SimHQ.com - Motorsports Zone - Preview: 2004 Hungarian Grand Prix

Returning to the scene of the team's worst performance in ten years Ferrari know that there is no way that they will reproduce 2003's mistakes. As was noted by many observers at the time the main problem last year was that the Bridgestone tires could not cope with the heat and dust of the Hungaroring. Bridgestone have clearly held the advantage all year and in all manner of conditions. Monaco (the circuit most like Hungary) was the only place where Michael Schumacher's dominance has been questioned and Bridgestone have gone to lengths to ensure that their tires will not suffer the same fate this time out.

M. Schumacher

Like his team Michael Schumacher is supremely confident ahead of this weekend's race. "I don't see why in Hungary we shouldn't fight for first place. In my opinion, Renault, BAR-Honda and McLaren will do well but our car is good and I will be going all out for victory. Naturally, I cannot know if they have done anything during the break but I think that there will not be any drastic changes. We cannot rule out the possibility that some teams may have made extreme modifications. I think the competition in general is always alive and our competitors will make things very difficult for us. I really enjoyed the rest but am pleased that it is finally time to get back behind the wheel once more. I am a sporty type but right now I want to do nothing other than race. I can’t wait for Friday when I can drive out of the pitlane at last and then line up for another Grand Prix.”

Barrichello

The news that Ferrari will not be making any dramatic changes to this year's car will come as a godsend to Rubens Barrichello. Struggling with a car that does not suit his driving style anywhere near as well as last year's car has meant that Rubens has frequently been forced to either adopt Michael Schumacher's setups or work with a compromise setup which he has not been able to make the most of. Barrichello will be looking for more support from the team after Schumacher's confirmation as world champion though the politics within BAR may well gift Barrichello second in the driver's championship.

BMW Williams F1 (Dark Blue and White with Compaq and Allianz graphics)

What a mess! The team's aerodynamics department is at war with the testing team, the team are being dragged through the mud due to the Jenson Button saga and there is still no clear cut sign that Sam Michael is a worthy successor to Patrick Head. The team are ditching their highly expensive walrus nose and the team that dominated Formula 1 in the early 90s seems a long way away. The good news for the team is that they have confirmed Mark Webber as one of their drivers for next year. It seems 50/50 at best if Button does rejoin the team for next year and, even if they do, it is likely to cost them a fortune. A large part of the current row must be the team's frustrations over the poaching of Jacques Villeneuve and Geoff Willis but there seems little doubt that this fight over Jenson Button will further deplete the team's coffers for next season.

Pizzonia

Pizzonia has been retained by Williams for this race and, considering the mess the team has found itself in, this can only be a good thing. Antonio is a happy bunny about this "I am obviously very pleased to be racing again,” said Antonio, who finished a worthy seventh at Hockenheim, thereby scoring two valuable championship points for the Anglo-German cooperation, “and I thank the team for trusting me again." Worthy sentiments indeed but there seems little chance of a race seat without some substantial backing. Pizzonia is a good driver but has not shown himself to be exceptional and may well end up being in the Marc Gene, Riccardo Zonta, Pedro de la Rosa school of nearly men.

Montoya

Having been seen as a having made an appalling choice earlier this season, Montoya's move to McLaren is now looking like a pretty good idea! Montoya is took the "R and R" offered by summer break very seriously! "The summer break was a good chance for some time off. I went back to Colombia and really managed to take a break. Now I am ready to face the last part of this season, where we really need to collect as many points as we can for our Championship position. I’m always happy to go to Budapest, as I really like the city. However, the Hungaroring is still not one of my favorite tracks, despite the improved layout following the changes made the year before last. The start/finish straight was straight was made wider and some other parts were extended which has made the track a bit longer. However, it is still too twisty, narrow and slow, like a kart track. You don't need much power at the Hungaroring, but you do need downforce and, as a driver, you must find a good rhythm. As well as this, starting position and strategy both play very important roles as overtaking is very difficult. Outside the racing line, the track is very dirty and dusty and offers low grip. In the last few years I always started on that side so I’m hoping this year will be different!"

West McLaren Mercedes (Grey with West graphics)

Having looked pretty much out of it for much of the season, McLaren seem to have bounced back with aplomb. Now with a car that has the measure of the Williams and is up with the BARs and Renaults the team can look forward to improving their position in the constructor's championship in the final rounds of this year's championship. Reliability is sure to still be an issue as Kimi Raikkonen's accident in Germany proved. The Mercedes powerplants are still the weak points in the car but at least the car has reestablished the team's and Adrian Newey's reputations.

Coulthard

With a move to Jaguar now looking to be a formality Coulthard is at least assured of a decent racing seat next year. Coulthard has never won in Hungary and this is certainly not one of his circuits. Even so DC is sure to give maximum attack though even he thinks a win may be beyond him. "Fitness is a key aspect in Hungary as it is traditionally extremely hot and is also a physically demanding circuit, with constant cornering and gear changing similar to Monaco, so endurance is vital. It is the shortest and slowest circuit after Monte Carlo, and sees us use a high-downforce configuration. As we showed in Germany, the car is continuing to improve and hopefully I will be able to have an incident-free race and challenge for a podium finish."

Raikkonen

For some reason (which even their own populations have trouble understanding) Finland and Hungary are very close in terms of linguistics and culture. As a result Finnish drivers have always treated Hungary as their home race. "I always enjoy the Hungarian Grand Prix due to the great atmosphere that all the Finnish fans create," Raikkonen said. "It is a long-standing tradition for thousands of them to attend the race so it is like a home grand prix for me, and hopefully we will be able to secure a good result in front of them."

Mild Seven Renault (Dark and Light Blue and Yellow with Mild Seven graphics)

The only team to beat Ferrari in a fair fight this season and the winning team of this race last year, Renault are looking to establish themselves in second place in the constructor's championship with another win this time out. The car is certainly able to win here and both Alonso and Trulli have been driving beautifully of late. Fisichella has been confirmed as Trulli's replacement for next year due to Trulli's wage demands having been seen as unrealistic. Michelin is likely to be the only weak spot as the car's handling, while tricky, provides a marked improvement over last year's car. Renault are another team that should profit from the current Williams/BAR fight and this should see the team cement second place in the constructor's championship.

Trulli

After a difficult German race Jarno Trulli is hopeful to see out his time at Renault in the best way possible. "I certainly hope we can perform as well as we did in Monaco! I was unlucky in Germany to be slowed by a very unusual problem, but I was very quick during the first part of the race and I am happy with our competitiveness. Although there has been a testing ban over the past weeks, we will have a new engine spec in Hungary, new aero parts and the track suits our car. We are confident of being very competitive. In Hungary, there is also the problem of the circuit being very dirty off line — if you run wide you will lose positions because it takes a long time to clean the tires off. So, you can’t afford any mistakes. It is quite a fun circuit to drive, with so many corners, but it is not comfortable: the track surface is very bumpy. We have to set the car up to give a lot of mechanical grip in the slower corners, but also run quite soft to make the car driveable over the bumps. Also the circuit changes a lot as the dust blows around, so it can be quite tricky to get the car handling well and going quickly." Trulli is almost certain to join Toyota as Ralf Schumacher's team mate next season and, although Toyota are becoming known as a shortcut to retirement, Trulli and Mike Gascoyne together should be a formidable combination.

Alonso

Fernando Alonso has so far been made to look pretty ordinary this season. Even so Fernando is looking forward to Hungary. "It is going to be a special race for me I think. This was always one of my favorite circuits anyway, and it is a nice feeling to look back and remember last year. I am feeling confident: we were fast in Hungary in 2003, we have been fast with maximum downforce already this season in Monaco, so I hope we can have a good race, and maybe be in with a chance to win. The corners are quite slow, but very difficult to get right for the entire lap: you need a very precise style. Also, there are series of four or five corners where if you get one line wrong, it affects all the next corners too, so you cannot make any small mistakes. Plus it is high grip on the racing line, and very low grip and dusty off it. You can attack in some parts of the circuit, and need to be more cautious in others. The demands make it a big test for a driver. Mechanical grip is the area we look at a lot. The downforce is at maximum, and the engine needs good torque but maximum power is not so important. So what we really need to look at is mechanical grip through the slow corners and also good traction out of them. The other thing we need to work hard on is the tires: you have to look after them more in Hungary than at Monaco. But I am confident we will bring good tires, and am happy with the choice that we have made.

BAR Honda (White with Red Lucky Strike roundels)

Lets start with the engineering side - BAR may well win their debut race this weekend. Button pushed Trulli hard in Monaco and the circuit should suit the car. Unfortunately for the team their revolutionary FTT system has been banned though the team will face no censure for having it fitted to their spare car in Germany. The situation regarding Button is a little more complex. Button's manager began negotiations with Williams after he claimed that Honda only confirmed that they would supply engines to BAR as long as the engine format was acceptable to the company (a standard term upon which all engine supply contracts are made). Button's manager John Byfield opened up negotiations with BMW (whose engines are also supplied on a similar basis) and used this clause to enable to trigger what he felt was a get out clause in Button's contract. Unfortunately although BAR may not have met the letter of the law of the contract it is likely that the meaning of the contract has been adhered to and this would allow BAR to enforce their driver's contract. (Particularly as Button and his management asked Honda for assurances over engine supply prior to negotiating with Williams.) Whatever team Button drives for it seems clear that Button has lost a large number of fans and BAR has gained a similar number. Should Button leave for Williams, BAR's coffers will be boosted by quite a sum (Benetton ended up paying Jordan enough to fund the team for two years when Schumacher left in 1991!) . There are a host of decent drivers on the market with Nick Heidfeld, Mika Hakkinen and Jarno Trulli all interested. Perhaps the best answer for the team would be to promote from within. Test driver Anthony Davidson deserves a chance to impress the race team and David Richards has made no secret that he would like a British driver in order to motivate the mechanics. Although BAR looks to have been landed in it by Button's backhandedness it looks more likely that this could be a real bonus to BAR in the long run.

Button

What a plonker! Before I start one thing shoud be made clear — Button did not conduct negotiations with Williams or BAR — the current furore is primarily the fault of his manager John Byfield though Button was clearly a willing participant. Although people have moved from one team to another before through by effectively breaking their contracts (Schumacher from Jordan to Benetton, Senna to Lotus and then to McLaren and Prost to McLaren) none have done it to a team less successful than the one they were currently employed by! To look at the obvious points Honda have won more championship, BAR have a better design team and the team has a settled and focused working environment with their number one driver unlikely to be regularly threatened by the number two. Button's move to Williams is difficult to fathom on results and, for someone earning £3 million a year, it is difficult to see what advantages earning £10 million would bring. Button has been sacked by Williams before and his image with the media, the fans and, most importantly with mechanics and team bosses has been dealt an appalling blow. What his management thought they were doing is quite beyond me and, now the matter is going to be reviewed by the Contracts Recognition Board, it looks likely that Button will either drive for BAR, a team quite rightly viewing him as a backstabber, will drive for Williams after they have paid BAR and their lawyers a fortune to have released him, further depleting their coffers for car development next year, or may even not drive at all should the CRB decide that Button is acting in breach of his contract and revoke his FIA Superlicence.

Sato

The one person guaranteed to be a winner out of all this is Takuma Sato. Sato is now certain to be retained as the team need stability. Additionally Sato is now a fixture in the team and, after the perceived betrayal of the mechanics by Button, these same guys will want to show Button up by allowing him to be beaten by his team mate in the remaining races. David Richards said when he signed Button that he wanted him to be the linchpin of the team's success. Now that linchpin has proved itself as unreliable who would be better to carry the team on than Sato? He may be a little excitable at times but so was Ayrton Senna and there is no doubting Sato's speed. A debut win for the Japanese driver may be a lot closer now than it was three weeks ago.

Sauber Petronas (Mid Blue with a yellow airbox, white nose and front wing with Credit Suisse Red Bull and Petronas graphics)

Although Sauber have been on the up over the last few races (mostly due to their new wind tunnel final being online, Sauber will still be fighting it out for the back end of the points. Sauber's understanding of their car has come on in leaps and bounds. Technical director Willy Rampf puts their chances thus "The Hungaroring shares two things with Monaco: it requires maximum downforce, and it is very hard to overtake there. It can also be one of the hottest races: it is common for this circuit to require the most cooling we can muster. This is partly because of the very high ambient and track temperatures, and partly because of the nature of the circuit. The straights are short, the corners follow one another very quickly, and none of them are really high speed. This means that ducting and hot air extraction are critical factors, and this is an area in which we are very strong." Rampf is aware that Bridgestone has some work to do to redress their muck from last year. "Then there is the tire wear factor. The Hungaroring has low grip because the surface is often dusty, so degradation can be high because the car will slide around a lot and the sequencing of the corners gives the tires little respite from side loadings. That's why you need such high downforce, but traction is also vital, together with decent balance and good turn-in. Generally this is a three-stop race; in 2003 eight of the first nine cars stopped three times. I am confident that Bridgestone will give us a strong tire for the conditions we expect. We cannot test prior to the race because of the summer break, but we will have more new aerodynamic parts from the wind tunnel at Hinwil."

Fisichella

Newly signed Renault driver Fisichella may have lost on Ferrari for the near future but his drives for Sauber this season have at least ensured he has a chance to win some more races next season. For this season Fisichella is commendably determined to ensure that the excellent view that Sauber hold of him will be retained for the rest of the season. "The Hungaroring is one of my favorite circuits. It's twisting, demanding, and has lots of corners that flow one after another in combinations of medium- and low-speed. The ambient and track temperatures are always high, so it's hard physically and mentally. I like that. "The 2004 Bridgestone tires will be much better suited to the track, after the company has made big steps forward, and this will go hand-in-hand with the major step we made with our lower engine cover at Silverstone." The question of who will be Fisichella's replacement next year seems still to be open. British drivers Gary Paffett and Anthony Davidson seem in pole position at the moment but, with Peter Sauber famous in his choosing less well known drivers, anything is possible.

Massa

Unlike his team mate there is little chance of Massa going anywhere next year. This suits Massa just fine. "The Hungaroring is a bit like a kart track, and although I haven't seen the modifications that were made since I was last there I think the character changed only slightly. It's a tough place. The straights are so short that you can never relax there, it's one corner coming after another. So it's doubly important to keep your concentration. It's very difficult to overtake there. You need a speed advantage around two seconds a lap to be able to overtake on track, as opposed to in the pits. "I'm looking forward to the race. I had a very good one in 2002 when I finished seventh after all of the top teams' cars finished, and I fought my teammate Giancarlo Fisichella (who was at that time with Jordan) all the way. This year I know Bridgestone will have a good tire for the track, so hopefully I can score a similar result to earn some more points for the team."

Jaguar (Green with HSBC graphics)

Jaguar seem to be limping at the moment. While rumors continue to abound regarding parent company Ford pulling out of F1 and Red Bull buying the team wholesale (possibly along with Cosworth engineering) sponsors continue to depart. Becks have joined HSBC in leaving the team at the end of the year and Mark Webber is now confirmed to be joining the exodus. New sponsors see thin on the ground though it is understood that the once dead deal with RBS may be resurrected due to the Bank being far from happy with the space received should they go to Williams. CEO David Pitchforth of course paints a more upbeat picture. “I am really pleased with the progress that we have been making over the last few races. To have scored three points in Hockenheim was fantastic for us and a real boost for the team. Mark, Christian and Bjorn have all knuckled down and this teamwork is now being reflected in the results. Mark’s announcement to leave the team at the end of the season is of course a disappointment to us but we understand his reasons and we fully support him. We have six races left on the calendar and Mark is just as committed towards finishing on a high as we are. The three-week break has been good for us all and we are now really keen to get back out on track. The car has a couple of new aerodynamic pieces and Cosworth Racing has continued to develop the engine. The R5 is a good strong package for us and there is no reason why we can’t keep competing at a points-scoring level during the next six races. I am encouraged by what I see and I am excited about what we can do in Hungary. Thinking ahead, our development path for next year’s car is on schedule and coupled with this is our ongoing upgrade of the new wind tunnel in Bedford. With Mark now signed to BMW Williams F1 next year, we are also now having to consider his replacement for next season. Mark is far from an easy driver to replace given the integral way he has gelled with this team and subsequently, it is vital that we find somebody who prides himself on not only being a great team-player but someone who relishes the challenge of taking this team onto the next level. The three-week break has helped considerably in restoring our energy levels but it’s now full steam ahead on all fronts.”

Webber

Now a confirmed Williams driver for next year it is easy to overlook the effect Jenson Button's signing will have on Mark. Mark was signed to the team as a number one driver, someone who can win the world championship. Since then Button has signed and this has not only posed a threat to Weber's status within the team but also put him at a disadvantage as Button already knows many of the mechanics from his time with the team in 2000. Weber is far from a shrinking violet and he will knuckle down and cope with it as he always does. "It has been a busy few weeks since our last race in Hockenheim. We scored three Championship points which has once again highlighted the pace and reliability of the Jaguar R5. Since scoring those points I have also taken the decision to drive for BMW Williams in the 2005 season. Now that this decision has been made I am keen to ensure that we at Jaguar Racing make the most of the competitive package we have. Looking ahead to the Hungaroring, we will need high- downforce on the car. The track has few overtaking possibilities and the corners are mostly slow. I enjoyed a very good weekend there last year as I was in the top three in both Friday and Saturday qualifying and then brought the car home in sixth place in the race. A repeat performance would be ideal but given how strong everyone is right now, points will not be easy. The Jaguar R5 is very well balanced and rewarding to drive, especially since we strengthened further its aerodynamic capabilities prior to the British Grand Prix. tires, as always, will be critical at the hot and dusty Hungaroring and our Friday morning session will be vital towards understanding better our true potential over the course of the weekend. Technically speaking, this is not an easy track to master but very rewarding when you get it right.”

Klein

With Webber leaving at the end of the season Christian Klein's seat is looking a lot more safe than it did. Klein may not b setting the world alight in terms of performance but he is a steady driver and seems to be learning. More importantly for this cash strapped team Klein brings a lot of money ad helps to keep an active relationship going with potential owners Red Bull. Klein is more focused on his driving than his political or financial clout and it is this that he focused on when discussing the race this weekend. “Since finishing the race in Germany I have been spending much time with my family and friends back home in Austria. I was on a high after Hockenheim as I had finished on the same lap as the leader, not getting lapped and maintaining the racing line is crucial to scoring points. I am now upbeat going into Hungary as I know that we have a car that is more than capable of scoring points. The Hungaroring is not a track that I know well, although I have been around it a couple of times in an F3000 car. I am going to be making the most of Friday testing as always to ensure that I get to know the track as soon as possible. Since Budapest is so close to Austria I am very much hoping that there will be many Austrian fans. It is definitely one of the closest races for me from home so it’s almost like a home race. I am very keen to score points for the team here as we have been progressing so much recently and I am really enjoying driving the car. Points are what we are capable of so I am ready to go out and get some. Cosworth Racing is making good steps forward with the engine so I know that between them, Michelin, the team and I we are in a good position going into the weekend."

Panasonic Toyota (Red and White with Toyota and Panasonic logo graphics)

After just one chance to impress in the revised car Christiano da Matta was sensationally dropped last week in favor of the team's Friday tester Riccardo Zonta. Team boss Tsutomu Tomita expressed it thus. "We revised our original plans after we reviewed the results of the last three Grands Prix. Ricardo Zonta consistently performed very well, as indeed he also did in the first half of the 2004 season. We believe it is fair to offer Ricardo the chance to show his potential in full race conditions, before we enter into the final step of our driver evaluation for the 2005 season. We decided to retain Olivier Panis as a race driver for the rest of this season, based on the fact that he is the driver who has secured the team's best race result of the year so far (fifth in Indianapolis) and has collected the higher number of championship points (five). Cristiano da Matta will remain a Panasonic Toyota Racing driver until the end of 2004 and could still be called upon to undertake activities accordingly." Just days before the race Toyota also dropped two of their most experienced engineers in a reshuffle. Toyota have shown themselves to e rich and ruthless. What they have not shown themselves to b yet is competent.

Panis

Olive (as he is known down the pitlane) seems to be running out of options for next year. Panis was hired in a blaze of publicity yet his results, whilest impressive, have never really set he world alight With both drivers again being replaced by a team only three years old the question must be asked as to whether team principal Tsutomu Tomita knows what he is doing This man seems to think that one race with the new car is enough to determine whether the drivers are any good, makes fundamental operating errors (such as losing points at Monaco for not warning da Matta of blue flags being shown and criticizing drivers for tire blow outs). This is also the same man who believes Ralf Schumacher should be the second highest paid driver in Formula 1 and that Ralf ca develop cars! Olivier has said that he would be happy to stay at Toyota — for his sake I hope he doesn't.

Zonta

Drafted in for the final five races to replace Christiano da Matta, Riccardo Zonta is bing thrown in the deep end. Zonta has impressed in Friday testing but his performances with Jordan and BAR to not give cause or confidence. In the press release above it is clear that either driver could have been dropped and it seems little more than a matter of luck that it was da Matta rather than Panis. Quite what the advantage for Zonta is in racing for the team is unclear, however. Jarno Trulli is widely known to be on the verge of signing for Toyota and that means Zonta is more than likely to be testing again next year. The only possible racing drive for Zonta would be as part of a tie up should Jordan or Minardi use Toyota engines next year. Zonta will be trying his hardest to impress though the TF104B seems to have many of the inherent problems of its predecessor and therefore cannot be expected to shine.

Jordan (Yellow with BandH graphics)

With interest in the team being once again focused more over whole will be buying the team instead of how the team will do it is not surprising to see Jordan take a less prominent public role in recent weeks. Should the team be sold to the [ ] family it is expected to be renamed Team Dubai and to receive substantial backing from the Middle East. It seems unlikely that Arab drivers will be employed but it does seem likely that the team will use Toyota engines (something they may do even if the team is not sold) with Eddie Jordan remaining in charge in the short run as consultant. The tea premises are likely to remain where they are in the short run as well but in time the factory will move to Dubai as well.

Heidfeld

With seats beginning to be sorted out for next season Nick Heidfeld is one of a number of drivers currently looking for a drive next season. Heidfeld does not bring any money with him so teams such as Jordan, Jaguar and Minardi seem unlikely to take him. Sauber liked him but are unlikely to have him back and Jordan would dearly love to keep him but may not be able to afford to run him. Of course, selling to the family would put Nick in a great position. The team will have serious amounts of cash to spend on updating the facilities and it would be easy to convince the family of Nick's worth to the team. The only other teams Nick seems able to try for are BAR or Williams (though both now seem unlikely due to interest from drivers such as Mika Hakkinen and Jacques Villeneuve in the seats). Unfortunately the most likely ending or Nick at the moment is to see him back in a test role next season. This is an appalling waste of a highly talented driver.

Pantano

While Nick Heidfeld does not deserve to be in a testing seat next year it is debatable that Giorgio Pantano should be in a racing role this year! To be fair Pantano has produced some solid performances and has managed to out qualify his team mate a few times but even so the feedback coming out of the team is that Pantano is less approachable as a driver, gives worse technical feedback and does not race as well as his team mate. Disputes with sponsors are not helping the team in accepting a pay driver (something some mechanics have difficulty accepting anyway due to their previous star drivers from just a few years ago). Having had a wonderful break in his home town of Padova and having spent a lot of time in Sottomarina (a beautiful town just outside Venice) Pantano needs to knuckle down and be quiet if he wants to stay sweet with the team for the rest of the year.

Minardi Cosworth (Black, white and Wilux written in Light Blue on White
on Sides and rear wing)

Minardi and their title sponsor Wilux have finally split following a number of rows during the season that came to a head following the team's decision to run without sponsorship during the British Grand Prix. As Wilux were trading the space on the car (in much the same way as Marlboro are thought to be buying Ferrari's logos after the end of this season) they had the most to lose and this led to heated discussions between the team and sponsor which has led to their breaking off relations. Minardi are not going to be short of cash for this season but without a title sponsor the team may well struggle next year.

Bruni

Bruni produced a slightly more impressive performance in Germany. His parking of healthy cars sees to have irreparably blighted his career at Minardi and this disaffection will have been passed on to Bruni's personal sponsors who will have been just as unimpressed as Bruni's behavior. Bruni's career looks set to translate over to sportscars after this season, even so it would be good to see Bruni show just why he was so highly rated before the season started.

Baumgartner

As Hungary's first Formula 1 driver Zsolt is sure to be the center of attention for the local fans. Baungarter stepped in at the 11th hour last year when Ralph Firman suffered a major crash in his Jordan in practice. This knowledge may well stand Zsolt in good stead this weekend with him expected to give his team mate a run for his money. It is obvious that Zsolt is only here for his money but he is not a bad driver and far better than some who have lined up on the grid n the past.

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