2007 Hungarian Grand Prix

The 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix (officially the Formula 1 Magyar Nagydíj 2007) was the eleventh race of the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship and was held on 5 August 2007 at the Hungaroring racing track in Mogyoród, Pest, Hungary. It was also memorable for an incident in the Saturday qualifying session, between McLaren teammates Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

2007 Hungarian Grand Prix
Race 11 of 17 in the 2007 Formula One World Championship
Hungaroring (GP track)
Race details
Date 5 August 2007
Official name Formula 1 Magyar Nagydíj 2007
Location Hungaroring, Mogyoród, Pest, Hungary
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 4.381 km (2.722 miles)
Distance 70 laps, 306.663 km (190.552 miles)
Weather Sunny, temperatures reaching up to 27 °C (81 °F)
Pole position
Driver
  • Lewis Hamilton
McLaren-Mercedes
Time 1:19.781
Fastest lap
Driver Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
Time 1:20.047 on lap 70
Podium
First
  • Lewis Hamilton
McLaren-Mercedes
Second Ferrari
Third
  • Nick Heidfeld
BMW Sauber
Lap leaders

Hamilton went into the race with a 2-point advantage in World Championship points over Alonso and was 11 points ahead of 3rd place man Felipe Massa after a chaotic European Grand Prix, whilst McLaren held a 27-point lead in the Constructors' Championship over their main rivals Ferrari. Ralf Schumacher scored his last World Championship points at this race.

Japanese former Super Aguri driver Sakon Yamamoto filled the second Spyker car, replacing European GP leader, German Markus Winkelhock. Sebastian Vettel, the youngest Grand Prix point scorer made his second Grand Prix start replacing Scott Speed at Scuderia Toro Rosso.

Controversy hit the qualifying sessions when Hamilton failed to honour an agreement to let Alonso past on track; this denied Alonso a competitive advantage when setting his lap time. Alonso then retaliated by holding Hamilton up in the pit lane, to in turn deny Hamilton a chance to record a final lap time. Stewards later dropped Alonso five places down the starting grid of the race, putting him in sixth while Hamilton started in pole position. McLaren were also told they would not score any Constructor's Championship points in the race and wouldn't be presented with a winning constructor's trophy on the podium if one of their drivers were to win the race. The team stated Hamilton's hold-up was not Alonso's fault (although Alonso gave the stewards a different explanation, that he was inquiring about his tyres), and that Hamilton had disobeyed team orders to let Alonso pass him, which put the two drivers out of sequence for their pit stops. McLaren had initially expressed their intent to appeal the Constructor's points penalty but ultimately withdrew their appeal after subsequently losing all their Constructor's points as penalty for the espionage scandal.

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