The Infiniti Red Bull Racing team arrive in Hungary this weekend for Round eleven of the 2014 Formula One World Championship on the back of a fourth and sixth place finish last weekend in Germany. Both Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo had strong races at Hockenheim, and will want to build on that result at the Hungaroring.
Vettel had a strong yet quiet German Grand Prix last weekend and finished fourth. Despite never having won an F1 race at the Hungaroring before, the German admits to enjoying the challenge of the circuit and has some special memories of racing there. He likes the atmosphere of the surrounding area and admits to getting away from it all with a walk or run alongside the picturesque Danube River.
“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,” said Vettel. “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 racetrack, 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.”
Team-mate Ricciardo finished sixth in Germany, just missing out on fifth by the tiniest margins from Fernando Alonso, and like his team-mate admits to liking the Hungaroring circuit. He feels the introduction of DRS is more needed here than at some other places as he feels it has spiced up the races in Hungary.
“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,” said Ricciardo. “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.”
