Long run analysis Hungary: Alfa Romeo in front of Max Verstappen!

(Motorsport-Complete.com) – Aston Martin, Ferrari, McLaren or Mercedes? Earlier than the Method 1 weekend in Hungary, what was not mentioned about who might dethrone Max Verstappen on the particular observe in Hungary. However no one anticipated Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas.

If you happen to take a more in-depth take a look at the long term information from Friday, then the Finn was truly the quickest pilot on common on common in case you issue out elements equivalent to completely different tire compounds, the observe evolution and completely different stint lengths so as to create the absolute best comparability.

With a median adjusted time of 1:23.368, Bottas relegated Verstappen to second place, which was lacking a median of seven hundredths per lap. Guanyu Zhou within the second Alfa Romeo averaged the third finest time (+0.11), adopted by the 2 McLaren drivers (Norris +0.24, Piastri +0.27).

“We solely used medium and the automotive appears to have labored properly with it,” says the 33-year-old fortunately. “The automotive was actually constant on Friday. That was optimistic as a result of it permits you to assault within the corners. That is a should right here on this observe.”

Is the Alfa Romeo tempo sensible?

Nevertheless, anybody who believes that Alfa Romeo is now the massive favourite for the race in Hungary is more likely to be dissatisfied on race Sunday. Not solely did the 2 Alfa Romeos do comparatively quick stints of seven and eight consultant laps respectively, which makes it tough to evaluate the tempo, however the tire put on on the C43 was additionally very excessive in comparison with the opposite groups. So it is fairly attainable that Alfa Romeo will run out of air in the direction of the top of longer stints on Sunday.

As well as, Max Verstappen’s efficiency is tough to evaluate. The Dutchman drove simply 5 consultant laps and that too on the smooth C5 tyres, which makes comparability much more tough as solely the 2 Ferraris and AlphaTauris used the identical set of tyres. Nonetheless, Alfa Romeo ought to have the ability to play an excellent position over the weekend if the warmer circumstances on Saturday and Sunday also needs to swimsuit the automotive.

Along with the Swiss group, McLaren was additionally in a position to make folks sit up and take discover. Not solely had been the 2 pilots fast, however the MCL60 additionally did properly when it got here to tire administration. The following podium on Sunday would possibly beckon.

Mercedes solely seventh energy! What is going on on there?

However behind the group from Woking issues get fairly tight. Fourth in the long term was Alpine with Pierre Gasly (+0.35), intently adopted by Ferrari and Aston Martin (each +0.36). Mercedes, who had been solely seventh with a niche of just about half a second per lap to Valtteri Bottas, had greater issues.

Nevertheless, the highest pace measurements confirmed that the W14 was a median of seven.5 km/h behind the quickest group on the straights, Alpine, in the long term. Contemplating how quick the beginning and end straight is on the Hungaroring, one would possibly assume that the Silver Arrows have proven rather less when it comes to engine efficiency.

Teammate Lewis Hamilton, then again, attracts a sobering conclusion after the coaching day in Budapest: “[Das Auto] did not really feel good,” he says. “It felt worse than ever.”

Tire put on horror: Haas goes below fully

Whereas Williams and AlphaTauri come simply behind Mercedes, one group is totally defeated: Haas. The gap is critical. Whereas the highest 9 groups are inside 5 and a half tenths per lap, the American group is a half second per lap off the penultimate! And the hole could be even larger if the completely different stint lengths weren’t adjusted.

Tire put on particularly was a problem once more. Nico Hulkenberg began his stint on the medium tire with a 1:23.963 however deteriorated to a 1:26.085 on lap 17 of his stint. No person had issues as huge as Haas, as a result of Kevin Magnussen’s stint on the laborious C3 tires was something however presentable.

Two, three and even 4 stops on Sunday?

If you happen to extrapolate the long term information for the race, then in idea 4 stops is the quickest solution to the end and thus about 15 seconds sooner than a three-stop variant. Nevertheless, because the groups solely have so few tires out there and overtaking in Hungary is taken into account tough, 4 stops are most unlikely.

In distinction, a three-stop variant with two medium and two laborious may very well be a sensible variant. The groups averted the laborious tires particularly within the lengthy runs so as to have sufficient left over for Sunday. Nonetheless, the smooth, fuel-rich C5 tire has confirmed to not be as dangerous as one might need thought earlier than the weekend, however it’s debatable whether or not it’s going to carry out as properly in hotter temperatures.

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Picture gallery: Method 1 know-how: The Hungary replace of the Pink Bull RB19

Red Bull gave the dominant RB19 a helping hand again at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Changes have been made in several places.

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A two-stop technique can’t be fully dominated out both, contemplating the tire downside. Within the extrapolation, nevertheless, two laborious and one medium could be greater than 20 seconds slower than the three-stop technique over the complete race distance.

Does the whole lot end up in another way ultimately?

Nevertheless, the Friday information shouldn’t be placed on the gold scales. On the one hand, the groups ran very completely different applications, on the one hand to avoid wasting tires and then again as a result of the primary free follow session actually fell by means of. And then again, the observe circumstances will change considerably for the remainder of the weekend, which might flip the stability of energy the other way up once more.

Nevertheless, anybody who would love extra details about Friday’s information, together with an preliminary evaluation of Daniel Ricciardo’s tempo and in-depth analyzes of tire put on, is in good fingers on the ‘Formel1.de’ YouTube channel, the place information skilled Kevin Hermann and editor-in-chief Christian Nimmervoll in a video gave their assessments of the coaching Friday.