Jolyon Palmer left Budapest a frustrated man, convinced a points-scoring finish could have been achieved without a compromising strategy switch in the Renault camp.

Palmer's Hungarian GP start was rather messy, through no fault of his own, having found himself hard on the brakes to avoid the out of control Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo.

The Briton raced however to the best of his ability, moving all the way up to P8 before a pitstop strategy call, destined to favour team mate Nico Hulkenberg, sent him down the order and behind the slower cars of Kevin Magnussen and Dany Kvyat.

"The start was okay, but I lost out when I had to avoid Ricciardo, who suddenly slowed and that dropped me out of the top ten," Palmer said.

"As well as letting him through, my strategy was compromised today to try and help Nico's race, and that meant Magnussen and Kvyat jumped me.

"It was a frustrating run to the flag with much more pace, but no chance to overtake them on this track. Now I'm looking forward to summer break and switching off from racing to reset for Belgium."

Facing difficult times, marked once again by a mishap in free practice in Hungary,  Jolyon Palmer is struggling to retrieve his confidence.

The 26-year-old will no doubt be attentive to Robert Kubica's run behind the wheel of Renault's RS17 at Budapest's in-season test.

If the Pole puts in a spectacular performance, the writing will likely be on the wall for Palmer.

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

 

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

Alpine double-podium in Brazil could deliver $30 million windfall

Alpine’s remarkable double podium at the São Paulo Grand Prix with Esteban Ocon and Pierre…

14 hours ago

F1i's Driver Ratings for the 2024 São Paulo GP

Alexander Albon, Williams (Did Not Start): 5.5/10 Alex Albon is definitely going through something of…

16 hours ago

Jos Verstappen rips British media after Brazilian Max fest

Jos Verstappen wasted no time after his son spectacular win at the São Paulo Grand…

17 hours ago

Leclerc left with ‘mixed feelings’ after disappointing Sao Paulo GP

Charles Leclerc's weekend in Sao Paulo was unfortunately a stark contrast to Ferrari's recent triumphs…

19 hours ago

Back when Kimi knew exactly what he was doing

Twelve years ago on this day, Kimi Raikkonen took a popular win at the 2012…

21 hours ago

Mercedes fined for starting grid tyre pressure infringement

The Mercedes team was hit with a fine by the FIA after Sunday’s Sao Paulo…

21 hours ago