The head says Hamilton but watch out for the Finns

BUDAPEST — The head says Lewis Hamilton but those willing to take a more adventurous punt might fancy the chances of Valtteri Bottas or Kimi Raikkonen as Formula One regroups in Hungary with a heavy heart this weekend.

Hamilton, winner at the Hungaroring four times in eight years and twice in the past three, is the clear favourite as the double world champion seeks to stretch his 17-point overall lead into the August break.

The Briton and his rivals will also be racing with Jules Bianchi in their thoughts after attending the French driver’s funeral in Nice on Tuesday.

“Saying goodbye to Jules was incredibly hard for everyone,” said Hamilton of a promising talent who died on Friday, nine months after a Japanese Grand Prix crash left him in a coma.

“I wished I had known him better.

“Hungary is a beautiful place, one of my favourites. I will be carrying Jules with me in my prayers and thoughts, not only this race but for the rest of my driving days. I know he’d want us to race hard as he did, and so I will.”

The form book points to another battle between Hamilton and Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, with the pair chasing their seventh one-two in 10 races, but history offers some hope of a different outcome.

The race, now in its 30th edition, threw up a surprise last season when Australian Daniel Ricciardo won for Red Bull and has done so before.

It may be just a statistical curiosity, but the fact remains that only English, Australian or Finnish drivers have won in Hungary for a decade.

Finnish success

Raikkonen, who could be replaced by Bottas at Ferrari next season if speculation is correct, won with McLaren in 2005 while compatriot Heikki Kovalainen triumphed in 2008.

“I always have a lot of support — it’s almost a Finnish Grand Prix,” said Williams’ Bottas, who has yet to win in Formula One, but was third in Canada.

“We should be looking to have a strong weekend and to build on the good momentum we have built.”

Raikkonen was second in Bahrain, his first top three finish since he won with Lotus in 2013 and apart from last season, the 2007 world champion has been on the podium in Hungary every year he has raced there since 2006.

Ricciardo is the only Australian on the grid and Red Bull have lost hope of winning until Renault provide a more competitive engine, and may have to grin and bear it.

Jenson Button took his first F1 win in Hungary with Honda in 2006 from 14th on the grid, which remains the lowest winning start for the race, but even starting that low will be a challenge this time with Honda-powered McLaren.

Bianchi’s death, the first since 1994 of a driver resulting from a race incident, has put everything into perspective.

“Last weekend’s sad news... means that the Grand Prix circus heads to Budapest with heavy hearts,” McLaren boss Eric Boullier said.

“We’ll all remember his life in our own personal way, but Formula One will come together on Sunday to silently and respectfully mark his passing.”

Tyre tender

Bernie Ecclestone will decide whether Michelin or current suppliers Pirelli secure Formula One’s three-year tyre contract from 2017 after both companies passed a technical and safety hurdle.

The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said on Wednesday that the two had met the requirements to become approved bidders, and had been submitted to the sport’s commercial rights holder.

Ecclestone, the commercial supremo who represents controlling shareholders CVC, will conduct negotiations with both and make a decision for the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council to approve.

The FIA body’s next scheduled meeting is on September 30 in Paris.

Michelin withdrew from Formula One in 2006, a year after a farcical US Grand Prix that went ahead with only six cars after all the Michelin-equipped teams pulled out on safety grounds.

The sport has had a sole supplier since then, with Bridgestone replaced by Pirelli in 2011.

Ecclestone indicated earlier in the year that he favoured retaining Pirelli, who also invest heavily in trackside advertising.

“All Michelin would do is make a rock-hard tyre that you could put on in January and take off in December because they don’t want to be in a position where they can be criticised,” the 84-year-old Briton said in May.

Whereas the Pirelli F1 compounds have been engineered to degrade, in a move aimed at increasing strategy options and encouraging overtaking, Michelin have said they are not prepared to make a tyre that did not last.

Michelin motorsport head Pascal Couasnon told Reuters last month that the French company also had no interest in supplying tyres to Formula One, unless the sport agreed to change the specification from 33cm to at least 45.7cm.

The current FIA tender document opens the way for an increase in diameter “if the tyre manufacturer feels there may be advantages to the competitors by doing so”.