This weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix is the last round prior to the summer shutdown. It is the eleventh race of the season and takes place at the Hungaroring, the circuit that has hosted the event without interruption since 1986 and this year welcomes Formula 1 for the 41st time. It is a technical and demanding track, where the summer heat has traditionally been a key factor. Scuderia Ferrari HP heads to Budapest encouraged by the positive results over the past two rounds, confirming the progress made in recent races.
The track. Located just a few kilometres from the Hungarian capital, the 4.381 kilometre Hungaroring is one of the most technical circuits on the calendar. Corners follow one another almost without interruption, with the long start-finish straight providing the only real opportunity to catch a breath. Because of its characteristics, it is often compared to an oversized karting circuit: precision, rhythm and consistency are essential qualities for being competitive. Overtaking opportunities are limited mainly to the main straight and through the section from Turn 1 to Turn 3, which is why qualifying plays such a crucial role in shaping the weekend.
The heat. Budapest has traditionally been one of the most demanding events of the year because of the weather. High air and track temperatures place considerable stress on the car and tyres. The key to performance is finding the right compromise between car balance over a single lap and tyre management on the long runs.
Programme. Track action gets underway on Friday with the first two free practice sessions, starting at 13:30 and 17:00 CEST. On Saturday, the third and final practice session begins at 12:30, followed by qualifying at 16:00. The Hungarian Grand Prix gets underway on Sunday at 15:00, run over 70 laps, for a total distance of 306.63 kilometres.
"We head to Budapest after two encouraging weekends in which we managed to maximise our result thanks to a great team effort. That gives us confidence, but we also know that every Grand Prix throws up its own unique challenge. On paper, the Hungaroring could suit the characteristics of our car a little better, but that alone is no guarantee. As always, execution will make the difference: we will have to approach the weekend with the same concentration, discipline and attention to detail we have shown over the past two races. We have a united team, two highly motivated drivers and we know we can count on the support of all our tifosi. Our objective is to keep moving in the same direction, working well from Friday onwards to put ourselves in the best possible position for qualifying and the race."
Fred Vasseur, Team Principal
