Track record, new wings, rookies… recap of the private tests at the Hungaroring!

Contrary to popular belief, the F1 Circus was not yet completely on vacation after the Hungarian Grand Prix. Teams and drivers gathered on the winding track in the suburbs of Budapest for the third and final private testing session, following those organized in Barcelona in early March and mid-May. This was an opportunity to test ahead of the end of the season, or even the next one, which will be marked by numerous aerodynamic changes. The laps on the track thus gave a first glimpse of what Formula 1 will look like in a few months.

As announced, the Haas team was noticed… by its absence. The American team considered that the game was not worth the candle financially, as they had no new parts to test for the second part of the season.

In general terms, 16 drivers took part in these tests between Tuesday and Wednesday. Among them were six full-time drivers: Räikkönen, Ricciardo, Hülkenberg, and Ericsson. On their side, two young drivers had the honor of driving on both days: George Russell (for Mercedes) and Lando Norris (for McLaren)! At Toro Rosso, Brendon Hartley and Pierre Gasly took turns, but on behalf of Pirelli, which was testing the 2019 tires. However, each team had two additional sets of tires, with a construction similar to that used by the Italian manufacturer with the Faenza structure.

George Russell sets the benchmark

Leader of the F2 championship, the Briton also impressed at the wheel of the Mercedes. The protégé of the German team set the track record on Wednesday afternoon, with a time of 1:15.575 on hypersoft tires. Russell edged out Kimi Räikkönen, who was also on track on the second day, by a mere 74 thousandths of a second. An insignificant time for “Iceman,” comparing this test day to a free practice Friday, with different options tested and a non-representative lap time.

Nonetheless: George Russell leaves Hungary with the absolute benchmark, as the 20 drivers of the championship did not get the chance to break records this weekend during the rain-affected qualifications. In terms of reliability, the ART Grand Prix driver in F2 was more productive on Wednesday (116 laps) than on Tuesday (49), hindered by a gearbox problem at the start of the program. 🏁 @GeorgeRussell63 takes the flag and that’s a wrap for @F1 Testing in Budapest! #GR63 🇬🇧 #BudaTest pic.twitter.com/iHyuf8TxdV— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) 1 August

Another driver to clock in at 1:15, Antonio Giovinazzi enjoyed the first day, securing the best time aboard the Ferrari. The Italian continued on Wednesday, but aboard the Sauber, losing nearly two seconds. This testing day was important for him, as he is in contention for 2019 and a seat with the Swiss team.

Test T4, @Anto_Giovinazzi Marathon Man. #BudaTest #F1Testing #ForzaFerrari https://t.co/VseqnAleEW

— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) July 31

Even if not very representative, the times show a gulf between the top three in the standings and the others. Red Bull’s simulator driver, Jake Dennis (23 years old), completed the second day of testing for the Austrian team, 1.4 seconds off the lead.

On the leaderboard, note the presence of Robert Kubica, back at the wheel of the FW41. One year after his return to Formula 1, the former BMW Sauber driver is still hoping for a regular seat for next season. Enough to delight his Polish fans, present in the sparse stands of the Hungarian circuit.

“Robert Kubica – tests Hungaroring /f1/actualite/22866-hongrie-qualification-hamilton-empoche-la-pole-entre-les-gouttes-devant-bottas.html”https://t.co/Oz669vvCTK#Kubica @HungaroringF1 pic.twitter.com/DoLLfHTdbR

— Robert Kubica Klub (@TOMek_RK_Klub) 31 July /f1/actualite/22866-hongrie-qualification-hamilton-empoche-la-pole-entre-les-gouttes-devant-bottas.html

Unconcerned with the clock, Daniel Ricciardo focused on his settings, completing laps even in the rain, which fell at the end of the day on Tuesday. Just before the downpour, the session was marked by a red flag due to Sean Gelael crashing into the barriers at the eleventh turn. The Indonesian managed to return to the pits, but without his front wing and with damage to the rear-left suspension. His day ended with this incident.

Here are the cumulative rankings from these two days of testing:

The 2019 season has already started!

Without restrictions on aerodynamics, two teams have unveiled the 2019 specification front wing: Force India and Williams. As a reminder, the new regulations will propose a front wing that is two meters wider but also more simplified, with a view to increasing overtaking. On the side of the Grove team, the evaluation of this new piece was notably done thanks to paint applied to the car, to study the airflow. A very aesthetic result on the track!

The big teams, on the other hand, remained more discreet on the aerodynamic side. Scuderia Ferrari mainly continued its engine tests, with the SF71H emitting thick white smoke during each of its outings. Particular attention was also given to the starting procedure, an exercise in which the Italian team already excels.

It must be said that Mercedes, Ferrari, and even Red Bull still have a lot at stake in this end of the season, which will resume in three weeks. Until then, the factories will observe the mandatory summer break, with a 15-day closure starting this weekend!