Hungarian GP – Technique and heat for this weekend

The Hungaroring is a very interesting circuit for both drivers and engineers. It doesn’t have real high-speed corners, which usually leads teams to use high aerodynamic downforce. However, the main concern this weekend will be cooling the car and engine block, as temperatures are generally scorching in this region of Europe. This also complicates things for the drivers, who must be in top physical shape to tackle the 70 laps of this Hungarian circuit.

Aerodynamics:

The sequence of 14 turns on this track offers drivers few opportunities for overtaking; in fact, there is only one option: turn number 1. Apart from this 700m straight, the circuit is a carousel, featuring several combinations of low to medium-speed turns, which, given the very short braking zones, offer few overtaking possibilities. As a result, teams generally opt for maximum aerodynamic downforce, similar if not the same as in Monaco, to optimize not only the car’s behavior in curves but also braking and corner exit. Maximum speed rarely exceeds 300 km/h, especially since the introduction of the V8 engine.

Suspensions:

Mechanical grip is an important factor on low-speed circuits like this one, and teams will try to have a flexible car to improve its mechanical grip. Drivers want a responsive car for the twisty parts, with good traction on corner exits, which forces teams to make compromises (hard front and soft rear) in terms of setup. However, the front tire wear will be closely monitored, as the softest compound available for this weekend’s race should not be overloaded.

Tires:

Bridgestone has selected the soft and extra-soft tires from its 2008 range. The circuit’s low grip and absence of high-speed corners justify this choice. Once again, the challenge this weekend will be to control the level of graining on the soft tires, and this phenomenon is likely to decrease over the weekend as the track gradually builds up rubber. The data recorded during Friday’s practice will be crucial in determining whether the extra-soft tires should be used for most of the race, as cooler temperatures or overnight rain could complicate matters.

Cooling:

Another important factor will be to ensure good cooling of the mechanical parts. While the car’s qualities in this area are now acknowledged, it will still be necessary to ensure that the radiators are well-cooled due to the high aerodynamic downforce the team will use. This has been a particular focus during wind tunnel testing and will be adjusted on-site from the first runs.

Engine:

With the longest full power period barely exceeding ten seconds and only 56% of the lap spent at full throttle (well below average), it can be said that this circuit is not particularly demanding for the engine block. Out of 14 turns, five are taken in second gear at around 100 km/h. Unlike Monaco, where cars have an incredibly low minimum speed in certain hairpins, the minimum speed at the Hungaroring is around 90 km/h. The engine thus operates in a range between 100 and 250 km/h, and the gear ratios we choose must allow us to exploit the RS27 to its maximum within this range. As always on a circuit with numerous turns, good throttle response is crucial for effective corner exit.

According to a Renault F1 Team press release