Hungary 2018 - GP Preview - Force India Mercedes

Vijay Mallya

"It’s always important to do well in the final race before the break and this year is no exception. We have been scoring double-points finishes in the last three races so it would be nice to carry this momentum into the holidays. The midfield battle is as close as it has ever been and each race weekend can swing the balance one way or the other: we have shown in Germany how crucial it is to take your chances when they materialise, when perhaps earlier in the season luck wouldn’t have favoured us. Our target for the rest of the year doesn’t change: we are still aiming to retain fourth place in the championship and we will give everything to make it happen."

Sergio Perez

"You always want to do well on the final race before the holidays. As a racing driver, you only remember your last race and you want to go into the break with some nice memories. It helps you have a better holiday if you score a good result.

"I enjoy the Hungaroring: it’s a circuit with a lot of corners that can catch you out and it’s a big challenge to get a clean lap together, especially in qualifying. The races, too, can get quite interesting. It’s a narrow and twisty track but it still offers some opportunities for overtaking. The key for a good race in Budapest is to have a car with plenty of downforce but also that is not too hard on the tyres. It tends to be very hot there so it’s important to look after them.

"It’s been a very hectic first part of the season, especially with five races in the last six weeks, and I am looking forward to the break. I am going to spend it at home, with my family, without too much travel."

Esteban Ocon

"I want to go on holiday on a high and I am happy the final race before the break is on one of my favourite tracks. Budapest is one of the races that I enjoy the most and it’s always a good weekend for me. The city is beautiful and there are a lot of fans there, but my highlight is the circuit itself. I fell in love with it the first time I drove on it.

"The track is quite narrow, but it’s still very fast. There are a lot of quick changes of direction and the corners come one after the other with no chance to catch a breath. That’s what I really like about it – you need to keep pushing all the time and make the most of the sequences of corners. You need to have a good rhythm there and if you make a mistake, you pay for it in the corners that follow.

"It will be nice to have a bit of time off after Budapest. I am looking forward to a nice holiday with my friends, but I am going to train hard as well. I am going back to my training camp in the Pyrenees so there will be a little bit of holiday and a lot of work!"