It was a strange atmosphere that descended on the Paddock at the end of the second session. Everyone gets very heated about the politics, the competition, the technology and the rules, regulations and red tape of Formula One, but when you see the pictures of Massa being helped to the ambulance everything is  – even if it’s only temporarily until his condition is known – subdued and put into perspective. It’s telling that (almost) all the press releases given out by the teams today included a message of support and thoughts for Felipe and his family.

Since this is Budapest and it’s roughly 515kms closer to Warsaw from here than the Nürburgring, there are a lot of Polish fans here. Unfortunately there is a little less for them to shout about this year but the guys who – when standing in the right order – spell out K–U-B-I-C-A-R-U-L-E-Z are still as enthusiastic/drunk as ever. Because, for those of you outside Poland, the Poles are mad on their F1. Bonkers about it. And this is their chance to see it live. They’re the ones who line Bernie Avenue (one of the few entrances to the circuit and named, for one weekend only after the man who brought F1 to Hungary) morning and evening, waving at every team van hoping that one of their favourites will wave back. Most of their favourites of course drive incognito in blacked-out cars.

The main topic of conversation at dinner, at the curry houses, pizzerias, Argentinean steak houses, Thai, Chinese, in fact there are few ‘Hungarian’ Hungarian restaurants, was Felipe’s condition. We also would like to wish him well…

And we’d also like to wish a swift recovery to Seb’s front-end mechanic who was rushed to hospital as well yesterday after a nose cone fell on his foot, leaving him with a broken toe. Get well soon Ole.

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