. I'm overly relieved that no one got hurt in the accident during the opening lap and of course I'm also relieved that all that wheel-to-wheel battling was safe and clean. It was thrilling and action-packed and I enjoyed it very much. Silverstone is a really nice track and that burst of rain at the end really gave it an extra edge.

Congratulations to Hamilton for winning his home-race & Also to Rosberg and Vettel for their podium finish. It's always great when someone can win at their home race, it just makes the win extra-special and you could tell it meant a lot to Lewis (Hamilton) to be up there.

Force India looks to be heading for really good things with the new B-Spec car. You can already tell it's working for them. They just need a bit more time to get adjusted to how it handles and also to get them set-up just right. But I think the rest of the season is going to be great for both Nico (Hulkenberg) and Checo (Perez).

Hungary is next and I can't wait. Then there's the Summer Break. Everyone will have a chance to go home and relax before heading to Belgium for the race at Spa. Can't wait! Cheers!"

Frances Fry (Assistant Writer) - "Silverstone! Oh, you absolute beauty! I am incredibly proud of my home GP to have produced the race it did. I believe we all need to thank everyone that played any part in the planning or execution of the race. I'm sure you've all noticed that I say this every race but THIS was the race of the season! Almost a day afterwards and I still have the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I don't know how I slept last night.

I can't really make a precise highlight of the race because it was so intense. It was almost painful to look away from the screen for too long. I just wish I'd have been there! The atmosphere must have been electric. Especially considering our very own Lewis Hamilton brought home the maximum 25 points! In the last couple of laps it was incredible to hear the crowd roar as he passed. I don't believe this race is one any of us will be forgetting in a while. For those of you that aren't British, I hope you enjoyed your little trip to the UK and liked what you saw, even if it was limited to Silverstone. None we have a three week break which, if you're anything like me, you'll use to get over the race we just witnessed."

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British GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

We hope everyone enjoyed the British GP yesterday as it was quite the race, never leaving a dull moment as drivers pushed their cars to the maximum for the ultimate wheel-to-wheel battles.

Of course, races don't always end well for everyone and sometimes they don't start well either. Felipe Nasr was the first unlucky one as his Sauber experienced a malfunction during an out lap and stalled on the track. After that it was announced he would start from pit-lane. Unfortunately though, the problem was unable to be fixed and Nasr was unable to start the race at all.

When the lights went out, most expected Hamilton to make a run and start leading with Rosberg beside him. But things went a completely different way this time as Massa sped past both of them with Bottas following right behind. Both Williams sped down the starting grid and down to the first turn, taking it tightly with Hamilton and Rosberg close by. Nico Hulkenberg found himself tangled up in the mess after making an impressive start.

Meanwhile in the back, there was quite a commotion when both Lotuses and a McLaren got involved in an accident. It appeared that Button touched with Grosjean, who touched with Maldonado, causing all 3 to spin off the track. Alonso was also involved but managed to be the only one of the four drivers to escape with minor car damage. Maldonado, Grosjean & Button all retired from the race but all are OK.

Fernando Alonso went in for an early pit stop and had a front wing/nose change due to the damage. After that, he was off to rejoin under the Safety Car conditions.

Up in front Massa continued to lead the race, despite Bottas quickly coming towards him, aiming to pass and take charge. For awhile it was looking like the podium might consist of both Williams drivers and Nico Rosberg, but the race was not yet even half over. When Massa went in for a pit-stop, Bottas was able to lead - But unfortunately, his pit-stop came soon after and Hamilton had an advantage.

Max Verstappen was the next to retire when he spun off the track and was unable to continue due to car damage. It was an unlucky end to the British GP for the Dutch Rookie, but he's got many more races ahead of him. His team-mate, Carlos Sainz, retired later on in the race with Electronics issues. He had been in an intense wheel-to-wheel battle with Sergio Perez but it was a battle lost in the end. Ricciardo had also retired with Electriconics issues just a handful of laps earlier.

For Ferrari it wasn't an easy race. Their qualifying pace had been behind Williams and it was clear the fight to the front wouldn't be easy. But in the end, it was Sebastian Vettel who lucked out and found himself in 3rd place behind Rosberg and Hamilton as the rain began to pelt down. With only a few laps to go, the Williams were now back in 4th and 5th, losing out on what could have been a double podium finish.

Hamilton brought home the win at his home race and sent the crowd into mass cheering. Rosberg followed close behind in Second with Vettel grabbing Third to complete the podium.

Force India had a good day with both drivers finishing in the points with their new B-Spec car. While they're still adjusting to the new car, they know there's now more to play for and more points to be earned. Speaking of points, Fernando Alonso held on to tenth, giving him his first point-finish of 2015.

It was also a great day for Manor/Marussia as both cars finished super close to the points despite a late spin from Will Stevens. They took home a good result and are definitely making every race count.

There is now only one more race before F1 goes on its Summer Break and the next stop is Hungary! We can't wait.

Here are the race results

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points
2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 18 Points
3. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 15 Points
4. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / + 12 Points
5. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / + 10 Points
6. Daniil Kvyat / Red Bull-Renault / Russia / + 8 Points
7. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / + 6 Points
8. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 4 Points
9. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 2 Points
10. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / + 1 Point
11. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / 
12. Roberto Merhi / Manor-Ferrari / Spain / 
13. Will Stevens / Manor-Ferrari / Great Britain /
RETIRED - Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain / Electronics
RETIRED - Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-Renault / Australia / Electronics
RETIRED - Max Verstappen / Toro Rosso-Renault / Netherlands / Spin
RETIRED - Pastor Maldonado / Lotus-Mercedes / Venezuela / Accident Damage
RETIRED - Romain Grosjean / Lotus-Mercedes / France / Accident
RETIRED - Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain / Accident
DID NOT START - Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil / Gearbox

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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British GP: Qualifying - Results

With another race just a few hours away, it's Lewis Hamilton who starts on Pole Position for his home-race: The British GP!

Here's how the grid lines up

STARTING GRID:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany
3. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil
4. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland
5. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
6. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
7. Daniil Kvyat / Red Bull-Renault / Russia
8. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain
9. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany
10. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-Renault / Australia
11. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
12. Romain Grosjean / Lotus-Mercedes / France
13. Max Verstappen / Toro Rosso-Renault / Netherlands
14. Pastor Maldonado / Lotus-Mercedes / Venezuela
15. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
16. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil
17. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain
18. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain
19. Will Stevens / Manor-Ferrari / Great Britain
20. Roberto Merhi / Manor-Ferrari / Spain

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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British GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Results

In Free Practice 3 there was a bit of a change in the weather, with some gray clouds looming above the circuit, threatening to shed some waterworks. Not too many talking points as the session was pretty calm. No accidents or Red Flags this time around.

It was another Mercedes 1-2 session with Ferrari right behind in the 3rd and 4th spots. Rounding up the top 5 was rookie, Max Verstappen in the Toro Rosso. A good sign for Renault.

Here are the times from the session

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:32.917 / Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg - 1:33.469 / Mercedes-Mercedes
3. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:33.692 / Ferrari-Ferrari
4. Sebastian Vettel - 1:33.918 / Ferrari-Ferrari
5. Max Verstappen - 1:34.147 / Toro Rosso-Renault
6. Carlos Sainz - 1:34.282 / Toro Rosso-Renault
7. Felipe Massa - 1:34.501 / Williams-Mercedes
8. Valtteri Bottas - 1:34.538 / Williams-Mercedes
9. Daniil Kvyat - 1:34.545 / Red Bull-Renault
10. Pastor Maldonado - 1:34.708 / Lotus-Mercedes
11. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:34.886 / Force India-Mercedes
12. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:34.896 / Red Bull-Renault
13. Sergio Perez - 1:35.121 / Force India-Mercedes
14. Romain Grosjean - 1:35.246 / Lotus-Mercedes
15. Felipe Nasr - 1:35.587 / Sauber-Ferrari
16. Jenson Button - 1:35.695 / McLaren-Honda
17. Marcus Ericsson - 1:35.919 / Sauber-Ferrari
18. Fernando Alonso - 1:36.101 / McLaren-Honda
19. Will Stevens - 1:37.989 / Manor-Ferrari
20. Roberto Merhi - 1:38.285 / Manor-Ferrari

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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British GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Results

Free Practice 2 brought more fast times, more sunny weather and also a few Red Flags.

Bottas, Grosjean and Ericsson returned to their cars after handing them over to Wolff, Palmer & Marciello respectively. Grosjean experienced some car issues and ended up in the gravel, causing the first Red Flag of the session.

Alonso also went off briefly but was able to drive through and onto the grass before getting back on track. However, the session was Red Flagged again with around 15 minutes left when Merhi spun and was still half-on the track. 

Ferrari took over the time sheets, despite Rosberg finishing the session in 1st. It was not a Mercedes 1-2. Raikkonen and Vettel were up at the top instead while Hamilton finished in 4th.

Here are the times from the session.

TIMES:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:34.155 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:34.502 / Ferrari-Ferrari

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:34.522 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Lewis Hamilton - 1:34.621 / Mercedes-Mercedes

5. Daniil Kvyat - 1:35.009 / Red Bull-Renault

6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:35.153 / Red Bull-Renault

7. Max Verstappen - 1:35.300 / Toro Rosso-Renault

8. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:35.387 / Force India-Mercedes

9. Carlos Sainz - 1:35.866 / Toro Rosso-Renault

10. Felipe Massa - 1:36.147 / Williams-Mercedes

11. Pastor Maldonado - 1:36.164 / Lotus-Mercedes

12. Valtteri Bottas - 1:36.183 / Williams-Mercedes

13. Sergio Perez - 1:36.351 / Force India-Mercedes

14. Romain Grosjean - 1:36.728 / Lotus-Mercedes

15. Fernando Alonso - 1:36.731 / McLaren-Honda

16. Felipe Nasr - 1:36.822 / Sauber-Ferrari

17. Jenson Button - 1:37.196 / McLaren-Honda

18. Marcus Ericsson - 1:37.327 / Sauber-Ferrari

19. Will Stevens - 1:38.279 / Manor-Ferrari

20. Roberto Merhi - 1:39.878 / Manor-Ferrari

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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British GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Results

The British GP weekend got underway yesterday with Free Practice 1 and there were some different faces for this session.

Jolyon Palmer drove in place for Romain Grosjean while Susie Wolff took over for Valtteri Bottas. Sauber had Raffaele Marciello run in place of Marcus Ericsson as well. It was a good experience for the 3 as the weather was good conditions. Sunny and warm, not a rain cloud in sight.

Some issues for Nico Rosberg when he experienced a hydraulics issues and the team told him to stop the car, causing brief Yellow Flags until the Mercedes could be taken back to the pit-lane. However, the team was later reprimanded for covering Rosberg's car when they recovered it. A breach in the regulations as there was no reason to cover the back/front of the car as there was no damage. Rosberg needed a gearbox change but was still able to get back out at the end of the session.

A leak delayed Button's session but McLaren was still able to get both drivers out by the end of the session so they could set times. 

Force India is going into their first race weekend with their new B-spec car. Both Hulkenberg and Perez have noted that the car feels much better and stronger.

Here are the times from the session.

TIMES:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:34.274 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:34.344 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Max Verstappen - 1:35.530 / Toro Rosso-Renault

4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:35.588 / Ferrari-Ferrari

5. Carlos Sainz - 1:35.669 / Toro Rosso-Renault

6. Sebastian Vettel - 1:35.739 / Ferrari-Ferrari

7. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:35.818 / Red Bull-Renault

8. Daniil Kvyat - 1:35.876 / Red Bull-Renault

9. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:36.157 / Force India-Mercedes

10. Felipe Massa - 1:36.469 / Williams-Mercedes

11. Felipe Nasr - 1:36.855 / Sauber-Ferrari

12. Sergio Perez - 1:36.889 / Force India-Mercedes

13. Susie Wolff* - 1:37.242 / Williams-Mercedes

14. Jolyon Palmer* - 1:37.262 / Lotus-Mercedes

15. Raffaele Marciello* - 1:37.372 / Sauber-Ferrari

16. Pastor Maldonado - 1:38.080 / Lotus-Mercedes

17. Fernando Alonso - 1:38.222 / McLaren-Honda

18. Jenson Button - 1:38.860 / McLaren-Honda

19. Will Stevens - 1:38.981 / Manor-Ferrari

20. Roberto Merhi - 1:40.477 / Manor-Ferrari

 

* = Driving in this session only.

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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British GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

Preview Quotes - Williams


Valtteri Bottas - “I always enjoy the race at Silverstone. This is normally the only chance some of the team from the factory get to see the car on track which is important. We do expect to be strong here, as the overall down force has improved with the updates we took to Austria. After a podium for me last year and two podiums for the team in the last two races, I think we should be looking, once again, to take the fight to the cars around us in the championship.”

Felipe Massa - “Silverstone is a great circuit, with long high-speed corners which will suit the car’s characteristics. Heading to the team’s home race, we are looking to make it a hat trick of podiums, and spirits within the team are high right now. I hope we can give the home fans another positive result and we can continue the positive momentum from the last few weeks.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

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British GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

Preview Quotes - McLaren


Fernando Alonso - “We go to Silverstone this week feeling optimistic after two good test days in Austria. We’ve been busy analysing all of the data which has been very useful to continue learning about our package and keep moving forward. It was very positive that we were able to pass the 100-lap mark on the second day, and we’re really motivated to keep pushing into the next couple of Grands Prix before the summer break.

Silverstone is a very special race for the team, of course, and also a fantastic circuit to drive. It’s one of the fastest on the calendar, which also means it won’t be a circuit that will suit our car so well, but we’re still looking forward to the weekend and want to make the most of every session. The crash I had with Kimi in Austria was really unlucky, but we quickly put that behind us during testing and know that we’ll have some great support from the fans at the team’s home race.

I love driving the Silverstone circuit; I’ve won there twice, in 2006 and 2011, so I have very good memories, and it’s a really exciting track for the drivers with the mix of high-speed and medium-speed corners. Plus, the unpredictable weather always provides an interesting gamble. We know this weekend will be challenging, but we’ll be pushing hard every session to put on the best show we can for the fans.”

Jenson Button - “It feels great to be heading back to Silverstone - a place I love going to every year - and it’s a real privilege to be able to race in front of my home fans. No matter what happens during a race weekend, the fan support always makes the whole event extra special: even though this will be my 16th outing at the British Grand Prix, seeing the Union Jacks out in the grandstands and the roar of the crowd still gives me goose bumps every time - it really is a magical feeling. Seeing the fans decked out in pink last year in honour of my dad was incredibly moving and something I’ll never forget, too.

It was great that Fernando and Stoffel were able to do some positive running in Austria during the test, so we’ve firmly put the disappointments of race day behind us and I’m really looking forward to arriving in Silverstone. We’re still struggling to achieve consistent reliability, so we’re working really hard to find solutions to the issues we’ve been facing. Saying that, having two trouble-free days of running at the test has been a great motivation, and we’re continuing to push for more progress in this area.

Driving the Silverstone circuit is always immense fun for all the drivers, and it’s definitely one of my favourite racetracks. The combination of Maggotts-Becketts has legendary status for good reason, and it’s one of the most exhilarating corner combinations of any circuit on the Formula One calendar. I can’t wait to get out there on Friday and make the most of the incredible atmosphere at my home Grand Prix.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

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Quotes belong to Drivers

British GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Manor

Preview Quotes - Manor


Will Stevens - Silverstone is without doubt the highlight of my debut season and I can’t wait to get the weekend started. It’s a busy one, for me and the team, but this is a real opportunity to reward the support of the great British fans, so I’m going to savour every minute. As a racing driver, you never need an extra incentive to do well in a Grand Prix, but you do get that at Silverstone as a British driver. It’s such a great and historic venue and the scene of some fantastic races in the past 65 years, you can’t help but feel that you’re racing somewhere really special. The sight of all those Union Jacks is fantastic and it does make an already fast and exhilarating lap even more enjoyable.”

Roberto Merhi - “It’s hard to believe we’re almost at the middle of my first season in Formula 1, but I’m really pleased with how things are going. I feel like I’ve made some pretty big steps at every race and hopefully this weekend will be another good one for me and the whole team. It’s shaping up to be a very busy home race for us, with lots of partner activity and opportunities to meet the team’s home crowd. Silverstone is a great track and I love driving here. It’s really fast and flowing and pretty interesting from a technical point of view. We have some new developments for this weekend so I’m looking forward to seeing what they can bring in terms of our performance. I hope we will see both cars take the chequered flag on Sunday and have a fun time until then.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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British GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

Preview Quotes - Mercedes


Lewis Hamilton - “I don't feel like I ever really reached my peak in Austria. It wasn't the smoothest of weekends for me - so to come away with P2 wasn't a disaster in the circumstances. Silverstone, though... that's different. I can't describe the feeling I had last year - lifting that trophy again in front of the sea of fans on pit straight after so many years and after a tough start to the weekend too. It's something that will always stay with me and nothing less than the same again will do. I'm lucky enough to have fans all around the world - but winning in front of your home crowd is something else. We have a fantastic car this year - even better than in 2014 - and it should suit this track, so I'll be going all out to make the most of it. The guys back at the factories deserve to see a big home result and I want to see Silverstone absolutely rocking at the chequered flag!”

Nico Rosberg - “My week in Austria could not have come together much better. Apart from the mistake in quali, I felt right on top of things from the start and it was great to get another win. With the extra day in the car on Wednesday also, helping the team prepare for Silverstone, I feel ready to go full attack at a circuit I really enjoy. It should suit our car nicely with the focus on down force and we learned some useful things during the test, so I'm sure we'll be strong once again. The crowds are really incredible at this race and it's always a great atmosphere. Of course, I know they have their favourite! But hopefully we can have a good fight and keep the fans on their feet - especially the guys from our factories who have built such an unbelievable machine! It's great that they have a chance to come and see it in action, so this weekend is all about giving them a great reward.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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