Hungary preview quotes - Marussia, Mercedes, Williams & more

Red Bull

Sebastian Vettel

2013 Qualifying - 2nd, 2013 Race - 3rd

"I like the race and atmosphere at the Hungaroring, and have good memories of the races there even though I have never won in Budapest - it is still on my to do list! It is quite a slow track but also one that can catch you out. It has some tight, twisty corners and is quite a bumpy track, so you cannot underestimate it. It is normally hot in Hungary for the race which makes it a challenge to drive, but also makes a nice weekend for the fans watching. I really like the setting of the race track, just outside Budapest and near to the Danube - in the evenings I enjoy going for a walk along the banks, or sometimes a jog in the morning. The Hungarian GP is the last race before the Summer break so we will be working hard to keep up the momentum and have a good result to enjoy over the holidays."

Daniel Ricciardo

2013 Qualifying - 8th, 2013 Race - 13th

"I've always enjoyed the Hungaroring, but because it's so tight and twisty it's maybe not the ideal layout for a Grand Prix. It's like Monaco without the walls. It's one of those weird situations where the driving is very satisfying but the racing, perhaps, is not. It's a great, great track in qualifying, where you're driving on low fuel and fresh tyres - there's no let up and you're completely in the moment. In a race though overtaking is difficult because the track is quite narrow and that exciting sequence of corners doesn't give you the opportunity to line up a pass. DRS has improved things and the first corner and the downhill sequence that follows can be quite exciting."

Sauber

Esteban Gutierrez

2013 Qualifying - 17th, 2013 Race - DNF

"The Hungaroring has a different characteristic in comparison to other circuits on the calendar. It is a very interesting track, and I enjoy driving there. The circuit consists of many low and medium-speed corners. As it is quite bumpy, it will affect the mechanical set-up of the car. Due to the traditional high temperatures, it is demanding for the tyres. There is a lot of tyre degradation as the track has some corners with right-left combinations. Although this can give us some opportunities, and we can work on different strategies. I like being at the Hungaroring, so I am looking forward to going there again. The team keeps working hard, and we hope to be in a better position at the Hungarian Grand Prix."

Adrian Sutil

2013 Qualifying - 11th, 2013 Race - DNF

"The Hungarian Grand Prix is a great event with many fans who are passionate about racing. The track itself is quite short, but very challenging with many corners, and it is not easy to put a perfect lap together. You need a lot of grip as there are several slow corners. The Hungaroring is interesting, and it is definitely good to have it on the calendar. It is the second slowest track after Monaco. Our chances are difficult to predict, but I am ready for a good result and hope for a great race. Budapest is a picturesque city with a lot of history and beautiful buildings."

Giampaolo Dall'Ara, Sauber head of track engineering

"The back-to-back race at Budapest is another “hot” event, temperature-wise. Compared to Hockenheim, the set-up of the car isn't that different, although the time spent on straights is considerably less and the low to medium-speed corners dominate. The aerodynamic requirements can be briefly summarised to be high downforce wings and efficient cooling. The track surface is more abrasive than in Hockenheim, therefore, the Pirelli medium and soft tyres have been allocated for this track."

Pirelli

Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director

"Hungary is well-known for being a tricky layout, where it's difficult to overtake and to find a perfect set-up for the whole lap. This means that strategy is especially important, as it offers a rare opportunity to gain track position. The weather is normally a talking point in Hungary, but having seen how our tyres performed in the very hot track temperatures of Hockenheim, we're confident that this shouldn't be a problem. The tyres we are bringing to Hungary are a step harder, to deal with the increased demands, so we would expect the usual two pit stops - although we will only have a better idea of this once we get to free practice on Friday."

Toro Rosso

Jean-Eric Vergne

2013 Qualifying - 14th, 2013 Race - 12th

“This is an important race as it comes just before the summer break, so if you do well here, it means you can enjoy the holiday more. It is a really tough race for the car and for the drivers. The circuit is located in a bowl which seems to trap the heat and the lap has no straights, so there is no time to rest at all over a lap. It can be frustrating to race here though, like in Monaco, as you can find yourself behind a slower car and not be able to get close enough to pass. To overtake, you need to be really close in the last corner to pass down the pit straight and in order to manage that, you must be right on the tail of the slower car for the whole lap, which is quite tricky, as there are a few high speed corners. You are always turning, braking, accelerating. Not an easy race and the last two years it has not been a good track for Toro Rosso, so I really want this to change and we will be doing all we can to have a good race. I like the city, which I have visited many times from my days racing in the World Series.”

Daniil Kvyat

2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a

“Hungaroring is on the list of my favourite tracks with its flowing nature and fast chicanes and corners, which you need to attack a lot. That’s what I really love about this track. There’s no time to rest there but I am really looking forward to it. You can get stuck behind slower cars, which is frustrating and that’s why it is really important to get as good a grid position as possible here and start in front of your rivals. It can be very hot and from a physical point of view, Budapest can be even tougher than Malaysia because you don’t get time to rest as there are no long straights. It makes for a demanding and challenging weekend. I also like the city of Budapest, quite a lot of Russians come to this race, so I am looking forward to seeing a lot of Russian flags in the grandstands: not on the scale of Sochi of course, but a nice feeling all the same.”

Force India

Nico Hulkenberg

2013 Qualifying - 12th, 2013 Race - 11th

“The circuit is challenging and leaves little room for mistakes. The second sector has several corners that are all connected, so you need to hook them all up to be quick. If you run wide on one corner you can lose the flow of the lap. Overtaking is difficult, too, even with the DRS. There is one straight, but it’s not that long.

“It’s a good event with a nice atmosphere and lots of fans. I love the city of Budapest with the beautiful buildings and old architecture so it’s nice to explore a bit. The weather is always hot, which usually helps us and our car has worked well on tracks with slow corners so that’s a good sign.”

Sergio Perez

2013 Qualifying - 9th, 2013 Race - 9th

“Hungary is definitely a great event and it’s usually one of the hottest races of the year. It’s the last race before the summer break so you always want to do well so that you can enjoy the break, otherwise it can feel very long.

“It's a really interesting circuit and you have to think very carefully about the way you set your car up. It’s a very technical lap and you have to consider the weaknesses of your car and set it up around them. It's also very demanding on the tyres because you are always in a corner. The hot weather will make that even more challenging.

“I was a bit disappointed after Silverstone and Hockenheim because things did not really work out for me in the races. So it’s important to score some good points before the summer break.”

Caterham

Kamui Kobayashi

2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a

“The last race before the August break is Hungary, another really popular race with both fans and everyone in F1. For me one of my best memories of the Hungarian GP is 2010, the first time I raced on this track in F1. I had a grid penalty for something so had to start on the last row, in 23rd, but I overtook about six or seven cars on the first lap and then finished in the points! I think we’re realistic enough to know that probably won’t be possible this year, but we’ll still go there ready to fight as hard as we can, and hopefully come away with something positive.

“On track the Hungaroring isn’t one of the most challenging circuits we race on, but one of the keys to a good time is to find a rhythm, especially in sector two. You need to let the corners flow, one after the other, and with the high temperatures we usually have there and the tyre choice being soft and mediums, tyre management will be even more important than normal.”

Marcus Ericsson

2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a

“Straight on to Hungary after the German GP and another chance to take the fight to the cars ahead. For the last couple of races I’ve had a few issues that compromised my race before it started, so I’m targeting a clean weekend with maximum track time, especially in quali after what happened in Hockenheim.

“I’ve always had great support in Hungary. It’s one of the races a lot of Swedish fans come to and after seeing so many Swedish flags in Germany I’m looking forward to the same at the Hungaroring. This time I want to give them something to cheer for all weekend, especially on Sunday, so it’s important we have good reliability across the whole package, giving us the chance to fight in quali and race properly on Sunday.”

Christijan Albers, team principal

“We now have completed two races since taking over the team and I have to say I am pleased with the progress we are making. In Germany the gap to our competitors was closer than it has been for several races and we are definitely aiming to continue that progress in Hungary. We can keep making small but significant improvements across the whole team, both on track and at the factory, and they will contribute to our ongoing development.”

McLaren

Jenson Button

2013 Qualifying - 13th, 2013 Race - 7th

“As you know, this has been a special place for me for some time. I won my first Grand Prix here back in 2006 - it was one of those days when everything seemed to go my way - and I won my 200th Grand Prix here. That was an emotional day - and it was back in 2011 - I can’t believe it was nearly 60 races ago.

“The Hungaroring is a great track. Everybody thinks of it as a slow circuit, but, out the back, it’s got some pretty decent corners - Turn Four requires some serious commitment, and it’s made harder because it has a blind apex. Equally, the sequence of S-bends that make up Turns Eight to 11 are really satisfying to drive.

“Nonetheless, it’s still a circuit where you require lots of downforce and grip, and I think we are making positive steps in that direction.”

Kevin Magnussen

2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a

“I really like the Hungaroring. It isn't a fast circuit but, a bit like Monaco, it's a track on which a driver can really make a difference. I raced there last year in World Series by Renault 3.5 - and, although I didn't win either of the two races we had that weekend, I really enjoyed the first of them in particular.

“Qualifying had been messed up for many of the drivers, owing to torrential rain, and I ended up 16th on the grid. From there I got it all hooked up really well on race day, which was also extremely wet, and I overtook a load of cars as I worked my way up to second place at the end. It was great!

“I think we’ve shown recently that our car performs slightly better on tracks with a combination of low- and mid-speed corners, so I think this weekend will hopefully offer us another opportunity to score some useful world championship points.

“After a couple of frustrating races, I’m hoping for a weekend where everything comes together.”

Eric Boullier, McLaren racing director

“McLaren has a fantastic record in Hungary - we’ve won 11 Grands Prix there - and, while it’s unlikely we’ll be in a position to win this year, I think we travel to Budapest feeling encouraged by a number of our recent performances. We know there’s still a lot to do, but there’s a feeling that the whole team’s motivation is growing.

“This is effectively the last race of the first ‘half’ of the season: Formula One takes a short break for the summer before we return for the final few races in Europe, then the long and intense series of flyaways that end the year.

“It’s always beneficial to go into the summer break with a positive result, so we’ll be trying hard to do just that; even more important, it’s essential that we maintain our focus and determination with regard to car development. The next six months will be critical for everybody at McLaren, and we’ll be working as hard as possible to keep on pushing.”

Lotus

Romain Grosjean

2013 Qualifying - 3rd, 2013 Race - 6th

“I love Budapest and I love the Hungaroring. It’s a place that I really look forward to visiting every year. It is usually sunny and hot and is just before the summer break so you give all the energy you have before you go on holiday. It is an exciting Grand Prix every year.

“It’s a great track and one that’s suited us in the past. It was great to be on the podium there in 2012. I can remember feeling frustrated that year as we did have a chance to be fighting for the win, but that didn’t work out because of traffic. I like the circuit with its style of up and downs and twisty corners. I like the feeling you get when driving on the track and the grip you get from it.

“I’ve been very quick in qualifying every time there. I did one of my best overtakes in my career in Formula One last year and I got penalised for a few small centimetres which was tough at the time… Nevertheless, it is hard to overtake at the Hungaroring making qualifying very, very important, as is the race strategy.

“It’s a tight and twisty track so you do need a good qualifying result. We showed in 2012 that being on the front row certainly helps and last year’s P3 wasn’t too bad either.

“I scored my first GP2 Series pole position there in 2008. In 2011 I won and finished third, which was a pretty good weekend. Driving-wise, it’s not the most physically challenging in terms of high speed corners, but the heat you experience in the cockpit can be quite an issue. It can also be a difficult circuit early in the weekend as the track is not used very much, meaning it’s quite slippery when you first go out.”

Pastor Maldonado

2013 Qualifying - 15th, 2013 Race - 10th

“The Hungarian Grand Prix is one of the best of the season. We are very close to Budapest and I like the city very much. There is a big community of fans at the race weekend and the people are very friendly. On track, it can be very challenging. The weather is usually very hot there and it is very demanding from a physical point of view. It is one of the races that I enjoy best because of these demands and I really like the challenge that it presents.

“It is a very demanding circuit for drivers as it is often very hot and there are limited overtaking opportunities. It has quite a slow speed layout, so we’ll be able to see how much improvement we’ve made on this type of configuration. Qualifying is so important at this track because of the small number of overtaking opportunities, but I’ve qualified well there in the past so hopefully I can deliver a strong performance that will give the team a boost as we head into the summer break. I have won there in other categories so the track has good memories for me. The fans create a great atmosphere and it’s always good to race at a track where there is a strong feeling like this.”

Williams

Felipe Massa

2013 Qualifying - 7th, 2013 Race - 8th

“Hungary is a track where a good power unit is a little less important. Aerodynamics play a higher part and getting good downforce for the corners is vital. We have worked hard to get the car ready for this type of circuit and if that has all worked we should still be competitive. I hope to be able to get lots more points this weekend.”

Valtteri Bottas

2013 Qualifying - 16th, 2013 Race - DNF

“Budapest is the last race before the summer break. We are aiming for a good result there so we head into the holidays with a good feeling. We know it's not the best circuit for our car but we are working on getting more grip in the corners and we have some upgrades that should help as well. Qualifying is very important as it's not an easy track to overtake at; normally the race is hot as well so tyre degradation will be high. A good few practice sessions should help us get the set-up right. There are always a few fans from Finland, it's almost like a Finnish Grand Prix so I hope to pay the fans back with a good result.”

Rob Smedley, Williams head of vehicle performance

“Hungary is a very high downforce circuit with low efficiency. It's usually very hot there and with the tyre compounds that Pirelli will be bringing, it'll be a difficult race. It's a very important race as it's the last before the summer break. Psychologically it's important to get a good haul of points and come away in a strong position. In terms of the track, it's one where rear tyre graining can be an issue, depending on the modulus of the tyre. In the past, teams have suffered from front graining as well, so it will be a struggle to control both.”

Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton

2013 Qualifying - 1st, 2013 Race - 1st

"I was very proud that we could put both cars on the podium for Mercedes-Benz in Germany in front of all the Mercedes employees there last weekend. From a personal point of view, I couldn't be too ecstatic about the race because it was a tough weekend for me and ultimately I lost more points to Nico in the Championship battle. But I had great fun out there and did as good a job as I could. To get the car from right at the back to the podium was quite an achievement for everyone involved and I'm grateful that we could limit the damage after qualifying. The Hungarian Grand Prix is always a special one for me, with four pole positions and four wins from my seven races there so far - including my first victory for Mercedes last season. I don't really have any secrets there - I've just been very fortunate over the years and it's a circuit I really enjoy. It's one where you can really attack, which works for an attacking driver like myself, so perhaps it suits my driving style a little bit more than some others. I've always had great support there from the fans too, so I'm looking forward to it. I'm doing absolutely everything I can to get back on level terms with Nico in the title battle - I can't focus more or work harder than I am doing right now. This Championship is proving a big challenge for me but that's how I love it - and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Nico Rosberg

2013 Qualifying - 4th, 2013 Race - 19th

"It was an amazing feeling to take a home victory for myself and Mercedes-Benz at Hockenheim. That race and Monaco are the ones I really want to win, so I came into the weekend hoping for a good result and it worked out perfectly. My Silver Arrow was so dominant and I have to thank the team for this fantastic car. So many positive things have been happening for me in the last few weeks. Getting married was definitely the best feeling, then with the new contract, the World Cup for Germany and the weekend at Hockenheim. It's been a very special time for me. Now we head to Hungary, which is always a really fun weekend in a lot of different ways. Budapest is a really cool city, with a lot of nice things to do in the evening with all the restaurants on the river. I often have friends come to this race as they really enjoy the place - although, of course, while they're out partying on the Saturday night, I'll focusing and preparing for the race! We've had some great after-race parties on the Sunday night in Hungary before, as it's the last one before the summer break. Hopefully we can give everyone back at the factories and here at the circuit something to really cheer about as a reward for all their hard work before they go on holiday!"

Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

"Our performance at the last race in Germany was very satisfying indeed. So many of our board members, colleagues and friends from Stuttgart were there in Hockenheim for the weekend so the pressure was on. We've performed well at the other big races for the team in Malaysia and Britain, but this was the pinnacle for us as a home race. As our thoughts now turn swiftly to the next race in Hungary, it's important to recognise the hard work put in by everyone at our factories in Brackley and Brixworth. It's a tight turnaround between the two races and this will be the final trip before the summer break, so we are pushing flat out to make sure we wrap up the first part of the season on a high. It has been a very busy year so far and another strong result would be the right reward for everyone involved before taking a well-earned rest. We had a spectacular race in Hockenheim and Budapest also has real potential to deliver an exciting Sunday afternoon, although overtaking is much more challenging there. the Hungaroring has always seen fantastic levels of support and we are looking forward to putting on a good show for the fans."

Paddy Lowe, Mercedes team executive director (technical)

"Germany proved to be a busy weekend for the team from start to finish - both in the garage and off track as the home race for Mercedes-Benz. The big talking point going into the weekend was, of course, the demise of FRIC. Much was made of its potential impact on the relative performance of the teams, but as we saw from the first sessions on Friday this did not come to fruition. Lewis' incident during qualifying came as a big shock. The damage to the car left us with some difficult decisions to make and, in the end, changes to the gearbox meant a 5-place penalty dropped Lewis even further down the grid. Lewis then produced a superb recovery drive from the back of the grid to claim a fine podium finish. Nico, meanwhile, built on a strong qualifying position with a perfectly judged race performance to take a well-earned home win. We now move on to Hungary, which will be another interesting challenge. It's usually very hot in Budapest, which will be a consideration in terms of car setup. Overtaking is also notoriously tough around the Hungaroring circuit - with a high emphasis placed on a good qualifying result. Lewis has a fantastic record at this particular venue, with four pole positions and four wins from his seven races here. Nico, by contrast, has had a tough time in Hungary in previous years. However, judging by his performance in Germany last weekend we should be set for another fascinating battle between the two drivers. As a team, we will approach this race as we would any other as we look to cap off a strong start to the season with an equally strong result heading into the summer break."

Marussia

Jules Bianchi

2013 Qualifying - 21st, 2013 Race - 16th

"I have some good memories of Hungary as my second race in Eurocup in Formula Renault took place here in 2007 and I got two pole positions. It is an interesting track because there are big braking events, long corners and some quite bumpy parts and also there is little time to draw breath around the lap. It will be a busy week for sure, and probably a very hot one, so I hope we can have a nice reward and end the first part of the season in a strong position versus the cars around us."

Max Chilton

2013 Qualifying - 22nd, 2013 Race - 17th

"I really like the Hungaroring and it's a place that holds special memories for me having won here in GP2 from pole position. The track is quite arduous as the lap is so relentless and the temperatures can be tough for the cars and the Team. It is all corners, so driving technique and car set-up are very important. In development terms we need a strong and reliable weekend, hopefully benefiting from what we learned in Germany last week. The progress continues but we need to ensure we can realise more of it during the course of a race, so we're not finding ourselves out of position with the Caterhams."

John Booth, Marussia team principal

"As is usually the case with the back to back races, part of the Team went on ahead to Budapest to commence the set-up process, while the engineering group returned to the UK. Back at our base there we have been making the most of a short but valuable period to consider the findings of the German Grand Prix and look to what we can do at the Hungaroring to ensure we end the first half of the season on a positive note. Although the rapid turnaround in what are usually very high temperatures can be tough on the Team, this is a race and venue we enjoy and the fans are very welcoming and enthusiastic. Over the next few days we have a lot of work to do to apply what we learned last weekend and ensure there is sufficient momentum to carry us through the break so that we continue to be strong when we embark on the crucial second phase of the season."

Hungary preview quotes - Marussia, Mercedes, Williams & more

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