27/07/2022
NEWS STORY
Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN heads to Budapest for the final round of the championship before the summer break, the Hungarian Grand Prix. The race at the Hungaroring circuit will be a chance for Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu to get back in the points and head into the holidays with a positive momentum.
Formula One is a sport made up of several elements: there's the obvious mechanical one, in which the performance of the cars contributes to the final result; there's the human one, in which the drivers, as well as the personnel in the garage, on the pitwall and back at the factory, define on the day and in the time leading to the race how much of the team's potential is unlocked; and there's the mental one.
The head plays a crucial role in Formula One, just as in any other sport. A cool mind, full of confidence and buoyed by result, tends to perform better. This creates a virtuous circle, which feeds itself and continues to deliver. A key part of this is momentum: a good result, at the right juncture in the season, can propel a team to new heights. This weekend, this is the objective.
The Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN arrives in Hungary after 12 rounds of battles: it's been a long season already, but the spirits are still high and the team pushing in one same direction. With a welcome summer break on the horizon, a chance for crews and workers at home to catch a breath and recover, notching up a good result right now would mean heading into the end of summer with the heads held high, brimming with confidence and with high morale.
The Hungaroring race will be a battle. Everyone wants to succeed and the competition will be as close as ever. It will be hot - this Grand Prix is always one that features searing temperatures, with fans and team personnel longingly looking at the waterpark just outside the circuit for temporary respite and solace. But it's a special race for the team, with our Fan Booth by ORLEN once again making its appearance in the Fan Zone to deliver the most engaging experience for those enjoying the race.
We will have support on the stands ready to push us. This will match the determination within the garage. The summer break is coming, but there's one job left to do before we can kick back for a couple of weeks. Momentum is a beautiful thing and we're aiming to make the most of it.
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal: "The first half of the season wraps up this weekend and we can draw a bit of a report card; it has been a thrilling year so far, with both highs and lows, and our main goal this weekend, as always, is to score a good result and bring home important points, which have been missing for a little spell of races now. We struggled more than expected in France, and given conditions are likely to be similar at the Hungaroring, it was crucial to analyse what didn't work for us to come prepared for the weekend ahead. I am confident we can find our momentum back, and head into the summer break with a positive outcome for us and the team back at the factory."
Valtteri Bottas: "Having back-to-back races offers us the chance to bounce back right away from the tough weekend we had in France, where nothing seemed to be working in our favour. I enjoyed racing at the Hugaroring in the past, having also been on the podium here twice before, and I am looking forward to being back in action on track. The fans are always passionate and welcoming here, and it would be nice to put up a good show for them before the summer break. The team has been working really hard these past days to find a solution to our struggles last weekend, and together with some updates we can hopefully put up a good fight for points in the midfield."
Zhou Guanyu: "The first half of my rookie season is coming to an end this weekend, and I for sure can say I learned a lot over the months since my debut in Bahrain. We had some good results, but I am hungry for more. The race at Paul Ricard was a tough one for us, and once again that prevented us from scoring any points. I am glad to be already back racing; I have raced in Hungary before, and I am looking forward to doing it again this weekend. Competition will be tough, as usual, but hopefully we can put together our efforts and bring out a good performance to put ourselves back where we belong."