Formula 1 season continues with 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix - we have 8 races to go. It is even at the top of prediction game standings, only 3 points separate top 5 players. I apologize for this post appearing later than usual, I got totally mixed up and did not realize it is Thursday already …

And watch out - to keep more people still in the game there will be a chance to win 1 MUMM bottle for almost anybody who is now in the game. How ? That I will announce ahead of European GP. For now, keep on playing, do not miss out !

So place your predictions as usual in the comments below this post:
- Top eight finishers in the race
- Pole position
- Fastest lap

The summary of the rules and current standings - click here
Round 10 results - click here.

Do not forget - the predictions must be placed before the qualifying starts. Better do not leave it to the very last moment !

F1Wolf

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For the 23rd time Formula 1 returns to Hungaroring - the twisty dusty track where overtaking is almost impossible, where races are often boring and where it almost never rains. When it does rain, anything can happen, even Jenson Button can win a race as it happened back in 2006.

Not much happened during the race last year but the more interesting was the qualifying. Ferrari’s mix up with Massa’s fuel relegated the Brazilian to 14th on the grid. Hamilton’s revolt resulted in Alonso’s revolt and ultimately lead to that infamous 100 million fine and Alonso’s departure…

This year it all looks like the usual hot and dry and dusty weekend in Hungary with chances of rain somewhere around 5%-10%. Can’t really tell that pole position will automaticaly result in win but poor qualifing will almost surely ruin any chances for good result. Weather is unlikely to help so the only hope for the midfield teams remains some well timed safety car appearance …

Five of previous 13 Hungarian GP winners (see the video preview) will be on the grid this year - Barrichello, Alonso, Raikkonen, Button and Hamilton. McLaren seems to be the team to beat at the moment but Ferrari (with the shark fin) are also quite optimistic, at least their talk is. It should be four way battle between 2 red and 2 silver cars but a qualifying surprise may mix it up. If a guy like Kubica for example manages to snatch the pole position, it will be hard to overtake him on a track like this …

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F1Wolf

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My 2009 driver line up prediction is doing well. I expect not much to change and McLaren are the first to agree with me . Martin Whitmarsh to Autosport:

“We welcomed Heikki on board at the start of the year. He is under contract to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, and will continue to race for us in the 2009 season.”

After having as many as 8 different drivers racing for them since 2004 season it looks like Ron Dennis and co. are finally happy with the line up they have.

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F1Wolf

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Teams do have their good years and their bad years. Seeing McLaren winning races and fighting for titles in 2007 and 2008 it is easy to forget that they haven’t won any titles since the days of Mika Hakkinen, haven’t won a single race in 2006 and finished distant 5th in constructors table in 2005.

The last 2 posts - the video preview of Hungarian GP where Button won in 2006 and Briatore’s engine cries - reminded me of the fall from grace of 2 other mighty teams - Renault and Honda.

2004
- BAR Honda 2nd, 11 podiums, 119 pts
- Renault 3rd, 5 podiums, 105 pts

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F1Wolf

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Here comes the second Grand Prix video preview - this time 2008 Hungarian GP:

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

This video includes:

- Look back at winners of all previous Hungarian Grands Prix - from Nelson Piquet to Lewis Hamilton
- Flashback to 2007 Hungarian GP
- Race preview with Nico Rosberg and Sam Michael

This video can also be viewed at F1 Wolf Club, on Facebook and on one day perhaps also on Dailymotion

Music: music.podshow.com

F1Wolf

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Flavio Briatore spoke with Gazzetta dello Sport. Quite a bit of the talk was about the current state of Formula 1. But he also said this:

“The problem is that us, Renault, have stuck to the letter of the current regulations on frozen engines, and we’ve been buggered: others didn’t do that and are far ahead, while we suffer. It’s not fair.”

Is he suggesting the others are cheating ? Or is he admitting that Renault engine guys simply haven’t bothered to exploit all the loopholes in the engine freeze rules ?

Does he know something we don’t or is he simply being pathetic ?

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F1Wolf

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To make it even more difficult to keep the engine statistics up-to-date Red Bull team has decided to keep David Coulthard on the same Renault engine for the third race in a row in Hungary this weekend. Well on paper it is third race in a row but his British GP barely lasted a lap . Here are the reasons behind the unusual decision - Fabrice Lom, Renault, in charge of Red Bull engine supply:

“This is the first time we have taken this decision. First of all his V8 has not done too much running. Plus, having our two drivers out of synch on the engine cycle means that we won’t be putting all our eggs in the same basket. This decision will also help us in the second half of the season in terms of the logistical challenge. And finally, it means that David will not have to use the same engine in Spa and Monza, which are two of the toughest challenges on the calendar.”

In the early days of two race rule there were worries the teams may choose deliberately not to finish the race to be able to run with fresh engine in next one. It actually happened in 2005 when BAR retired both cars (Button and Sato) on the final lap of Australian GP and again in Australia in 2006 when Button stopped his smoking car meters from the finish line. Now we have a team choosing to use the same engine for third time .

Photo: Red Bull/GEPA

F1Wolf

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Ahead of 2007 Hungarian GP Toro Rosso sent Scott Speed packing and Sebastian Vettel took his place. Before that Christijan Albers’ sponsors stopped paying up and so Spyker signed up Marcus Winkelhock for European Grand Prix, then replacing him with Sakon Yamamoto for the rest of the season. During the Chinese GP weekend Alex Wurz announced that was going to be his last F1 race and Kazuki Nakajima took his seat in Brazil.

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F1Wolf

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Williams - those blue or blue and white cars, at least that is how they have looked in these past few years. But it hasn’t been that long ago that Williams painted their cars red. They used red liveries for 2 years back in the nineties. Can you recall when was that ? What drivers drove for the teams in those 2 years ?

Here are few pictures that might help …

Photos: Williams/LAT

F1Wolf

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After reading all that has been written about Fernando Alosno since his not that good German Grand Prix performance, a question popped up in my mind. Which way will his career go from now ?

Same as two former champions Alonso left his title winning team to try his luck somewhere else. After winning his first title in 2005 he signed for McLaren from 2007 season. He did manage to win his 2nd title in his final (?) season with Renault, but not much went right for him since. When he arrived in McLaren he found his rookie team mate to be the next big thing in F1. He had a car able to challenge for race wins and for the title, but the expected number one status was nowhere. Not able to bite the bullet he did not manage to keep his mouth shut and found himself out of the team not long after the end of 2007 season. (Seems like Heikki has learned the lesson ). With nowhere else to go he returned to Renault, now no longer a front running team. Despite all the PR talk he clearly struggles with the uncompetitve car and his performances seem to start to reflect his unease. There is not really anywhere else to go for him next year. Unless he forgets about Ferrari and signs longer term deal with another team he is stuck with Renault for a while … How will these few fruitless years affect his future career ?

Will he do Schumi or will he do Jacques ?

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F1Wolf

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