Renault Sport F1 Team driver Jolyon Palmer is hoping his good form from the Hungarian Grand Prix will continue as they head to Germany this weekend.
Having soared up to tenth place at one stage of the race in Budapest, after qualifying down in seventeenth, it had looked like Palmer was set to take his first points of the season. A small error at Turn 4 however, saw the Brit spin-off track, causing him to relinquish that final points scoring position, finally ending the event in twelfth place.
The 2014 GP2 Series champion was kicking himself after the race, knowing that the chance had been there for the taking.
“It’s painful to look back on. I was well-placed in P10, I had the pace on those around me and I was driving really within myself. I wasn’t exactly hanging anything out and hadn’t had any big moments, everything was under control but then I lost the car in Turn 4.
“It’s difficult for me to understand why. I hadn’t experienced oversteer the whole race in that corner and then I turned in and lost the car completely. I had a massive snap and then I was pointing backwards.”
The important thing to take away from that grand prix for Palmer however, is that the performance was most definitely there in the RS16, where it had previously been lacking, and the Brit is hopeful it will continue for the next few races at least.
“We’ve made a big breakthrough so I think it will carry on for another couple of races. My first F1 points were there for the taking in Hungary and I didn’t take them. I’m very eager to redress that situation in Germany.”
Hockenheimring is a bit of an unknown quantity for Palmer, who has only raced at the track twice previously, however the Renault man is feeling positive ahead of the 2016 German Grand Prix and is looking forward to a positive weekend before heading into the summer break.
“It’s a circuit I haven’t raced at so much, as I’ve raced there only for two weekends previously. The two big features that stand out are the very long straight and the stadium section.
“Despite the changes to it over the years, it still has a really old-school feel to it, especially the arena section, which is very narrow and how close the fans can be there as well.
“It’s the last race before the August break so I may well treat myself to a nice German beer on the Sunday night.”
