Haas F1 Team driver Kevin Magnussen is confident that his car will be competitive at the Hungaroring, which is also the final race of the season before the summer break.
The Dane had his best finish at the track in 2014, when he was driving for McLaren, finishing twelfth on the grid. He had a thirteenth finish at the event last year, which he will be looking to improve.
“Our car should be competitive. It is at most places now. Of course, there’s going to be tracks where it’s a bit less competitive for us than others, but we just need to maximise everything.”
The Hungaroring is a slow track when compared to others on the calendar, but is faster due to the higher downforce of the current-generation cars.
“It’s still relative to the other tracks – a slower track – but it is definitely faster with the higher downforce cars.”
Due to its twists and turns, the track puts a lot of physical demands on the drivers.
“It’s a pretty physical track. You’re turning all the time. You don’t get much time off on the straights, because there’s a bend, or the straight is just short. It’s a bit like a go-kart track. You don’t get a lot of time to relax on the straights.”
A lot of demands are put on the tires at this circuit, meaning that it is crucial the drivers effectively manage their tires.
“You try and keep the rear tires – the tire surface temperature – in control with the throttle. You manage those temperatures as well as you can. That’s the main thing.”
