Five Hungarian talking points

23 July 2015 11:31

Formula One has arrived in Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix under a dark cloud after the death of Jules Bianchi.

Here, Press Association Sport assesses five talking points heading into the 10th round of the championship.

Are we expecting to see a raft of safety changes in Formula One following Jules Bianchi's death?

While Bianchi's death on Friday night has rocked Formula One, the investigation into his tragic accident at last year's Japanese Grand Prix has already been completed. So, the simple answer is: no.

A 394-page dossier released in December determined that the Frenchman "did not slow sufficiently" as he was instructed to by waved double yellow flags following Adrian Sutil's spin.

The report recommended the introduction of the Virtual Safety Car - a system which neutralises a race by instructing drivers to stick to a designated speed limit. We've seen it this season - briefly at the Monaco Grand Prix and last time out at Silverstone.

Certain races have also been brought forward an hour after Bianchi crashed with 45 minutes of daylight remaining. Closed cockpits have been discussed and dismissed, but cockpit head protection for the drivers has been improved.

Formula One is always thriving to improve safety and it is testament to those high standards that Bianchi's death in such a dangerous sport was the first in more than two decades.

So, are we expecting the sport to pay tribute to the Frenchman this weekend?

Bianchi was a highly-rated and likeable driver, and despite racing in just 34 grands prix, and finishing in the points only once, he left a lasting impression on the sport.

The drivers, most of whom attended his funeral in Nice on Tuesday, will gather at the front of the grid to observe a one-minute silence 15 minutes before the start of the race.

Lewis Hamilton, the championship leader, has already called on his fans to help design a sticker which he will wear on his crash helmet in honour of Bianchi.

While Ferrari have asked their supporters for Bianchi tributes which will align their garage walls this weekend.

Hamilton won last time out at the British Grand Prix, and he's pretty good at the Hungaroring isn't he?

Yes. Hamilton has won four times in Hungary - in 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2013 - to leave him tied with Michael Schumacher as the most successful driver at one of the calendar's most iconic circuits.

The British driver will be buoyed by his victory at Silverstone and will start the weekend as the favourite to extend his 17-point lead over his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.

But don't Hamilton and Rosberg have a little bit of history at this race?

Rosberg left the Hungaroring furious last year after Hamilton completely disregarded a message from the pitwall to allow his team-mate through.

The Briton was on a different strategy to Rosberg, but Hamilton said over the team radio: "I'm not slowing down for Nico. get close and then he can overtake me." Rosberg, who started from pole, failed to overtake Hamilton and he finished fourth.

He felt let down by Mercedes and spent the ensuing summer break stewing over what he deemed as Hamilton's failure to play the team game. At the next race in Belgium, he crashed with Hamilton on the opening lap and won just once in the seven remaining races to miss out on the title.

And what of McLaren? Are we expecting them to get their act together this weekend?

While Fernando Alonso finally earned his first point of the season at the British Grand Prix, his 10th-place finish is unlikely to go down as a career highlight for the Spaniard or McLaren. Indeed he finished ahead of only three other drivers and a countrymile behind race-winner Hamilton.

The high-speed nature of Silverstone was never going to suit this McLaren-Honda package, and while their prospects may be slightly better at the twisty Hungaroring track, do not expect miracles from the ailing British team.

Indeed Eric Boullier's call to "scratch the surface on the performance and potential that lies within our organisation" in McLaren's pre-race press release was hardly the most optimistic of previews.

Source: PA