Hungarian GP 2015

JULY 26, 2015

Race Notes - Vettel wins Hungarian GP

Sebastian Vettel, Hungarian GP 2015
© The Cahier Archive

 

Sebastian Vettel won the Hungarian Grand Prix in his Ferrari. Daniil Kvyat finished in second place, 15.7 seconds behind the winner in his Red Bull-Renault - the best career finish for a Russian driver, and his Red Bull team mate Daniel Ricciardo finished in third, 25.0 seconds behind Vettel.

After the two Ferraris jumped out into the the lead at the start, and the two Mercedes suffered problems in the race then Vettel stayed out front to win an action packed race.

The win is Vettels 41 career victory, tying Ayrton Senna in third in the all-time wins list.

Rookie Max Verstappen (44.2s) in the Toro Rosso-Renault finished in fourth place, followed by Fernando Alonso (49.0s) with the best result of the year for McLaren-Honda in fifth place, Lewis Hamilton (52.0s) in the Mercedes GP in sixth place, Romain Grosjean (58.5s) in the Lotus-Mercedes in seventh place, Nico Rosberg (58.8s) in the second Mercedes in eighth place, Jenson Button (1m07.0s) in the second McLaren in ninth place, and Marcus Ericsson (1m09.1s) in the Sauber-Ferrari in the final points paying position in tenth place.

Before the start the temperatures were down nearly 20 degrees since the day before during qualifying.

The lights went off, then the yelllow lights came on and the start was aborted. The field went off for another formation lap and the race will be shortened by one lap. It turned out Massa caused

On the second try the light went out and the race

Vettel got a great start with Raikkonen by his side, Vettel

Hamilton fell to fourth, locked up behind Rosberg and put his rear wheel in the dirt and ended up in the gravel trap at the chicane and fell back, then rejoining tenth place.

At the end of the first lap Vettel leads Raikkonen, followed by Rosberg, Bottas, Hulkenberg, Kvyat, Ricciardo, Perez, Massa and Hamilton in tenth place.

Also during the start Ricciardo and Bottas made contact, but both contunued.

Hamilton complains on the radio that ºNico crossed over my line there, pushed me wide¹.

On lap 6 Red Bull tells Kvyat that Ricciardo is quicker behind him, and that he shouldnt hold him up.

Hamilton is having trouble finding a way past Massa in ninth.

On lap 7 Merhi pits as his head rest has come loose.

On lap 8 Kvyat lets Ricciardo through to sixth place.

Hamilton is told that his front brakes are on the limit.

On lap 10 Ricciardo passes Hulkenberg at the first corner to take fifth place. Hamilton passes Massa around the outside of the first corner to take ninth.

Hamilton closes on Perez in eighth.

Mercedes tells Rosberg, ºSo Nico, unless we can close the gap to Raikkonen¹ Nico cuts him off saying Dont tell me again. I am trying."

On lap 13 Hamilton passes Perez and takes eighth place.

On lap 14 Kvyat pits for medium tyres. Massa pits the next lap and takes a five-second penalty for the first aborted start. Grosjean passes him on the stop coming out of the pit lane. Verstappen and Button also pit.

Hamilton says to his engineer, ºyoure very quiet Bono.¹ Hamilton is told to ºpush now.¹

On lap 15 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m27.695s.

On lap 19 Raikkonen loses the onboard camera off the front wing. Perez and Maldonado touch in the first corner, but both continue. Hamilton pits the next lap and comes out on soft tyres. Hamilton battles in the first corner with Bottas but gets out in front.

On lap 21 Rosberg pits for medium tyres.

On lap 22 Vettel pits from the lead and takes more soft tyres. Ricciardo also pits for mediums, while Raikkonen pits for soft tyres.

On lap 24 Vettel sets fast lap at 1n26.877s. Maldonado is handed a drive-through penalty for his collision with Perez.

At lap 25 Vettel continues to lead Raikkonen by 5.9 seconds, followed by Rosberg (15.6s), Ricciardo (31.6s), Hamilton (32.5s), Bottas (40.1s), Hulkenberg (42.4s), Kvyat (47.0s) Verstappen (50.3s) and Alonso (55.1s) in tenth place.

Grosjean is given a 5-second penalty for an unsafe release.

Hamilton goes wide at the final corner, but continues. Maldonado serves his drive-through penalty. Ericsson passes Massa at the first corner and takes 15th place.

On lap 29 Hamilton passes Ricciardo at the first corner to take fourth place under DRS.

On lap 30 Massa pits and rejoins in 17th place.

Kvyat complains that his tyres are ºundrivable¹. Alonso is closing behind him. Perez pits, as well as Merhi.

On lap 33 Nasr pits. Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m26.801s. Kvyat pits as well for soft tyres. Grosjean pits as well

At lap 35 Vettel continues to lead his team mate Raikkonen by 8.0 seconds, followed by Rosberg (22.9s), Hamilton (30.7s), Ricciardo (39.7s), Bottas (54.4s), Hulkenberg (57.7s), Verstappen (66.8s), Alonso (71.4s) and Sainz (74.8s) in tenth place.

On lap 36 Mercedes tells Hamilton, ºwe are going to stretch this stint as much as we can, minimise time on the prime¹.

Grosjean pits and switches to medium tyres. Button pits as well.

On lap 37 Mercedes tells Rosberg that Hamilton will be switching to prime tyres. Hulkenberg, Alonso and Sainz all pit to switch to medium tyres. Alonso had to come in with a puncture.

Raikkonen complains to the team that he is down on power.

Bottas pits from sixth for a set of medium tyres.

On lap 43 Hulkenberg looses his front wing on the main straight and lock up his brakes and crashes into the barriers at the first corner. The german gets out of his Force India.

The safety car is deployed and many drivers pit. Rosberg taking on medium compound tyres.

Behind the safety car on lap 44 Vettel leads Raikkonen, Rosberg, Hamilton, Ricciardo, Bottas, Verstappen, Kvyat, Alonso and Sainz in tenth place.

Ferrari tells Raikkonen that his MGU-K unit is no longer working, and that the car will still run, but they will be down on power.

Alonso made an extra pit stop to remove debris and now runs behind his team mate Button in 11th place.

Mercedes tells Rosberg that he still has a chance of a win.

The field closes up behind the safety car, and at the end of lap 48 the race restarts. Vettel leads with Rosberg passing Raikkonen for second. Ricciardo passes Hamilton and the two touch. Kvyat gets past Hamilton as well. Bottas suffers a punctured tyre and limps back to the pits.

On lap 51 Ricciardo passes Raikkonen down the main straight to take third. Hamilton pits for a new front nose. Kvyat passes Raikkonen as well.

On lap 52 Ricciardo post fast lap at 1m26.508s.

On lap 53 Raikkonen pits for a long stop.

Rosberg closes to within a second of Vettel in the lead.

Hamilton is given a drive-through penalty for his collision with Ricciardo.

On lap 55 Perez retires in the pits. Raikkonen has not been able to solve his problems and retires the Ferrari.

Hamilton serves his drive-through penalty.

On lap 56 Alonso and Sainz battle, Alonso taking sixth. Maldonado is handed another penalty, as well as Verstappen in fifth.

Ricciardo closes on Rosberg in second place.

At lap 60 Vettel leads Rosberg by 1.2 seconds, followed by Ricciardo (1.8s), Kvyat (4.2s), Verstappen (37.7s), Alonso (43.4s), Grosjean (48.3s), Button (52.8s), Ericsson (54.8s) and Nasr (57.1s) in tenth place.

Hamilton passes Nasr for tenth (back in the points).

On lap 62 Sainz retires in the pits.

On lap 63 Hamilton passes Button and is now up to eighth place.

On lap 64 Ricciardo dives down the inside of Rosberg at the first corner, runs wide and then touches Rosbergs left rear tyre. Rosberg suffers a puncture and then limps back to the pits.

Ricciardo pits and takes on a new front nose. Kvyat runs in second place.

Rosberg pits to replace his tyre. Ricciardo runs third.

On lap 66 Ricciardo sets fast lap at 1m25.016s.

Kvyat is handed a 10 second penalty for passing at the restart off the track.

Rosberg runs in eighth place.

On lap 67 Hamilton passes Grosjean for sixth place.

Vettel holds on to win for Ferrari, Kvyat seconds in his first podium finish with Ricciardo third.