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Posts for Tag: Budapest

The Flying Diaries : BOM - BUD - BOM ( Emirates Business & First / FlyDubai Business )

Emirates Airlines has been my preferred travel partner since I began travelling in 2012. Be it a destination to Europe or the Americas, Emirates offers multiple connectivity options, and the travel experience goes beyond flying. When I last flew to Europe ( Brussels ) in August 2019, little did I know that I wouldn't get to travel again until July 2022!

The pandemic, COVID-19 arrived in early 2020, and I had to cancel my plans to travel in June 2020. Our International borders opened fully only in 2022, and Hungary was the first F1 race I planned to be at. After a hiatus of three years, it seemed like I would be finally flying again on my favourite airline. 

The plan was to fly to Budapest on the Wednesday morning of the race weekend. However, I got struck with a viral infection that threatened to cancel all my travel plans. With no marked improvement in health, I got forced to cancel my trip. A slew of tests, including that of COVID-19, followed. Thankfully, I tested negative, and the fever subsided. What followed next was a race against time, and all odds, I rebooked myself on a new flight for the next day ( Thursday ). However, Emirates doesn't offer a service to Budapest on Thursday. The alternative was to fly with FlyDubai, which would be my first experience ( in Business ) on Emirates' Low-Cost Carrier.

The outbound journey was on 28th July in Business Class on an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER and a FlyDubai Boeing 737 Max. The return journey was on 6th August in First Class on Emirates Boeing 777-300ER. 

How was the experience in Emirates post-COVID? Here is a humble attempt at covering all aspects!


Mumbai - Budapest ( Emirates & FlyDubai Business ) ( 28th July 2022 ) :


The bags are packed and ready!


An elegant looking Mercedes E Class to ferry me to the airport, thanks to Emirates Chauffeur service :


Mornings are relatively less crowded in the International section. I breezed through Check-in and security but the Emirates representative forgot to give me a Lounge Invitation card. As a result, the staff at the lounge entry had to make a few calls before allowing me access.


The Adani Business Class Lounge in Mumbai Terminal 2, is quite an empty place in the morning :


All that's on offer to satiate one's hunger!


Views from the lounge are incredible, even the Emirates Boeing 777-300ER is visible!


Boarded the plane and this was the earlier-gen Business Class on a relatively less crowded flight to Dubai, a 2-3-2 configuration :


Pushback begins :


Taxiing to the runway :


Up, up and away! So long Mumbai!


Video Link of the Takeoff from Mumbai :



The Lunch menu onboard :


Chaman Kaliya and a "Selection of Sweets" for Lunch :


Hovering over Dubai, as we prepare to touch down :


Some stills with the Samsung S22 Ultra :


Touchdown at Dubai International Airport ( Video Link ) :



After a quick walk through Security and it was time to spend almost 5 hours in the Lounge. My onward journey was in the evening with my arrival at 9 pm in Budapest.


The Business Class Lounge at Dubai International Airport, as far as the eyes can see!


Enjoying some treats on offer in the lounge!


While relaxing in the lounge, I came across the news that Sebastian Vettel had announced his retirement from the sport. It was sad to see the German say goodbye after Raikkonen decided to hang up his boots in 2021.


It was time for boarding and the plane was parked a fair distance from the terminal building.


Making our way to the plane :


The Business Class seating on the Boeing 737 Max. Looks cosy, a 2-2 configuration.


Preparing for takeoff :


En route to Budapest :


Taking off from Dubai bound for Budapest ( Video Link ) :



The menu for Dinner Service in Budapest :


Apple Juice with some nuts, followed by Chicken Parmigiana and Chocolate Mud Cake :


It was a hearty meal and very well presented. 


With the meal done, it was time to relax and enjoy some sights en route!

Stunning visuals from the heavens!


The flight path towards the continent of Europe!


Landing in Budapest :


Video Link : 



Since the 2nd leg was on FlyDubai, I didn't get the luxury of the Emirates Chauffeur service to my hotel but the return journey would have it since both legs were on Emirates.



Budapest - Mumbai ( Emirates First ) ( 6th August 2022 ) :

Emirates has only service out of Budapest at 4 pm so post check-out, one has to head straight for the airport.

Emirates Chauffeur service to ferry me to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport :


Goodbye Budapest, you were amazing!


The airlines still needed the Air Suvidha form filled ( as per the directive from the Indian government ), so the check-in process took longer than usual. Nevertheless, it was still a breeze through immigration and security.

The lounge in Budapest offered some great views of the airport and the tarmac!


The lounge had an elaborate spread as per European standards :


After having a sumptuous experience, it was time to head to the gate for boarding.

Walking towards the Boarding Gate :


The Boeing 777-300ER First Class is a great place to be for the journey to Dubai!


Minibar, flight wellness kit, a basket of sweets & savouries, Bowers and Wilkins Noise Cancellation headsets along with some Arabic Coffee and dates :


The pushback and taxiing to the runway. Seeing a tour group ( plane spotters ) take photos of the Boeing 777-300ER as it made its way to the runway was nice :


Taking off from Budapest ( Video Link ) :



Budapest from above - Buda, Pest and Margaret Island visible!


The Wine List, for those who love to pair it with their meals :


The dinner service to Budapest had an elaborate spread. This is a shorter flight from Europe, so the dine-on-demand service had some restrictions :  


Chips and Orange Fizz, followed by Lentil Soup, Grilled Chicken and Almond Streusel Cake :


The bed is ready, time for a quick nap before landing in Dubai :


Nearing touchdown at Dubai International Airport :


Landing at Dubai International Airport ( Video Link ) :



Hello Dubai!


Post-Covid, Emirates has upped its First Class Experience by offering guests an escorted service to the First Class Lounge while transiting through Dubai International Airport. It adds to the overall experience of flying First Class!


The First Class Lounge at Dubai International Airport is serene and calm. After a three-hour rest, it was time to say goodbye to the lounge and head to the gate for the final leg to Mumbai :


My seat for the journey home, another First Class Suite on the Boeing 777-300ER :


The Breakfast menu :


Arabic Coffee and Dates anyone?


Pushback from the terminal on early Sunday morning :


Takeoff Video :



Enjoying a Vitality Boost drink, followed by Green Pea Poha :


Dawn arrives as we begin our approach into the city that never sleeps!


Touching down at Mumbai International Airport :


Landing Video :



Homebound, thanks to Emirates Chauffeur Service!


I also made a Vlog on the First Class experience onboard the Boeing 777-300 ER from Budapest to Dubai.


Video Link :



What an amazing experience on Emirates Airlines after a hiatus of 3 years. The service was impeccable, the cabin crew always welcoming and the food onboard was exceptional as always. Even FlyDubai Business is an amazing offering and ticks almost all boxes when it comes to seat comfort, and food quality, although their inflight entertainment could have a more varied offering, then as a low-cost carrier, it offers a lot more than any other carrier would!


The Flying Diaries Series will return soon, with an unbelievable first-class experience to Brussels, on Emirates Game Changer Suites, onboard their newest 777-300s. 


So watch this space!

Paddock Club Diaries - 2022 Hungarian GP - Day 3

The final day of the 2022 F1 Hungarian GP dawned on us and unlike the Saturday, I tried to leave early in the morning. However, it wasn't early enough and once again I was at the mercy of errand taxi drivers quoting absurd fares to ferry me to the circuit. Thankfully, a couple decided to join me and the price seemed acceptable after negotiating with one taxi driver

Sunday morning and welcome to Raceday! Enroute to the circuit :


Due to the traffic snarls caused by the flurry of vehicles into the circuit, the taxi dropped us at an alternate entry and I had to walk almost around the length of the track to make it to the Paddock Club. The Vlog on my Youtube Channel, shared further on on this page, has a segment dedicated to that.


Coffee and Croissants to kickstart the Sunday in the Paddock Club :


The hosts at the Ferrari F1 Club obliged me with a paddock pass but asked me to return in time for the Charles Leclerc interview in the Club, scheduled around midday.


A quick visit to this very narrow and small paddock :


The story of meeting those from the F1 Fraternity began again!

Pat Fry, a Legend of F1 and Chief Technical Officer for Alpine F1 Team :



Pierre Gasly, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 driver :


Yuki Tsunoda, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 driver :


Fernando Alonso, Double F1 World Champion and Alpine F1 Driver :


It was time to head back and grab a vantage point to see Leclerc up close in the Ferrari F1 Club.

Charles Leclerc joining the guests in the Ferrari F1 Club for an interview :


The menu for Sunday :


Lunch is served :


With Lunch complete, it was time for the final pit lane walk of the weekend.

Shots from the Pit Lane walk on Sunday :


The Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team getting prepped and ready for the Race and pitstop practice is a must!


Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Pit Stop Practice ( Video Link ) :



The Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team mechanics practiced some stops of their own :



I had the opportunity of meeting some more famous people from the F1 circle.


Andrea Stella, Executive Racing Director for McLaren with a glorious career in F1 :



Jock Clear, Senior Performance Engineer for Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :


Ralf Schumacher, Ex-Williams and BMW Williams F1 Driver, brother to Michael Schumacher and now an F1 Presenter :


I rushed back to the club and it was time to put the Headsets on, grab a good view and buckle up for the race!


The drivers leaving the pits for sighting laps :


Pit Lane opens for Drivers to leave the garages ( Video Link ) :



Carlos Sainz Jr leaves for sighting lap ( Video Link ) :



Obliging with interviews and legging it to the front of the grid for the pre-race formalities :


The drivers line up at the front of the grid for the Hungarian National Anthem :


The guests and dignitaries with grid access make their way back to the pit lane :


Time for the formation lap and the Race start :


Counting down to the Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :



Time for the Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :



A Video of the Race Start :



A Photo Dump of photos from the Race :


Virtual Safety Car period in the Race ( Video Link ) :



A Daniel Ricciardo Pit Stop in the Race ( Video Link ) :



Scuderia Ferrari drivers battling hard during the Hungarian GP :


Charles Leclerc pitting for Hard Tyres ( Video Link ) :



The Red Bull and Mercedes mechanics celebrate victory and podium finishes for their drivers from the Pit Wall. Max Verstappen won the race for Red Bull, while Lewis Hamilton and George Russell completed the podium for Mercedes. A strategic blunder left Sainz and Leclerc in P4 and P6, respectively.


Chequered Flag gets waved at the Hungarian GP ( Video Link ) :



Celebrations in Parc-Ferme :


The crowds invading the track to have a closer look at the podium celebrations and the pit lane :


Soon, it was time for the paddock club to close and I decided to head to the Paddock for some signatures and some selfies before we would get asked to leave from there too!


Roaming through the Paddock, post-race :


Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Driver :



Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo Orlen F1 Driver :


Guenther Steiner, Haas F1 Team Principal :


Sebastian Vettel!! Quadruple F1 World Champion and Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team Driver :


Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Team Principal :


Tom Kristensen, a Record Nine-time LeMans winner!


The team trucks getting loaded up with equipment as they make their way back to the team factories :


The sun sets on the 2022 Hungarian GP weekend :


Back at my Hotel in Budapest :


As promised, here is the Vlog of the Sunday Experience at the 2022 Hungarian GP :




It was a memorable weekend, despite the results for the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team from the race. Finally, after a three-year break, I had the privilege of attending a race, live! A big thank you to Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for hosting me over the weekend. 


This wouldn't be the last post from "The Paddock Club Diaries" in 2022. The Belgian GP experience will follow soon! So watch this space!

Paddock Club Diaries - 2022 Hungarian GP - Day 2

The Hungarian Grand Prix gets held at Hungaroring, close to the capital Budapest. Although it isn't too far from the city, hailing a taxi to the circuit is a cumbersome process and I learnt my lesson the hard way on Saturday morning. After several attempts, I could finally hop into a taxi with a couple of Dutch friends, but the delay meant that I would miss out on meeting Carlos Sainz Jr in the Ferrari F1 Club when the Spaniard visited.

 

Enroute to the circuit on Saturday morning :


I finally reached Hungaroring and it was already time for the Pit Lane walk.

Shots from the first pit lane walk of the day :



As I made my way back to the Paddock Club, I had the opportunity of meeting a couple of people from the F1 fraternity.



F2 Driver and Reserve for Williams Racing, Roy Nissany :



David Coulthard, ex-McLaren F1 Driver and Presenter :


The skies were overcast and rain was a certainty.

The Paddock and the drivers getting ready for action on a wet Saturday!


The view before the Final Practice session of the weekend :


Shots from Free Practice 3 :


As soon as FP3 got over, I headed to the food stations to grab some lunch.

The menu for Saturday :


Time to enjoy some goodies on offer in the Paddock Club :


With lunch done, it was time to get prepped for Qualifying.

The Pit Walls get ready for the start of Qualifying :


Drivers roll out of their pit boxes to get on the track for the start of Qualifying.



Shots from Q1 :


The Scuderia Ferrari drivers pushing hard in Q1.


Yuki Tsunoda, Alexander Albon, Sebastian Vettel, Pierre Gasly and Nicholas Latifi got eliminated at the end of Q1.


Shots from Q2 :


Leclerc and Sainz at it in Q2 :


Sergio Perez, Zhou Guanyu, Kevin Magnussen, Lance Stroll and Mick Schumacher were the next lot of drivers to drop out of Qualifying. Perez's failure to make it into Q3 was a major upset.


The final top-ten shootout, time for Q3 :


Will the Ferrari duo come out on top?


George Russell took an unlikely pole from Carlos Sainz Jr and Charles Leclerc. Max Verstappen, the Championship Leader, could only manage P10. It seemed like Red Bull was on the back foot. This was Ferrari's race to lose.


Post Qualifying, Mattia Binotto, the Team Principal joined the guests in the Ferrari F1 Club for a quick Q&A :


Video Link of the Interview :



Mattia Binotto, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Principal :


I decided to walk to the Paddock Club entry and enjoy a moment with some trophies on display!

Take some photos with the Race Winning, Drivers' and Constructors' Championship Trophies!


I signed up for the Photo Safari that took Paddock Club guests to turn 5 to allow the latter to have a closer look at the cars. We had the opportunity of visiting the spot during the Formula 2 Sprint Race.


Some Selfies taken at the Photo Safari :


The drivers battling during the F2 Sprint race :



Video of the view from turn 5 at the Photo Safari :




Returning to the Paddock Club and taking more stills from the F2 Sprint race :


The Paddock Club shut shortly after the F2 Sprint Race but there was still a pit lane walk on offer for those wanting to visit the garages on Saturday evening.

Shots from the 2nd and final pit lane walk of the day. It bore a deserted look as most of the guests had left the track. All the cars were under wraps, waiting for Raceday.


As I bid adieu to the Paddock Club, I went down to the Support Race Paddock in the hope of meeting Mick Doohan, Jack Doohan's father. Mick Doohan had been my first Motorsport hero and I didn't want to miss the opportunity of meeting him. Jack, an Alpine Academy and Uni Virtuosi Driver had won the F2 Sprint race and it was befitting to wish Mick on his son's success.


I waited for his arrival and was surprised to bump into the podium finishers from the F2 Sprint Race.


Enzo Fittipaldi and Juri Vips after finishing on the podium in the F2 Sprint Race :


Jack Doohan, the Winner of the F2 Sprint Race! I got to meet the son too!


After a long wait, night fell on the F2 paddock and distraught, I finally gave up the hope of meeting Mick Doohan. As I headed back up the bridge, I made one final glance to the entry. To my surprise, I saw the outline of a man in a white t-shirt walking with three people towards the Paddock Club parking. I couldn't follow their route since they went through the race track. I decided to leg it to the parking and as he was entering his vehicle, I shouted "Mick Mick!" It was really Mick Doohan! 

What followed was a brief and amazing exchange, followed by a picture clicked by Jack Doohan! This truly was a dream come true. I am still getting goosebumps as I type this! 

Meeting my hero, the man who made me fall in love with Motorsport. Got me hooked on Moto GP. Mick Doohan!


It was finally time to head back to my hotel and process all that had transpired on the Saturday!


Like the Friday Experience showcased in a Vlog on Youtube, here is the link for the Saturday experience :



A big thank you to Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for hosting me over the weekend and being a part of these memorable days of my life. The Raceday experience follows suit shortly, so watch this space!!

Paddock Club Diaries - 2022 Hungarian GP - Day 1

The world as we knew it got turned upside down in 2020 when the pandemic COVID-19 caused havoc across the globe. Little did I know that I wouldn't have the opportunity to travel again after the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix, and it would be a three year wait before the international borders would fully open to welcome travellers without any restrictions!


In the interim, I had to say goodbye to my hero Kimi Raikkonen, who retired from the sport at the end of 2021, from the comfort of my home.


Thanks be to God for helping my family and me survive the onslaught of this pandemic and kudos to the government and local authorities for weathering one of the toughest times known to mankind. As the world recovered and people tried to return to normalcy, the gates finally opened to welcome guests to sporting events and Formula 1 was no such exception. Such was the demand for race passes and tickets that several races were sold out early in the year.


I was privileged to get myself races passes for the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix, as a guest of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team. It wasn't smooth sailing as I fell ill on the Sunday of my departure week and after a series of cancellations and rebookings, I got declared fit for travel on the Thursday before the Grand Prix weekend. PHEW!


After a three-year hiatus, The Paddock Club Diaries make a return to my blog, and it is the Friday experience from Hungaroring that will kickstart this series again!


The race was held on the final weekend of July, before the summer break in the F1 calendar. 


Photos clicked with the Sony RX10 IV and Samsung S22 Ultra.


Time to revisit 29th July, 2022!


The Race Passes for the weekend, picked up on Thursday evening from the team hotel :


Enroute to the circuit on Friday morning:


Home! Welcome to the F1 Paddock Club, after a hiatus of 3 years :


The views from the Ferrari F1 Club Suite :


The Ferrari F1 Club, a private hospitality space for the guests of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :


The schedule had changed drastically from the pre-Covid era, with the sessions happening later in the day.


Shots from the first Pit Lane walk of the weekend :


Some more stills, shot with the Samsung S22 Ultra :


Getting up close and personal with the Ferrari F1-75, in the Scuderia Ferrari garage :


McLaren F1 Team mechanics practising Pit Stops :



Williams F1 Racing Team Pit Stop Practice :



Former Honda F1 Boss and now Consultant to Red Bull Racing, Masashi Yamamoto :


The menu for Friday in the Paddock Club :


Lunch is served, from live food counters to buffet stations. The Desserts are to die for!


Free Practice 1 gets underway :


Cars leaving the garage at the start of FP1 ( Video Link ) :



I had the opportunity of visiting the garage during FP1 and it felt so good to be back!


With FP1 done, it was time to welcome Marc Gene, Scuderia Ferrari's brand ambassador, test and development driver to the suite for a quick interview. The Italian decided to do a feature on the 2021 Steering wheel!


Marc Gene explains the role of the buttons on the 2021 Steering wheel :


Video Link from Marc Gene's crash course!



Beholding the wheel, in the flesh:


It was then time for some Formula 3 action on the track!


The F3 cars make their way into the pit lane before the start of their Qualifying session :


It was pure coincidence that the Ferrari F1 Club overlooked Kush Maini's pit box! What an encouragement to see Indian representation in the feeder series again.


Some shots from the Paddock Club Track Truck Tour :


Video of the Paddock Club Track Truck Tour :



As I made my way back to the Paddock Club, I came across a familiar looking face walking back with the guests from the Track Truck Tour. She was W Series and Le Mans Racer Beitske Visser. One of the best women racers of our era! More Power to her!


Back to the club and I bumped into Nicolas Longuet, F1 Esports Driver for Alfa Romeo :


Gelato, a saviour on warm European days and the Gelato station in the Paddock Club serves up some delicious flavours :


Time for Free Practice 2 :


Scuderia Ferrari running its program in FP2 :



Drivers practising Race Starts at the end of FP2 ( Video Link ) :




Norris is trying to assess his performance on Friday, in the paddock interviews :




It was time for the Paddock Club to shut and while exiting the club, I bumped into Pietro Fittipaldi, Reserve driver for Haas F1 Team :



I then made my way down through the support race paddock and met Red Bull Junior and F2 Driver for Carlin, Liam Lawson :



Time to head back to the hotel after a hectic day at Hungaroring :


It was an eventful and action-packed Friday at Hungaroring. The Paddock Club felt different than it used to be before COVID-19. Nevertheless, it felt great to be back, meet familiar faces, catch up on life and experiences and just enjoy the sport that I love, live!


To add more appeal to Paddock Club Diaries, I have also kickstarted a Vlog Series on my Youtube Channel that documents my experience on each day of the Race Weekend. I have tried to cover and show you the fans and supporters things that I am not usually able to cover in this blog series. 


The Video Link to my Friday Experience on my Youtube Channel :



A big thank you to Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for hosting me over the weekend. Saturday and Sunday experiences to follow soon!

A Gallery of Memories - Part 21

The 2019 Japanese GP was the last race I had the privilege of attending before COVID-19 overtook the world. Little did I know that it would be three years before I would get an opportunity to be at a Formula 1 race again. Despite a few hiccups, I was back with my F1 travels with the 2022 Hungarian GP being the first trip since COVID-19.


The "Gallery of Memories" makes a return to kickstart the experiences from the Hungarian GP weekend, featuring people from the F1 Fraternity and otherwise.


Former Honda F1 Boss and now Consultant to Red Bull Racing, Masashi Yamamoto :


W Series and Le Mans Racer Beitske Visser. One of the best women racers of our era! More Power to her!


Nicolas Longuet, F1 Esports Driver for Alfa Romeo :


Pietro Fittipaldi, Reserve driver for Haas F1 Team :


Red Bull Junior and F2 Driver for Carlin, Liam Lawson :


F2 Driver and Reserve for Williams Racing, Roy Nissany :


David Coulthard, ex-McLaren F1 Driver and Presenter :


Mattia Binotto, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Principal :


Enzo Fittipaldi and Juri Vips after the F2 Sprint Race :


Jack Doohan, the Winner of the F2 Sprint Race!


Meeting my hero, the man who made me fall in love with Motorsport. Got me hooked on Moto GP. Mick Doohan!


Pat Fry, a Legend of F1 and Chief Technical Officer for Alpine F1 Team :


Pierre Gasly, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 driver :


Yuki Tsunoda, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 driver :


Fernando Alonso, Double F1 World Champion and Alpine F1 Driver :


Ralf Schumacher, Ex-Williams and BMW Williams F1 Driver, brother to Michael Schumacher and now an F1 Presenter :


Andrea Stella, Executive Racing Director for McLaren with a glorious career in F1 :


Jock Clear, Senior Performance Engineer for Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :


Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Driver :


Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Orlen Driver :


Guenther Steiner, Haas F1 Team Principal :


Sebastian Vettel!! Quadruple F1 World Champion and Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team Driver :


Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Team Principal :


Tom Kristensen, a Record Nine-time LeMans winner!


A big thank you to Scuderia Ferrari for hosting me over the weekend. The Paddock Club Diaries also make a return!


Watch this space to relive the experiences from Hungary with me!

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2020 Hungarian GP Race Recap : The King of the Ring Hungry for More!

The 2020 F1 season got underway with two back-to-back races at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. Mercedes reigned supreme over the two race weekends. The sport then made its way east, to the city of Budapest, home to Hungaroring, venue for the Hungarian GP which completed the first triple-header of the season.

Hungaroring, a high downforce, street-like circuit, has seen some memorable races in the past. This was one race that could close the gap between Mercedes and the chasing pack. Lewis Hamilton, a 7-time winner here, also called "the King of the Ring" hoped to reduce the 6 points deficit to the Championship Leader and his teammate Valtteri Bottas. 

The Racing Point cars still ran the "controversial" brake ducts that Renault had protested against while Ferrari hoped for a better outing after the fiasco in the previous race. 


Were Red Bull and Racing Point able to upset the mighty Mercs? Was Lewis able to become an 8-time race winner at Hungaroring and take the lead of the Championship or did Bottas have a say? Did Ferrari & Renault show signs of resurgence? Was McLaren able to maintain the momentum they had from the season openers? 

All shall be revealed in this race recap! 


Practice :

Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas were the fastest in Free Practice 1. Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll were the only drivers within one second of their times. Renault got themselves up into the top 10 with Ricciardo in P6 and Ocon in P10 while Vettel and Leclerc set the 6th and the 7th fastest times respectively. It was a mixed session for Red Bull with Alex Albon down in P13 and Verstappen in P8. Both the cars struggled with balance issues and traffic on track. McLaren was in a similar situation with Norris in P9 and Sainz in P11. The Haas cars were P12 and P14  while Latifi outpaced his more experienced team-mate, George Russell to finish P15. Gasly didn't take part due to sensor issues on his car while Kubica replaced Raikkonen for this session. Williams was now on par with Alpha Tauri and Alfa Romeo.

Free Practice 2 was hit with inclement weather and few chose to drive in the wet. Gasly and Raikkonen used this session for acclimatization. Sebastian Vettel topped the timesheets for Ferrari with Bottas hot on his heels. Charles Leclerc, in the other Ferrari, could only manage the 10th fastest time while Carlos Sainz Jr. went P3 for McLaren. The Racing Point cars were in the top 6 again. Drivers experimented with intermediate sets but struggled due to poor track conditions. Many ran wide due to lack of grip and the session finished with thirteen setting times, the Renault and Williams duo, Albon, Magnussen and Hamilton unable to do so. 

Free Practice 3 was a rain threatened session. The session was split into race and qualifying simulations by the teams. Bottas was fastest from Hamilton, Perez, Leclerc and Stroll who completed the top 5. Red Bull struggled with balance issues while Williams had a great run with Russell in P14. Racing Point seemed to be the real challenger going into qualifying. Ferrari was encouraged by their performance in the final practice session. Gasly reported engine trouble on his Alpha Tauri, warning signs for Honda. Haas and Alfa Romeo were the slowest of the lot, their chances for the weekend bleak. 



Qualifying :

Q1 got underway with a flurry of cars coming out of the pits as the rain clouds closed in. Soft tyres were the choice for all as a slight drizzle hit the track. Latifi, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Magnussen and Giovinazzi were in the elimination zone after the first run. Giovinazzi's lap-time was deleted for exceeding track limits at turn 4. The bottom 5 kept running through Q1 in their attempt to better their times. Track conditions improved as the clock ran down and the likes of Albon, Ocon, Gasly were under threat. Russell and Latifi jumped into the top 10! Meanwhile, Perez set the fastest time of Q1! Everyone drove out on a fresh set of soft tyres with less than 2 minutes on the clock. Verstappen was at risk in the final moments of Q1. The Dutchman improved to P8 while those in the drop zones failed to do better than the 15th placed Latifi. Magnussen, Kvyat, Grosjean, Giovinazzi and Raikkonen eliminated from Q1. It was a forgettable day for Alfa Romeo and Haas once again. Williams had both cars in Q2 after a gap of 4 years! Claire Williams was elated. The Racing Point cars were the fastest of the session with Hamilton hot on their heels. Sainz was under investigation for impeding Giovinazzi. Verstappen and Gasly complained about engine issues.

The lights went green for Q2 and Mercedes, Racing Point and Renault drivers chose the medium set of tyres for their first timed laps. Gasly was the last one to set a banker lap on a set of soft tyres. Leclerc, Russell, Albon, Ocon and Latifi were in the drop zone with 8 minutes left on the clock. Red Bull suspected damage on the front wing of Albon's car while Gasly's engine woes continued. Gasly was informed by the team that the issue couldn't be fixed in-session, much to his chagrin. Racing Point had a tense time with Stroll, who got called to the weigh-bridge for a random check. They had to wheel him into the garage to refuel and replace his tyres with less than 4 minutes left. Gasly gave up on his final attempt in Q2 due to an engine failure. The Frenchman would get a new engine for the race on Sunday. Racing Point again chose the medium set of tyres for their final run in Q2, a bold decision indeed! Everyone else was on the soft tyres. Albon made a couple of errors on his flying lap and couldn't better his time. He eventually qualified 13th behind Russell in the Williams! A bad day at the office for the Thai sensation. Ricciardo, Russell, Albon, Ocon and Latifi were the drivers eliminated. Gasly scraped through in 10th but wouldn't take further part due to the issue. Ferrari was relieved to have both cars in Q3 for the first time this year.  Advantage Mercedes and Racing Point - the quartet would start the race on the medium set of tyres ( from Q2 )!


Mercedes were a class apart in Q3 as they dialled up their engines. Lewis Hamilton set a new track record on his first run with Bottas three tenths behind. Perez exceeded track limits, his lap time deleted. Stroll was provisional P3 from Verstappen, Norris, Sainz, Vettel and Leclerc. The Ferraris were the first ones out to complete their final run (with 5 minutes left). Stroll followed shortly after. The trio improved and Ferraris locked out the third row on the grid, Stroll P3. Perez, on his legitimate run, set the 4th fastest time; Racing Point 3rd and 4th! Hamilton went faster on his final run, beating his lap record set a few minutes earlier, a tenth clear of his team-mate Bottas in P2. Verstappen, Norris and Sainz couldn't improve on their final runs and would start 7th, 8th and 9th respectively. Another day of dominance for the Mercedes powered cars! The works team was in a league of its own with their favourite customer, best of the rest! Ferrari was the 3rd fastest team on the grid ( in qualifying at least ) while Red Bull had work to do overnight, sorting out balance and engine issues. There was the possibility of rain on race day as well, an exciting prospect on Sunday!



Race :

The heavens opened on Sunday. It would be a wet start to the race. There was drama before the race even began! A skid at turn 12 ( on his exploration lap ) sent Verstappen into the barriers damaging his front wing and possibly, the front suspension. The Red Bull mechanics wheeled him into his grid slot and began a thorough inspection. Others ran back and forth to gather tools and spares for the car. The front wing and the steering rod were some of the components replaced. The mechanics completed a 90-minute job in 15, kudos! 
Their troubles were compounded when the FIA initiated an investigation on the other car. The mechanics had allegedly used leaf blowers to dry the grid slot of Albon's car. FIA F1 Technical Delegate Jo Bauer was witness to the act. The verdict would be given post-race. 

The formation lap got underway and barring Magnussen ( who was on wets ) everyone chose intermediate tyres. 
Haas F1 decided to pit both their drivers ( for slicks ) at the end of the formation lap. They believed the track was ready for dry tyres.
The others lined up for the race start.

It was a poor start for Bottas. He seemed to have jumped the lights, stopping momentarily before using the launch control again. Fortunately, ( for him ) the sensor didn't report this infringement. 
Hamilton led into turn 1 from Stroll. Verstappen went wheel-to-wheel with Vettel for P3 and got the position. Vettel and Leclerc were 4th and 5th, Bottas down to 6th! Perez, Sainz, Ricciardo and Latifi completed the top 10 at the end of lap 1. 
Norris had a bad start and was down in P14. Raikkonen was P15 but got served a 5 second time penalty for being in the wrong grid slot for the race start.

Kvyat pitted on lap 1 for a set of mediums. Bottas and Leclerc pitted on lap 3 for medium and soft tyres respectively. Albon overtook Latifi for P8 while Verstappen pressurized Stroll for P2. A slew of cars entered the pits ( on laps 4 and 5 ) for a switch to dry tyres. Vettel lost a lot of time in this melee. Sainz tangled with Latifi when his front wing clipped his left rear tyre at the pit exit. Latifi got spun around and suffered a puncture. It was an unsafe release by Williams and Latifi was awarded a time penalty of 5 seconds ( on lap 10 ). Magnussen and Grosjean jumped to P3 and P4 after the first round of pit stops! Leclerc, Kvyat, Gasly, Russell and Giovinazzi had chosen the soft tyres while the rest of the field the mediums. 

Perez ran wide and lost 2 positions to Vettel and Albon on lap 5. Verstappen set the fastest time on lap 6. DRS got enabled a lap later and Stroll overtook Grosjean for P4.  Bottas sparred with Leclerc ( lap 8 ) but was forced onto the wet section, his challenge fizzling out. Hamilton reclaimed the fastest lap from Verstappen. Bottas returned for round 2 and completed a clean pass on Leclerc on lap 10. He then overtook Grosjean on lap 12 for P5. Vettel made an error and ceded a place to Albon and Stroll pressurized Magnussen for P3. Hamilton extended his lead at the front. 

There was a prediction of a light shower on the radar. 
Albon started pressurizing Leclerc who was losing performance on the soft tyres. He attempted a couple of overtakes but was unsuccessful. This allowed Vettel to close in on the sparring duo. Meanwhile, Raikkonen passed Gasly for P14. Gasly limped into the pits on lap 16 and into retirement, his car emitting smoke. Stroll caught up to Magnussen and passed him on lap 16. Down the order, the battle for P7 raged on with Vettel joining the fray as well! Bottas demoted Magnussen to P5 on lap 17. Perez, Ricciardo and Sainz joined Albon & Vettel behind Leclerc. Albon was getting frustrated and requested for more engine power. It was job done on lap 18, the Haas duo up next. Vettel had to clear Leclerc who was struggling to prolong his stint.
Thankfully, Ferrari didn't stall his progress and the German overtook his team-mate with DRS on lap 19. Kvyat pitted for a set of hard tyres. Leclerc, now under pressure from Perez, defended his position and pitted on lap 21 for a new set of hard tyres. He rejoined in P15. Perez had clear air and started pulling away from Ricciardo and Sainz. Giovinazzi pitted for a set of medium tyres on lap 22. Light rain was predicted in 10 minutes. Hamilton was pushing and lapping backmarkers pretty quickly. Leclerc was one of them on lap 24.

Bottas was closing in on Stroll, Leclerc likewise with Norris. Sainz too maintained pressure on Ricciardo. Drivers complained about tyre wear and loss of grip but chose to continue ( with the threat of rain in the air ). Lap 29 saw two great battles unfold - Bottas vs Stroll and Leclerc vs Norris. Leclerc was wheel-to-wheel with Norris but unable to complete the move on the outside of turn 3. Albon overtook Grosjean on lap 30, the Frenchman coming under intense pressure from Vettel. Vettel, however, pitted at the end of the lap for a set of hard tyres and avoided the loss of time behind slower cars. He rejoined in P12, Raikkonen up to P11! 

Perez demoted Grosjean to P8 on lap 31 and Leclerc was having a titanic battle with Norris. The McLaren protege was immovable. Leclerc finally passed him on the next lap. Meanwhile, Vettel set the fastest lap of the race and Ricciardo made a move on Grosjean for P8.
There was a slew of pitstops again. Bottas pitted on lap 34 for another set of medium tyres and Raikkonen pitted from P12 for a set of hard tyres and rejoined in 17th. Albon pitted on lap 36 ( from 6th ) for hard tyres and rejoined in 10th. Stroll pitted for a set of medium tyres but lost third place to Bottas. Bottas' undercut strategy paid off. Verstappen and Hamilton pitted as well
( on laps 37 & 38 respectively ). Status quo maintained. 

Magnussen couldn't defend against Perez for P9 ( lap 40 ) and was falling into the hands of Leclerc. A switch to the hard tyres for Sainz on lap 41 put him out of the points scoring positions in P11. Yellow flags were deployed when Latifi had an offtrack excursion. He made it back to the pits and put on another set of fresh tyres.

The Haas cars were going backwards - Ricciardo overtook Magnussen ( lap 47 ) after his final pit stop while Grosjean lost two positions to Ocon and Norris in the space of two laps. Bottas switched to the hard tyres with another pit stop on lap 50, in the hope of "under-cutting" Verstappen. The Red Bull driver chose to continue on his worn set. Bottas had to reduce the 23-second deficit in the space of 20 laps for a P2 finish. There was another battle brewing, this time between would-be teammates, Leclerc and Sainz.
Bottas went about chasing Verstappen with a series of fastest laps and steadily reducing the gap. Stroll, meanwhile, pitted for a fresh set of boots on lap 53. Albon and Vettel were the next cars to be lapped by the leader Hamilton, only the top 4 remaining on the lead lap! 

Hamilton, Verstappen, Bottas, Stroll, Vettel, Albon, Perez, Ricciardo, Magnussen, Leclerc were the top 10 at the end of lap 58.
The battle for the final point intensified with Sainz challenging Leclerc on lap 60. The Ferrari driver held firm. He couldn't defend on the next lap though and ceded his place to the Spaniard. Mercedes asked Hamilton to pit on lap 63 but aborted it, the life of the soft tyres still being debated on the pit wall. He eventually did pit on lap 67 for a fresh set of soft tyres. Albon snatched back P5 from Vettel on the same lap. Bottas held onto the fastest lap with 3 laps remaining. He was within 2 seconds of Verstappen and catching him at a rate of knots. Hamilton reclaimed the point for the fastest lap ( on the penultimate and last laps )!
All eyes were on the battle for P2. Bottas was in DRS range of Verstappen on the final lap. Unfortunately, he was a lap too late.


Hamilton won the Hungarian GP for the 8th time! Verstappen had his Red Bull Mechanics to thank for his second place. Bottas came home in third. Stroll was P4, Albon P5 followed by Vettel, Perez, Ricciardo, Magnussen and Sainz. 
Leclerc, Kvyat, Ocon, Norris, Grosjean, Raikkonen, Giovinazzi, Russell and Latifi failed to finish in the points. Gasly was the sole retirement.

Post-race, the Haas F1 team got summoned for alleged breach of regulations on the formation lap with regards to driver aids. Both drivers were served a 10 second time penalty. The team made the call to pit ( not the drivers ), hence the penalty.
Grosjean was relegated to P16 and Magnussen to P10. Sainz & Raikkonen promoted to P9 & P15 respectively. 

Red Bull Racing and Albon weren't penalized for their alleged breach on the grid. The Stewards reviewed the video evidence and concluded that the team didn't attempt to alter the grip of the track surface.


Hamilton was a class apart this weekend. He had lapped every car up to P5, truly a drubbing. Bottas has relinquished his lead in the championship. Red Bull had a tough weekend but was able to salvage a P2 and a P5. Racing Point had another strong weekend. Vettel made the right calls and scored good points. His team-mate had another disappointing weekend, a poor strategy call to blame. McLaren hit a low after the highs of the opening races. Renault would be glad to see both cars finish a race and aim to score points with both cars. Williams did great on Saturday but faltered on Sunday. Alfa Romeo struggled on both days! It is disheartening to see a team struggle on tracks where they scored points a year earlier. Alpha Tauri would like to forget this weekend as quickly as possible.  

Silverstone, another power track, is next on the calendar. The next triple-header is less than a fortnight away, so teams need to address issues to recover lost ground. Mercedes might still have the upper hand. Time will tell.



Hamilton, the King of the Ring, won at Hungaroring for the 8th time! More records beckon, the hunger never dies!!

The Flying Diaries : BOM - BUD - BOM ( Emirates First & Business )

Barcelona had been a great trip. Ferrari achieved a double podium and I couldn't wait to embark on a new journey - to a new track, a new city, a new nation. Budapest, Hungary and the Hungarian GP was the next stop.

I again chose to fly mixed class, i.e. First Class on the Outbound Journey and Business Class on the return journey.


The Flying dates were on the 20th and 29th of July. Emirates operates a solo flight out of Budapest. The afternoon departure meant an early morning arrival into Mumbai, similar to the flight taken to Brussels in 2015.


Mumbai - Budapest ( 20th July 2016 ) :


July is a relatively light in terms of passenger travel from Mumbai and the necessary formalities of check-in, security and immigration were completed in no time. It was time to relax in the First and Business Class Lounge.

Beautiful GVK Lounge hosting First and Business Class Guests :


A Lip-smacking spread. I tend to binge and at such odd hours, makes you really lazy!


The First Class Suite onboard Emirates! Never get tired of this!


An Air India that flies Trans Atlantic Routes :


Breakfast Menu :


Taxiing to the Runway :


Taking off from Mumbai International Airport ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDKGMOSpRVk


I had a catch in the back and the Massage Function on the Seat was utilized heavily. Thankful for such a feature :


A quick nap and it was morning and time to land at Dubai International Airport. The Early Morning Flight really robs you of your sleep :


Landing at Dubai International Airport ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EJ6VGI1plk


Dubai International Airport :


The First Class Lounge in Dubai. Unfortunately no Timeless Spa in this lounge :


A good meal and I was ready for my Flight to Budapest. The First Class onboard the Boeing 777-300 was as per the Old Specification and no Suites here :


Goodies kept separately :


Emirates, Emirates, Emirates everywhere :


Taxiing to the Runway :


Taking off from Dubai Bound for Budapest ( Video Link ) :


Breakfast, Lunch and everything in between. Eat until you land!


Nuts and an Orange Fizz to start it all off :


Lunch Service :


Enroute to Budapest ( Flight Info ) :


Flying over Europe :


Budapest beckons! Nearing Touchdown!


Landing at Budapest ( Video Link  ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsZVdxcao4o


Budapest Airport, small yet very beautiful!


My S Class awaits its guest. It still is the most comfortable Luxury Sedan!


Enroute to the Hotel



Budapest - Mumbai ( 29th July 2016 ) :

My Pickup, A Mercedes S Class :


Enroute to the Airport, taking in the sights of this beautiful city one last time :


First and Business Class Lounge in Budapest. Decent but nowhere near the level of more frequented European Cities :


Business Class in Boeing 777-300 :


The Pushback begins :


Well this is a First! Onlookers, Photographers busy watching planes and taking photographs of Planes taxiing to the Runway :


Bye Bye Budapest, Take Off ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkcObkE1kAs


Taking off from Budapest and taking in the sights of this beautiful city one last time :


The Menu for today!


Lunch Service Commences onboard :


Touching down at Dubai International Airport :


Landing at Dubai International Airport ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3Zy8x615M8


Business Class Lounge in Dubai :


Dinner onboard


Taxiing to the Runway :


Takeoff from Dubai ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF3uXfWygxY


Bye Bye Dubai, until next time :


Nearing Touchdown :


Landing at Mumbai International Airport in torrential rain, Amazing piloting skills! ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrD6uCidx6s


Mumbai International Airport on a Rainy Saturday Morning :


Home!



It was quite an eventful trip and I would remember this trip for various reasons for a long long time. Emirates left no stone unturned in offering World Class Hospitality onboard their flights. Its high time that they earn 5 Star status as an airline.

A special mention for the pilots of Emirates too who ensure smooth landings and takeoffs in challenging weather conditions

I continue to be a patron!