Hungary Preview Quotes: Renault

Jarno Trulli

Q. We saw you in some difficulty after the race in Hockenheim: have you recovered fully now?

JT:

Absolutely: they gave me some precautionary tests in the medical centre, but I was already feeling a lot better just a few hours after the race. I have spent some time in Italy relaxing with my family, and this week I will be busy doing a training camp to prepare for the hot conditions in Budapest: it will be a long race, but I am in the best shape to tackle it.

Q. Jarno, the Hungaroring is often a circuit the drivers enjoy, in spite of producing rather processional races in the past. Is that the case for you?

JT:

Hungaroring is a challenging track: it can be tricky because the circuit is very narrow, with a lot of corners in quite a short lap. The track surface also used to be quite bumpy, although that may have changed for this year, and it is often dusty because it is not used much during the season. That makes it a difficult lap, and interesting for the drivers.

Q. What are you expecting from this year's race in Budapest?

JT:

Hungary has always been a strange race for me: it is one of those places where I have never managed to score points, even though I like the circuit a lot. This year, I think we have a good car for the track, and the testing on Friday morning will allow us to try a bigger range of set-ups to get it exactly right. I scored my first podium for Renault at the last race, so am more motivated than ever: the team is getting better race by race, and I think we can be on the pace wherever we go.

Fernando Alonso

Q. Fernando, this will be just your second race at the Hungaroring. Is it one you are looking forward to?

FA:

Definitely: by the time we get back in the cars, it will feel like a long time since we finished in Hockenheim! The Hungaroring is a complicated circuit, with lots of corners: that means there is a bigger margin for the driver to make a difference. I like the track, the fans and the city, and I think we can have a good weekend.

Q. There have been a number of changes to the circuit since last year: what effect do you think they will have?

FA:

I have only seen the changes on paper so far, so it is difficult to say exactly what will happen, but they look good. The first corner will probably be the place where overtaking happens, and it will be a downhill braking area too, which could make things even more complicated. We will have to wait and see on Sunday, though, to judge whether things have really changed.

Q. The team seems to have taken a step forward since Silverstone. Can that be maintained in Hungary?

FA:

I think so, yes. The conditions should suit our package, we have seen that the Michelin tyres perform very well in high temperatures, and in theory, the circuit should suit our chassis: there are lots of corners, and that is where our package is strongest, at high and low speed. We will have to work hard all weekend but, with the extra benefit of our testing on Friday, I think that we can push for the podium again.

Allan McNish

Q. Allan, what are the key factors for set-up in Hungary?

AM:

Although the circuit has been revised for this year, I think the main characteristics will remain the same: maximum downforce, with a premium on low-speed grip and traction, as well as some critical medium-speed corners on the back of the circuit. For a good lap, the driver will be looking for low-speed grip and balance, as well as a good change of direction.

Q. Will the dirty track hinder your work on Friday morning?

AM:

To be honest, the track remains dusty all weekend, but we will certainly be out there when it is at its worst. The circuit will be improving all the way through the weekend, which complicates tyre selection as you are never dealing with the same grip levels when making comparisons. The main thing will be to get in some clean sequences of clear laps and consistent times, with no mistakes from the drivers, in order to get a good picture of where we stand. Come Saturday, though, I think experience from previous years may prove critical in making the final tyre choice.

Q. How competitive do you expect the Renault package to be?

AM:

The battle at the front of the field is definitely closer, and more intense, than at the start of the year: with that in mind, I think we have performed impressively as a team to remain among the top teams during the last few races. The Hungaroring is a different type of circuit where, on paper, we should be even stronger: the medium-speed section at the back of the circuit will really allow us to exploit the potential of the car. There is no reason to think we won't be very competitive.

Mike Gascoyne, Technical Director

Q. The team has made a noticeable step forward in competitiveness since Silverstone. Can this be maintained in Hungary?

MG:

As we expected, we have been very competitive in the last couple of races: the introduction of the new bodywork package at Silverstone helped us, and we still have several steps forward to make with the engine before the end of the year, including an improved specification for this race. In Hungary, I think we must aim to qualify at the front of the grid and race strongly for another podium finish.

Q. What are the reasons for your optimism?

MG:

I think this kind of circuit will suit our car. The last very high downforce track was Monaco, where we were not as quick as we should have been, but given the steps forward we have made with our package, we can expect to be very strong if we perform to our full potential. As well as the engine developments, we will have some minor aerodynamic improvements, and we also anticipate the tyres will prove very competitive in the expected hot conditions.

Pat Symonds, Executive Director of Engineering

Q. Pat, Renault were the only top team able to test since the beginning of the summer ban, on Friday morning in Hockenheim. How useful has that been?

PS:

Our session at Hockenheim proved extremely productive. The fact that we selected a tyre construction for use in Budapest as a direct result of the work on Friday morning indicates the wisdom of choosing the Heathrow Agreement, which allowed us to test when others couldn't. Furthermore, the very hot conditions we experienced were different to those typically encountered during winter testing, and generated some useful tyre data.

Q. We have seen changes to the circuit this year, designed to improve overtaking. Do you think they will work?

PS:

Before we get there, it is very hard to tell. Changes were made to Magny- Cours this year with the intention of creating another passing opportunity, and in that particular case, you would have to say they did not achieve their objective. At the Hungaroring, I do not think the cars will be able to follow closely enough through turn 11 to take advantage of the new slow corner at turn 12. Turn 1 may be a little better, but there is another problem to contend with: the fact that the circuit is so dirty off line. It can take several corners to clean up the tyres after any manoeuvre, meaning anybody who does manage to get past risks making a mistake soon afterwards. I don't think the circuit changes themselves will necessarily help the overtaking situation; certainly in terms of our strategy, we go there with the assumption that it will still be very hard to pass other cars.

Denis Chevrier, Engine Operations Manager

Q. Denis, can you tell us about the changes to the Hungaroring from an engine perspective?

DC:

The Hungaroring has changed from last year, and the modifications have significantly altered the nature of the circuit. Previously, apart from the temperature factor, the Hungaroring was not a demanding circuit for the engines; the changes, however, mean it is now much nearer average among the F1 circuits. The longer main straight will now see the cars at full throttle for ten seconds, rather than seven. Previously, the engine was under full load for 43% of the lap; according to our simulations, this will rise to 51% this year. One thing that won't have changed from last year, though, is the heat characteristic of this circuit. This means cooling is one of the key engine parameters we need to monitor. Efficient cooling can be achieved in a number of ways: we can try and minimise energy losses in the oil by reducing internal friction; attempt to release as much energy as possible with improved cooling systems; or indeed, we can make changes to the bodywork to improve internal airflow.

Q. Are any engine evolutions planned for this race?

DC:

Yes, we will be running with modifications to the upper part of the engine, which should bring both power gains and increased engine speeds. The high temperatures will also require solutions that allow us to improve cooling: in Hungary, it is important to have an engine capable of running with high oil and water temperatures. This is why we will be bringing a new type of oil, developed for us by our fuel partner Elf, which will be used in conjunction with a reduction in the engine's oil flow.