Hungarrowling: The Wall-less Monaco
Hungarrowling, the venue for this weekend’s Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix, is frequently dubbed “wall-less Monaco.” This nickname stems from the circuit’s high downforce requirements and the challenges that come with overtaking, which highlight the importance of qualifying performance.
In light of this, Haas has a sense of optimism heading into the race.
Earlier this year, Esteban Ocon managed to secure six points at the Monaco Grand Prix, finishing in seventh place. These results, combined with various upgrades the team has introduced recently, have boosted Team Principal Ayaokomatsu’s confidence for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
“It’s tough to predict outcomes precisely, but Budapest features ultra-high downforce and, like Monaco, it can be tricky to overtake. We were competitive there, and Esteban managed to earn points,” Ayaokomatsu remarked.
“The circuit is primarily fast, but every little bit counts. I believe we have a solid foundation thanks to upgrades from Silverstone. If we can execute everything on race day and the driver delivers, we’ll definitely be in the mix.”
Oliver Baerman, who returned to scoring points with a seventh-place finish in the F1 sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix, is looking forward to returning to Budapest.
“I’m really looking forward to heading back to Budapest. I participated in FP1 last year. The track feels like a street circuit with its exciting layout and tight corners,” Baerman shared. “It’s always been a highlight for us as drivers, and it’s definitely going to be warm, which we’re anticipating after Spa.”
The Hungarian Grand Prix is particularly meaningful for Ocon as it marks the site of his first Grand Prix victory. He hopes to draw on those memories and carry the team’s positive momentum from Belgium into this race.
“It’s always special to go back to Budapest every year. That’s where I won my first Formula 1 Grand Prix, and the city and track hold so many wonderful memories for me,” Ocon explained.
“As a team, it’s crucial to keep the momentum going from Spa, where we showed strong pace, especially in the sprint qualifying and sprint races,” he added.
“Hungarrowling has always been one of my favorite tracks on the calendar. Overtaking isn’t easy, so I really focus on maximizing my performance during qualifying. Hitting good results on both Saturday and Sunday is key as I aim for the summer break.”
