The end of the 2018 Hungarian Grand Prix may mark F1’s summer break but there’s still track action to look forward to, with the sport’s final in-season test taking place at the Hungaroring two days later.
The two-day test starts on Tuesday, July 31. There are set to be a number of young drivers in Budapest – it’s the second in-season test of 2018, and FIA regulations stipulate that two out of the four days of testing must go to drivers who have competed in no more than two grands prix.
Scuderia Ferrari has confirmed that Kimi Raikkonen will be driving on Wednesday in the second day of the in-season testing session, while 24-year-old Italian racing driver Antonio Giovinazzi will complete the Maranello team’s testing line-up by driving on Tuesday.
Mercedes have yet to confirm their line-up, but as Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas both took part in the Barcelona in-season test, it’s likely that George Russell will get one or both days of the test in the W09. Renault will run Nico Hulkenberg on Day One and Artem Markelov on Day Two – the F2 front-runner set for his first experience in a 2018 F1 car.
Haas, however, won’t be testing at all next week, claiming they sees little benefit in the additional running offered.
Force India’s Budapest stable will consist of Nicholas Latifi and Nikita Mazepin, both of whom have testing experience with the team.
It’s not yet clear who will be testing for Sauber and Toro Rosso, but Lando Norris is likely to get another chance to shine for McLaren in Hungary – the Englishman having impressed at the same test last year.
Oliver Rowland (Day One) and Robert Kubica (Day Two) will once again make up Williams’ testing line-up, and they will both be looking to make their mark with a 2019 seat possibly up for grabs.
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