31/07/2011
Here, on the periphery of Central Europe (western reaches of Eastern Europe, as most of us like to call it), it’s Race Day morning. Race Day morning of the 11th Grand Prix of the season; Race Day morning of Hungary’s motorsport spectacular. Looking out in the paddock, you wouldn’t know it yet.
A little drizzle falling from the clouds over Hungary seem to have deterred most even the most ardent of paddock-goers. The little conversations that F1 folk tend to have on a race day morning has been absent from the stretch of tarmac. Instead, everyone is nestled inside their own team’s motorhomes swapping anecdotes over cups of tea, double espressos and perhaps in a few hours, something stronger.
Everyone inside the confines of the Hungaroring circuit is pondering the outcome of this eagerly-awaited race, this eagerly-awaited battle between twelve teams who each have their own firmly fixed ambitions this afternoon. The outcome of today’s battle will provide the thought for team members over the course of the next few weeks. As Formula One personnel take their holidays and time away from the track, they will be left with much to contemplate.
The mid-season break offers a chance to look at the bigger picture, look at the season-so-far without focusing solely on the last race. What has happened, what has gone well, what not so well and the steps that must be followed to improve. That’s why this race is so important for many.
It sets the scene for the next stage of the season. It can provide momentum or stop it. It can offer hope or confusion. For some, it could be a catalyst for change. The importance of today’s outcome in this little Budapest backwater should not be underestimated.
Credit: Lotus Renault GP (www.lotusrenaultgp.com)
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