F1 | HUNGARIAN GP, GIAN CARLO MINARDI: “BUDAPEST WILL PUT THE PROGRESS OF FERRARI TO THE TEST”

The F1 World Championship moves to the Hungaroring for the final round before the summer break. If Spa-Francorchamps was one of the fastest and complete circuits on the calendar, Budapest offers completely different characteristics and will present the teams and drivers with a totally different technical challenge.

The Hungaroring is a twisty circuit full of medium and low speed corners, so much so that it is often compared to a go-kart track. There are few straights, and they are relatively short, while overtaking is traditionally very difficult. For this reason, qualifying will be even more important and starting at the front could prove to be a decisive advantage.

While at Spa managing the recharging on the long straights was crucial, in Hungary it will be above all the aerodynamic downforce, the traction out of the corners, the car’s balance, and the management of the tyres that will make the difference. Furthermore, the high temperatures that traditionally accompany the Hungarian weekend will put the cars, the drivers and the tyres under pressure, making management of the race even more important.

From what we saw in recent races, I still consider Mercedes the benchmark of the World Championship. Andrea Kimi Antonelli comes to Hungary on the back of his win in Belgium (his sixth of the season) and with a significant lead in the world championship standings. The team has demonstrated that it has an extremely competitive racing car, but it will be interesting to see how it performs on a track with completely different characteristics.

On the other hand, Ferrari arrives in Hungary with full of confidence following the excellent signs shown in Spa-Francorchamps. Charle Leclerc’s race pace confirmed the progress made by the SF-26, to which must be added Hamilton’s fourth place despite the 5” second penalty he served during his pit stop. But the Hungaroring is an even more significant testing ground. It the Team can confirm its competitiveness even on a track with characteristics that are completely different compared to those in Belgium, then we will be able to say that the car’s development is now fully established and not linked solely to the specific features of a single circuit.

Keep a keen eye on Red Bull as well. Max Verstappen remains one of the main contenders for the win and on a track where the driver’s skill can still make the difference, he will certainly be one of the front runners.  McLaren is also worth keeping an eye on, it has shown significant signs of improvement in recent races, and at the Hungaroring it may find a circuit that suits the characteristics of their car.

From a technical point of view, Pirelli has chosen C3, C4 and C5 as Hard, Medium and Soft respectively. This choice leaves a number of strategic options open, although a lot will depend on the temperatures of the asphalt and how the track develops over the weekend.

In addition, the Hungaroring is a circuit that puts the cars’ cooling systems under severe strain. The low average speeds and the high temperatures in fact reduce the airflow to the engine, brakes and mechanical parts.

I expect an extremely closely fought Grand Prix.

Gian Carlo Minardi