F1 Drivers Preview This Weekends’ Hungarian Grand Prix
The first day of practice has completed for the Hungarian Grand Prix. What will this weekend bring? Who will be on the pole? Will this be a redemption weekend for Ferrari? Will Mercedes continue their recent charge to the top or will Red Bull Racing make a statement in the final race before the summer break? All eyes will be on Hungary this weekend as the lights go out and the drivers push to the brink.
So what do the drivers think headed into qualification Saturday?
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - JULY 29: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB18 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 29, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202207290337 // Usage for editorial use only //
Max Verstappen – Red Bull Racing
"Hungary is a special track. I really enjoy driving here as it’s a bit like driving on a go kart track, it has a very technical second sector which I like. It’s difficult to say how I think we will perform this weekend, it’s not our strongest track but of course, I want a good result and we will try everything we can to win it as a Team. We were trying to find the right balance from high to low speed, sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t – there’s a bit of work to do. I think the Ferraris will be ahead of us this weekend and it will be hard to beat them. We’ll work hard overnight and try and close that gap as much as we can. The weather looks like it will have an impact on us tomorrow. In the dry we might struggle to compete, but it could be a different story in the rain; who knows, we will see tomorrow. I’m looking forward to the summer break and hopefully the Team can get time to recover so we can make a strong start to the second half of the season."
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - JULY 29: Sergio Perez of Mexico driving the (11) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB18 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 29, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202207290317 // Usage for editorial use only //
Checo Perez – Red Bull Racing
"It was a frustrating weekend for me in France, I didn’t feel like I had the pace I wanted and wasn’t fully comfortable with the car. We are working hard as a Team to try and see what went wrong for us. It was a shame we lost the podium, the VSC came at the worst possible time for us in the race and the issues with it impacted me at the restart. For now we will push hard and try to deliver a stronger result in the final race before the summer break and get back to the level we have been at consistently this season. We were trying various bits to get comfortable with the car today and I think we have got a good idea and understanding of things, so hopefully tomorrow we will be able to show what we have learned. That should transfer to both high and low fuel pace and I am fairly optimistic for the weekend, but the Ferraris certainly look very strong. They are very fast but rain tomorrow could mix things up a bit and we can be up there with them. We must put everything together tomorrow for qualifying and I am looking forward to it."
Charles LeClerc – Scuderia Ferrari
“The best way to react to what happened at Le Castellet is to get a win here in Hungary. I am driving the best car I’ve ever had in Formula 1 and I know the only way to stay in the fight for the title is to win races and always finish ahead of Max. Qualifying is very important here and so far, I’ve been quickest on Saturdays. I hope I can get the job done and go into the break with a smile on my face. On the subject of the holiday, both drivers are thinking along similar lines, having a bit of a rest and spending as much time as possible with family and friends."
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - JUNE 09: Pierre Gasly of France and Scuderia AlphaTauri walks in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan at Baku City Circuit on June 09, 2022 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202206090255 // Usage for editorial use only //
Pierre Gasly – Alpha Tauri
"I’ve generally done well in Hungary, it’s always been successful for me and I’ve finished sixth, sixth and fifth over the last three races we’ve had there and last year I also set the fastest race lap. I like the layout a lot, it’s very twisty and technical to drive with very few straights. It’s unique in its way and you can really get into a rhythm. In terms of the enjoyment you get from driving it, the Hungaroring is up there as one of my favorites. As always here, it will be very important to qualify well, as overtaking is traditionally very difficult. With the summer break coming up after this race, it would be good to go on holiday with a good result under my belt, not just for me, but for the whole team. You need plenty of downforce at this track, similar levels to Monaco and that is part of what the updates are meant to deliver. We will be pushing as much as possible to be where we think we should be in terms of performance."
Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes
The car is a bit of a struggle. It’s crazy how it swings so much from track to track. Just [keeping my] head up, trying to figure out how we can get the car working at the moment. It’s a little bit loose and not doing what we want it to do. Nothing has changed on the car since last week. I’m the same driver this week as I was last week. But for some reason, this track, it’s not working as well. It’s going to be a tough weekend, that’s for sure, but we’ll give it everything and see what we’ve got."
