The 2009 Formula 1 season has developed into a fascinating battle between Brawn GP and Red Bull. At one point Brawn's Jenson Button appeared to be running away with the championship, but Red Bull's Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel are closing on the Englishman as the Formula 1 season reaches Hungary.
Hungarian Grand Prix History
The first Hungarian Grand Prix for Formula 1 cars was staged in 1986, although the great Tazio Nuvolari had won an event of the same name 50 years earlier. Despite offering limited overtaking opportunities the Hungaroring has been the scene of some memorable Formula 1 battles over the years. Michael Schumacher holds the record for most victories, having won four times at the Hungaroring.
Several drivers have recorded maiden Formula 1 victories at the Hungaroring. In 1993 Damon Hill scored his first Formula 1 victory there, driving a Williams-Renault. In 2003 Fernando Alonso became the youngest Grand Prix winner in history after claiming the Hungarian Grand Prix for Renault. 2006 saw Button stand on the top step of a Formula 1 podium for the first time in his career, after a thrilling drive from 14th on the grid. Last year's race resulted in Heikki Kovalainen scoring his first, and so far only, Formula 1 victory.
2009 Hungarian Grand Prix Statistics and Weather Forecast
Race date: Sunday, 26th July
Race distance: 70 laps
Circuit length: 2.722 miles (4.381 km)
Lap record: 1 minute, 19.071 seconds (Michael Schumacher, 2004 - Ferrari)
2009 Hungarian GP weather forecast: Sunny on all three days.
2009 Hungaroring Formula 1 Form Guide
Brawn GP appeared to be in complete control of the 2009 Formula 1 World Championship a few races ago, but Red Bull have recently taken over as the class of the field. The team arrives at the Hungaroring following consecutive 1-2 finishes at Silverstone and the Nurburgring. Vettel won the British Grand Prix while his Red Bull team-mate Webber scored a popular maiden win in the German Grand Prix.
Only 1.5 points separate the Red Bull drivers in the Formula 1 title race, but both Vettel and Webber appear to work well together. In stark contrast Rubens Barrichello was far from impressed with his Brawn GP team after a pit stop problem at the Nurburgring which the Brazilian thought cost him a chance of victory. Although Barrichello stopped short of accusing the team of favouring his team-mate Button (current World Championship leader) the situation at Brawn is clearly far from perfect.
Ferrari's Felipe Massa stood on the podium last time out and will be hoping for a repeat performance at the Hungaroring. McLaren showed well in qualifying at the Nurburgring, but Hamilton's aggressiveness at the first corner saw his race compromised in a collision with Webber's Red Bull.
The Hungarian Grand Prix holds happy memories for Toyota's Timo Glock, who recorded the best result of his Formula 1 career to date last year when he finished second. Alonso drove well in Germany, but his Renault is clearly still some way from being a front running car. It remains to be seen whether his team-mate Nelson Piquet will even have a drive in Hungary, after a string of less than impressive performances. Elsewhere, Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil continue their quest to score the team's first points in Formula 1.
 |
 |
 |
