F1 | GP Hungary, Testign ground for Mercedes and Ferrari

This weekend Formula 1 will put down in Budapest, beginning the first race of the second half of the season. It will arrive on a track that that is traditionally sun kissed and with high temperatures in which teams will have to quickly find out the best mix (between Medium, Soft and SuperSoft) to be used on a road surface that is little used during the season. The track conditions will change swiftly after every session just as the performance of the cars will improve.

On paper we are talking about a track layout (similar to a karting track) that will favour Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikonnen, even though last year the two Red Bulls finished behind Mercedes and today they are in recovery phase, playing the role of party poopers.

Faced with such a competitive Mercedes there is little to be complacent about and they know this at Maranello. After a difficult weekend in Britain the support to the team from its President Sergio Marchionne was very appreciative.

The Hungaroring will be a good testing ground for Mercedes, but above all for Ferrari in light of the championship. If Toto Wolff’s lads should repeat the exciting result of two weeks ago on a track that is less favourable for it the championship can (almost) be considered closed, opening a boiling summer at the prancing horse’s home of the contract renewal front.

Let us not forget that on Tuesday two days of testing will begin in which we will see once again Robert Kubica at the wheel of the Renault R.S. 17. In front of a positive result the environment could be destabilized. It will be an important challenge for the Pole who will make his debut on the new generation car. I learnt with great pleasure the news of Luca Ghiotto’s debut on Wednesday at the wheel of the Williams FW40. I was able to follow the young man that together with the Federal Driving School from his very first laps in the formulas. On the other hand Ferrari’s third driver Antonio Giovinazzi will be at the wheel of the Ferrari powered Hass during the free practice of the grand prix.

Gian Carlo Minardi