Before I discuss the qualifying session for the 2011 Hungarian Grand Prix, I would like to reflect on the events from last year's session. Sebastian Vettel took pole position for Red Bull with a sensational time of 1:18:773, four tenths quicker than his team mate Mark Webber. Pretty impressive isn't it? Yet that's not half the story.
Fernando Alonso was the Red Bulls' nearest challenger in third, a scarcely believable 1.2 seconds slower than Vettel's time. We knew that this circuit would play into the RB6's strengths but this was unheard of in modern F1. Lewis Hamilton, championship leader at the time, was half a second down on Alonso's time for Pete's sake and Michael Schumacher, no make that seven times world champion Michael Schumacher, was 14th and almost three seconds down on his young protege's time.
The reason that I am bringing this to your attention is because the gap that covered Vettel to Alonso, the nearest non-Red Bull challenger, in 2010 makes up the first seven runners this year. This circuit, along with Suzuka, suits the characteristics of the Red Bull so to see the top runners covered by just over a second is certainly pleasing for the neutral. Undeniably then, the pace advantage Vettel boasted has been diminished. Therefore, one must conclude that it was his extraordinary attributes behind the wheel of a racing rather than aerodynamic advantage which secured him his eighth pole of the season.
He had to fight for it, though. His mechanics toiled until the early hours to rectify what had halted his seemingly unrelenting charge to a second crown and it paid off handsomely. With an extra spring in his step, the 24 year old from Heppenheim peaked at just the right moment. Even with Hamilton raising his game to another level since Silverstone.
The surprising thing is, however, Mclaren could and perhaps should have broken the Red Bull stranglehold on pole position. Lewis even managed to save a set of super-soft tyres in Q2, such was his remarkable speed around the Hungaroring. He set the fastest time immediately in Q3, edging out Seb, but his final run was unimpressive and he would have to make do for P2, completely contrasting his emotions from last weekend's Q3 lap.
His team mate Jenson Button took third away from the duelling Ferrari's and it would not surprise me if it was a Mclaren one-two after sector one. Button, effectively out of the title picture, will now look to utilise his strong race pace. The Ferrari's were left to fight for fourth and it was Felipe Massa who out-qualified Alonso for the first time in 2011. He may be slightly disadvantaged on the dirty side of the track but this was a pivotal moment for Felipe, banishing those demons which must still linger from his accident in '09. His superb lap relegated Alonso to fifth, while Mark Webber took a disappointing sixth.
Although Vettel and Hamilton head the field, any driver from the top three teams would have been a worthy candidate for pole and this makes tomorrow's Grand Prix very intriguing. All three were very close in race simulation on Friday and this should make for an interesting Grand Prix.
Hungarian Grand Prix grid positions
1. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull 1m19.815s
2. Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) McLaren + 0.163
3. Jenson Button (Gbr) McLaren + 0.209
4. Felipe Massa (Bra) Ferrari + 0.535
5. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Ferrari + 0.550
6. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull + 0.659
7. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes + 1.283
8. Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India + 1.630
9. Michael Schumacher (Ger) Mercedes + 2.092
10. Sergio Perez (Mex) Sauber No time
11. Paul di Resta (Gbr) Force India + 1.994
12. Vitaly Petrov (Rus) Renault + 2.022
13. Kamui Kobayashi (Jpn) Sauber + 2.173
14. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) Renault + 2.208
15. Rubens Barrichello (Bra) Williams + 2.422
16. Jaime Alguersuari (Spa) Toro Rosso + 2.717
17. Pastor Maldonado (Ven) Williams No time
18. Sebastien Buemi (Swi) Toro Rosso + 2.492*
19. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Lotus + 2.784
20. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Lotus + 2.956
21. Timo Glock (Ger) Virgin + 4.716
22. Tonio Liuzzi (Ita) HRT + 4.745
23. Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) HRT + 4.901
24. Jerome D’Ambrosio (Bel) Virgin + 4.932
* - Sebastian Buemi will start the race 23rd following a five place grid penalty for causing a collision at the German Grand Prix.
Josh.
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