18/07/2023
NEWS STORY
Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance: The Hungaroring is an interesting contrast to Silverstone and will be another good test of the car and drivers. Most cars will run maximum downforce at this short twisty track, which will provide an interesting comparison across the field.
With the earlier cancellation of the event in Imola, this weekend is the first 'Alternative Tyre Allocation (ATA)' event of the season. Each driver has fewer sets of tyres available than normal, and the use of specific tyre compounds is mandated in each of the three qualifying sessions. It will be interesting to see how each team chooses to use the limited supply of tyres, especially as Pirelli have provided their softest compounds for this weekend.
As is often the case in Budapest in July, the weather is forecast to be hot with a risk of thunderstorms. We will keep an eye on this as we approach the sessions, but hopefully the rain will only fall in the evening.
Alex Albon: Hungary is a great circuit and one that we all love to drive around, as it has a great flow to it. We've just come off the back of three strong races, however I think going into this week, we need to manage expectations slightly, as it's not necessarily a track that should suit us. Nevertheless, we'll see how the upgrades perform around a high downforce track, which is something that hasn't been the case in the previous three races.
Logan Sargeant: I'm super excited to get back to Budapest. A tricky track with a different qualifying format this weekend. Hopefully we can capitalise on that and have a good weekend.