28/07/2005
NEWS STORY
After the Hockenheim race, Jordan Grand Prix headed directly to Budapest in order to prepare for the Hungarian Grand Prix, the last race before F1's summer testing ban. The Hungaroring Circuit, which is located just ten miles south-east of the beautiful city of Budapest, will be yet another new experience for Narain Karthikeyan contrary to his teammate Tiago Monteiro, who is familiar with the track from previous experience in F3000. Nicolas Kiesa will again drive the third car in Budapest, as was the case last week in Hockenheim.
The twisty configuration with slow corners makes it the second slowest circuit on the calendar, after Monaco. Therefore, as maximum downforce is required for fast cornering and there are few overtaking opportunities, a good qualifying position for Jordan Grand Prix drivers will be crucial. Moreover, the high temperatures normally experienced in Hungary mean it could be a very demanding race for the drivers, cars and tyres.
Narain Karthikeyan: Budapest is a new track for me again this season. It seems not to have many fast corners so I am not sure whether it will suit my driving style or not. Besides, apparently, it is quite difficult to overtake there, therefore it is very important to do well in qualifying. I have tried to learn the circuit on TV and on computer games as well. So basically I know where it goes. It could also be a difficult race because the weather tends to be always hot and humid, which makes it physically challenging.
Tiago Monteiro: I raced in Budapest in 2002 in F3000. I really liked the track at the time and now I am really curious to drive there in a Formula One car. The atmosphere is always great in this eastern country, the public is real fans of F1 and the show is always big. The Hungaroring is quite technical and it could suit our cars a bit more than on circuits with high speed corners. It is also often very hot there, so we will have to be well-prepared for that as well.
Adrian Burgess Sporting Director: The Hungaroring is quite a challenging track for Jordan Grand Prix for a few different reasons. Like Monaco it is a high downforce circuit, so the aerodynamic package is important here. Secondly, there are not many opportunities to overtake, so a good qualifying position on the grid is more important than usual. The weather conditions also play an important role, as it is generally always very hot here, therefore maximum cooling will be required on the cars. Another factor will be the right choice of Bridgestone tyres, as this can be very dusty circuit.