2023 Hungarian Grand Prix - Hungaroring, July 21 - 23

[denyall]

But even with strict blue flag policing, a driver can make the pass easier or harder. For example, slow on the racing line sufficient to allow the pass but requiring the other driver to drive on the marbles or wet track in a tricky location. Or pull over off the racing line and let the following driver through unimpeded.

Isn't the blue flag rule that you have to pull off the racing line? Wouldn't it be easy to enforce?

[Just_a_fan]

https://i.redd.it/1n33aiie5xdb1.png
Feels like Mercedes made a bad gamble on a late safety car. If they pitted him few laps earlier , he would have got P3

Yes, that was mentioned in commentary too, ISTR.

Once on to the last stint, he was on a different level to those around him - only Max was quicker.

[denyall]

Enforcing blue flags is the answer and it is incredibly easy to do. Easier than track limits. Ignore 5 blue flags (pick a number but you get the idea) automatic 5 second penalty.

This is already in place. you ignore 3 blue flags and you can be penalised.

The issue is that the stewards/race control seem to have totally missed it. Which is strange when they were docking lap times and giving black/white flags for track limits.

Stewards blowing it on slam dunk penalties.... Why am I not surprised.

I guess McLaren didn't make enough noise on the radio....

[Just_a_fan]

But even with strict blue flag policing, a driver can make the pass easier or harder. For example, slow on the racing line sufficient to allow the pass but requiring the other driver to drive on the marbles or wet track in a tricky location. Or pull over off the racing line and let the following driver through unimpeded.

Isn't the blue flag rule that you have to pull off the racing line? Wouldn't it be easy to enforce?

No, you just have to let the other driver by at the earliest opportunity. Most drivers seem to pull over if being lapped, I think, but it's not a requirement.

[Spoutnik]

What a race !

[Sieper]

Enforcing blue flags is the answer and it is incredibly easy to do. Easier than track limits. Ignore 5 blue flags (pick a number but you get the idea) automatic 5 second penalty.

This is already in place. you ignore 3 blue flags and you can be penalised.

The issue is that the stewards/race control seem to have totally missed it. Which is strange when they were docking lap times and giving black/white flags for track limits.

Stewards blowing it on slam dunk penalties.... Why am I not surprised.

I guess McLaren didn't make enough noise on the radio....

As I already said yesterday, he hindered Perez just as bad. I guess it evens out. Penalty should still be given but it did not affect them racing each other as they were equally hindered.

[Sieper]

https://i.redd.it/m3fiqhpukudb1.jpg
Tsunoda has often unintentionally helped Red Bull in some way or other sometimes. Can remember Zandvoort last year.

I mean it was clear back in 2021 that RB & AT collude to help the former. Turkey, Zandvoort, Qatar & Hungary are a few examples. Tsunoda will do anything to stay in Marko's good books. It's essentially cheating and it's strangely ignored by the F1 media.

Not true, f.e. Yesterday, getting sick of this, he hindered Perez just as bad, and AT hindered RBR many times with bringing out stupid (v)SC. But since that does not suit the narrative it gets hushed.

[Hammerfist]

https://i.redd.it/1n33aiie5xdb1.png
Feels like Mercedes made a bad gamble on a late safety car. If they pitted him few laps earlier , he would have got P3

Yes, that was mentioned in commentary too, ISTR.

Once on to the last stint, he was on a different level to those around him - only Max was quicker.

It was a horrendously executed race. Toto said it, Lando said it and it's been my opinion just after watching it. From Lewis not being firm enough with Lando at turn 2 to pitting early for no reason in the first stint when he was only 3.6 sec back and not that much slower than the mclarens, only to come out on hards and not go full beans initially, trying to bring the tires in gently as they said. It was just bad bad racing. Hamilton and the Merc pitwall should be blamed. I agree with Toto that the car was second best, they just were outraced by a slower car.

[Just_a_fan]

https://i.redd.it/1n33aiie5xdb1.png
Feels like Mercedes made a bad gamble on a late safety car. If they pitted him few laps earlier , he would have got P3

Yes, that was mentioned in commentary too, ISTR.

Once on to the last stint, he was on a different level to those around him - only Max was quicker.

It was a horrendously executed race. Toto said it, Lando said it and it's been my opinion just after watching it. From Lewis not being firm enough with Lando at turn 2 to pitting early for no reason in the first stint when he was only 3.6 sec back and not that much slower than the mclarens, only to come out on hards and not go full beans initially, trying to bring the tires in gently as they said. It was just bad bad racing. Hamilton and the Merc pitwall should be blamed. I agree with Toto that the car was second best, they just were outraced by a slower car.

Yes, they made bad strategy calls. And Lewis held his hand up to the team and apologised for messing up the start. Not sure what else can be said about it really.

[chrisc90]

What a race !

I've got another addition to that 'name a bigger downgrade' thread:

Hungary '22: 61 overtakes
Hungary '23: 16 overtakes

Even this year's Monaco had more (22), placing Hungarian GP a solid last so far. #F1

Well that's a load of rubbish. Whoever wrote that must have lost the ability to count after the first lap.

[omegacel71]

I think after the poor start , Mercedes went all in for the safety car gamble and told Hamilton to bring it in slowly after first stint so that he could go long on the hards. I also think that both piastri and Norris went too much full beans on the hards initially, their pace after first 6/7 laps dropped fast on the hards. Hamilton probably thought he would at most get +4 and got surprised by the +9 delta.

Edit : I also watched the onboard of Hamilton with team radio. Around the start of last stint, Hamilton asked the gap to Perez and whether he could close the gap, Bono replied 'Unlikely'. Makes me think they were also surprised by his pace in the end and had already given up on the podium early.

[Cassius]

I think after the poor start , Mercedes went all in for the safety car gamble and told Hamilton to bring it in slowly after first stint so that he could go long on the hards. I also think that both piastri and Norris went too much full beans on the hards initially, their pace after first 6/7 laps dropped fast on the hards. Hamilton probably thought he would at most get +4 and got surprised by the +9 delta.

Edit : I also watched the onboard of Hamilton with team radio. Around the start of last stint, Hamilton asked the gap to Perez and whether he could close the gap, Bono replied 'Unlikely'. Makes me think they were also surprised by his pace in the end and had already given up on the podium early.

He had good pace, but Perez also had pretty good pace until he was unlucky with the marbles. Without Perez having to recover for a few laps it would not have been this close.

[AR3-GP]

I think after the poor start , Mercedes went all in for the safety car gamble and told Hamilton to bring it in slowly after first stint so that he could go long on the hards. I also think that both piastri and Norris went too much full beans on the hards initially, their pace after first 6/7 laps dropped fast on the hards. Hamilton probably thought he would at most get +4 and got surprised by the +9 delta.

Edit : I also watched the onboard of Hamilton with team radio. Around the start of last stint, Hamilton asked the gap to Perez and whether he could close the gap, Bono replied 'Unlikely'. Makes me think they were also surprised by his pace in the end and had already given up on the podium early.

He had good pace, but Perez also had pretty good pace until he was unlucky with the marbles. Without Perez having to recover for a few laps it would not have been this close.

Perez also didn't have the luxury of easing his tires in, as he came out of the final pitstop just behind Piastri instead of in front. So this probably damaged the end of his stint.

[FanAmp]

It was probably the best race of this season so far, really enjoyed it. Not only the race was exciting but the podium presentation ceremony was also very entertaining

[ringo]

Mclaren was the 2nd fastest here. Cannot take cheeky Lando's comments as gospel. It's just his tit for tat with Lewis after lewis said he had a rocket ship in silverstone.
Midway in the race the mclarens had higher deg than the mercedes but they were the faster package. The timing charts would show this.
They will destroy mercedes at spa as well.
Nothing mercedes could do to come second, Totto was just being overly optimistic to create a false sense of hope.