Fresh off a podium-finish in last Sunday’s German Grand Prix, Scuderia Ferrari German driver Sebastian Vettel and the Italian side head to Budapest for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
The 4.381-kilometer (2.722-mile), 14-turn Hungaroring is a tight circuit that many drivers liken to a full-size karting track. It is the slowest permanent venue in Formula One, a change from the recent run of power circuits. Slow, however, doesn’t mean easy. Despite an average speed of 200 kph (124 mph), which is notably slower than the average speed drivers normally experience in Formula One, the Hungaroring requires precision and preservation. It is a physical track, demanding a lot from the drivers who, in turn, demand a lot from their car throughout the 70-lap race.
Sebastian Vettel reflects on the challenges of the next round of the 2019 Formula One season:
“Hungaroring is a pretty physical track in a current Formula 1 car, because there aren`t any long straights and it’s a very stop-start circuit, which means you are always working away at the wheel. And given the time of year, it’s usually boiling hot, which definitely doesn’t help.
Also if it is dry, the circuit gets very dusty, particularly at the start of the weekend and it’s not a given that it will improve over the weekend, as wind and off track excursions brings back the sand that the cars running clear off the track. That means it will punish you hard if you get offline, or if you make a mistake, because you lose time and other drivers will be waiting to take advantage. The key corners are 1 and 14. Turn 1 you can think about a passing move but it’s a bit risky, as the straight before is too short really. There`s also potential, if you`ve had a god run on the exit of 14, but there are no guarantees”. – Scuderia Ferrari German driver Sebastian Vettel explained.
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