Schuey pleased to keep his rivals close
Although it is rare for five-time world champion Michael Schumacher to finish a qualifying session in ninth place, it is quite exceptional that he should declare this as a satisfactory performance
Yet that is what happened in first qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix today (Friday), as he kept nearest world championship rival Juan Pablo Montoya of Williams-BMW in his sights, and put McLaren-Mercedes' Kimi Raikkonen behind him as the single-lap qualifying shook up the order on a dusty Hungaroring track.
"All in all, the result is not too bad," said Schumacher, who got the worst of the track conditions by going first today. "Especially in terms of the battle for the title. In fact, my main rivals are pretty close to me. Therefore, ninth spot can still be good for tomorrow.
"I am confident for the rest of the weekend. I think that, overall, the situation is better than the one we experienced in Hockenheim."
Schumacher was encouraged by the pace of team-mate Rubens Barrichello, who was fifth fastest from running fifth on the track today.
"We did not exploit all of the car's available potential, but a place in the top five today puts me in a good position to fight for a front row place on the grid tomorrow," said Barrichello. "We still need to work on the car's set-up."
Verstappen v Hamilton: Who was at fault?
Formula 1: Sprint Qualifying analysis
The F1 champion who became an Indy king in his second career
Emerson Fittipaldi’s decision to go racing with his brother led to him falling out of F1, but he bloomed again on the IndyCar scene. NIGEL ROEBUCK considers a career of two halves
Why Mercedes is pleased to be in the Hungary hunt at a 'Red Bull track'
Mercedes ended Friday practice at the Hungaroring with a clear gap to Red Bull thanks to Valtteri Bottas’s pace in topping FP2. But there are other reasons why the Black Arrows squad feels satisfied with its progress so far at a track many Formula 1 observers reckon favours Red Bull overall
How Red Bull endured its second car crash in two weeks
OPINION: Red Bull was justified to be upset that Lewis Hamilton survived his British GP clash with Max Verstappen and went on to win. But its attempts to lobby the FIA to reconsider the severity of Hamilton's in-race penalty were always likely to backfire, and have only succeeded in creating a PR disaster that will distract from its on-track efforts
The ‘screaming’ F1 engine future that may not be out of reach
OPINION: It wasn't just the Verstappen/Hamilton clash that had the Red Bull and Mercedes bosses at loggerheads at Silverstone, with the nature of Formula 1's 2025 engines also subject for disagreement. But hopes to have loud, emotive engines that are also environmentally friendly don't have to be opposed
The drivers that need to strike gold before F1's summer break
OPINION: Formula 1 is about to break up for summer 2021, with the title battles finely poised. But it’s not just the latest round of Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton that will be worth watching this weekend in Hungary, as plenty of drivers are eying big results to change the stories of their seasons so far
How Lotus F1 uncovered, then squandered its last ‘unfair advantage’
Cast in the mould of its founder Colin Chapman, Lotus was powerful and daring but flawed – as it proved through further soaring peaks and painful troughs into the 1980s. DAMIEN SMITH examines a game-changing era
The core problems Yas Marina’s long-awaited tweaks won't address
OPINION: Changes to the layout of Abu Dhabi’s circuit aim to reverse the trend of insipid Formula 1 races there - the promoter has even described one of the new corners as “iconic”. And that, argues STUART CODLING, is one of this venue’s abiding failings
How Ferrari offered Britain's next F1 prospect what Red Bull couldn't
Last year's Formula 2 runner-up Callum Ilott could be on his way to becoming the first Briton to contest a grand prix in an Alfa Romeo since Reg Parnell in 1950. But, says OLEG KARPOV, the Ferrari Driver Academy protege is having to temper his ambition at the moment – outwardly at least…
