Hungary 2019 - GP preview - Racing Point

Lance Stroll

“It was good to come away from Germany with a bunch of points. We rolled the dice a few times and it worked out pretty well in the end. Seeing all the smiles from the team after the race was fantastic and just what we needed. It’s a good boost for us and hopefully we can score again this weekend.

“Racing in Budapest in the summer is quite tough. It’s a physical circuit and the weather is usually hot and humid at this time of year.

“To be competitive you need lots of downforce and a set-up that is not too demanding on the tyres. There are lots of traction zones that put big energy through the tyres and the high track temperatures also make life difficult.

“The lap is tight and twisty, and there’s no real chance to catch your breath, so you really have to keep your concentration. It’s good fun, though, and very satisfying behind the wheel through the quicker corners, such as four and eleven. When the car is hooked up, you can really enjoy the flow of the circuit and find a nice rhythm.

“I think we made some progress with the car last week. The new parts have helped and we need to build on all that work this week.”

Sergio Perez

“I love visiting Budapest. It’s a fun place, with lots going on, and the food is delicious. It’s a great place for a summer F1 race and we get really nice support from the fans – they’re always waiting for us at the airport, the hotel, and even on the streets with their flags.

“The track is very technical with mostly low and medium-speed corners. Overtaking isn’t easy so you’ve got to deliver in qualifying or you know it’s going to be a tough race. As a track, it’s quite tricky and it’s not always easy to put together a clean lap. There are some corners where it’s easy to make a mistake and it’s very costly if you lose your momentum because one corner flows into the next one.

“You always want a good result here before the summer break because it’s a long wait until you get back in the car. It would be great to begin the holiday with a handful of points.”

Otmar Szafnauer

“Hungary will be another important test for our updated car and we have some more mechanical items to evaluate this weekend. Our performance in Germany shows we are moving in the right direction and I believe there are plenty more gains to be found with this new aero philosophy.

“Reflecting on Germany, it was a case of highs and lows. Wet races can be a lottery, but it was a relief to end the day with some points in our pocket. We need to get back into the habit of regular points scoring. Historically we don’t have the best track record at the Hungaroring, but we will give it everything to try and come away with some points.”