Fernando Alonso is hoping the tight and twisty nature of the Hungaroring circuit this weekend provides the McLaren-Honda team a much-needed boost after a very difficult season to date for the entire team.
Fresh off the back of his first point of the season at Silverstone, Alonso admits to liking the Hungarian Grand Prix circuit, and identifies the sweeping turns at the back of the circuit to being satisfying when driven well.
Both Alonso (in 2003) and team-mate Jenson Button (in 2006) took their maiden Grand Prix victories at the Hungaroring, and as such the venue holds a special place in his heart.
“It’s funny to think that both Jenson and I won our first grand prix in Hungary,” reflected Alonso. “That, of course, makes it a special place for me, and a venue that’ll always hold good memories for me.
“I really like this place; it’s a track that you really have to attack to get a good laptime, and, although it’s often thought of as a slow circuit, the sweeps around the back of the circuit are all really satisfying, and require a lot of commitment.
“The left-hander at Turn Six, in particular, is a really great corner – approached blind over a crest, and really hard to nail perfectly.”
Alonso feels the Hungaroring will offer the beleaguered McLaren team the opportunity to show just how much they have progressed this season, and hopes for one of the least problematic weekends of the season.
“I think the team is looking forward to this race,” said Alonso. “The track will offer us a reasonable opportunity to showcase our steady progress, and I’d like to think that, if everything runs smoothly, we could have a less difficult weekend.”
