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2005 HUNGARIAN F1 GRAND PRIX

2005 F1 GP: R13 of 19, 2005 Hungarian GP, July 31, Hungaroring

• BEFORE RACE
• Schumacher: "I will be aiming for the next championship title as this year it is not possible ... The worst two moments of the year so far have been Malaysia and Silverstone, but the feeling inside is just the same as before, the only difference is that we are just not competitive at the moment and unless there is a miracle, this Sunday's race will not be so different to the last three."
• Alonso: "After taking my first win there, I think the Hungaroring is a little bit more special for me"
• Raikkonen: "There is still a mathematical chance that I can win (the championship), so we need to focus on the Hungarian race and the rest of the season .... The (Hungaroring) layout is similar to Monaco, it is very short and slow, this makes it feel quite like a karting circuit."

RACE RESULT:

• JULY 31, 2005, Hot, Temp 15ºC
• 1 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) McLaren, 70 laps
  "This is a great result for the entire team who have worked really hard these past weeks. At the first part of the race I was stuck behind Michael Schumacher, and it was impossible to pass him. However the team changed my strategy for the second pitstop and this meant that I could get in front of him and build a comfortable lead. The car felt really good throughout the race and the Michelin tyres were perfect right up until the last lap. It is a shame that Juan Pablo retired as we would have definitely had a one-two victory today."
• 2 Michael Schumacher (GER) Ferrari
  "I am happy with this result, which is a good reward for all the work the team has put in over the last few months. I was pretty happy with my pace in the early stages and there was not much between mine and Kimi's, especially when you consider he was running lighter. But then the pace from the tyres got slower, even though they were still consistent. After that, it was really the pit stops that decided it. If I could have come in at the same time or later than Kimi, then maybe, given how hard it is to overtake here, I might have been able to win. In the closing stages, Ralf got closer, but by then, I was just looking after my tyres and I only went as quick as I needed to keep him behind me. We have made a step in the right direction. It is clear where we have to improve and we will keep on working, but we now seem to have improved our qualifying and early pace."
• 3 Ralf Schumacher (GER), Toyota
  "That was a great result and the team did a great job all weekend. I must admit that I was not 100 percent positive about the strategy we chose, but the engineers were right to take it. We expected high temperatures, so it was a balance between looking after the tyre and having to pit too early. We've had a lot of comments about not being as strong in the race as we are in qualifying, but we showed today that we can go as fast as almost everyone else. The car was great throughout the race, as it had been all weekend and the pit stops were perfect. In the end Michael had a bit too much exit speed to get past, so I was waiting for a mistake which he never made. All in all, a very good day."
• 4 J Trulli (Toyota)
  "To come away with five points is a fine result considering what happened at the first corner. In fact, I have to be happy that I was able to finish the race at all. The rear of my car was heavily damaged when I was hit from behind, so that made life really hard for me and made my car very hard to drive. After the diffuser was damaged, the balance was very unpredictable, switching from oversteer to understeer even in the course of a lap, and I kept asking to change it in the pits. Overall, I'm happy with 4th place because I could have ended up with nothing at the first corner."
• 5 J Button (BAR)
• 6 N Heidfeld (Williams)
• 7 M Webber (Williams)
• 8 T Sato (BAR)
• 9 Giancarlo Fisichella, Renault
• 10 Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari
• 11 Fernando Alonso, Renault
  "I think I was unlucky today. I was very surprised by how many movements Ralf was making into the first corner, and he just didn't give me any room at all and hit the front wing: I was right up on the kerb, nearly in the grass. When the wing came off, that did quite a lot of damage to the car, so after that I knew I was just racing to get a good qualifying position in Turkey. The positive thing to take away was the qualifying performance yesterday, honestly, because without the mistake I was competitive with Montoya on the same fuel load, and much faster than the cars around me. We would have been more competitive in a normal race, so I think we have some reasons to be positive for the races ahead."
• 12 Narain Karthikeyan, Jordan-Toyota
• 13 Tiago Monteiro, Jordan-Toyota

DNF:

• Klien, Coulthard, Doornbos, Albers, Montoya, Massa, Villeneuve
• MONTOYA: "I think that it was a driveshaft that broke, which is just one of those things that happen when you are pushing everything to the limit like we are at the moment. Everyone back at base has been working really hard and it is just disappointing not to finish. I did what I had to do during the race. I knew Kimi was three stopping so there was no need to be in his way considering he was on a different strategy to me. However I feel that this was a race that I definitely could have won and a one-two for the team would have been a great reward to us all."

Opening lap incident:

• both Red Bull drivers (Klien and Coulthard out)
• Alonso and Barrichello had to pit for some repair

RACE REVIEW:

• McLAREN (R DENNIS): "We're doing everything we can to improve the speed of our cars, and we know that puts us in that area where we don't have the margin we'd like to have to enhance the reliability by running at a lower pace. The bad luck the Renault suffered clearly works in our favour. The issues of reliability and luck are going to swing this championship round a bit more through the next six Grands Prix. We know the car is fragile but there are some things you just can't modify fast enough to get reliability. But it is the sum of the parts that makes the car quick. Some things are right on the limit, but do you want a quick race-winning car that's fragile? Or a car that finishes races but never wins. Right now, I don't think there are many people in the pit lane wouldn't like to have our car and the problems of reliability that we have to master. I'd rather make a fast car reliable than the other way around."
• McLAREN MERCEDES (Norbert Haug): "A nice and clear victory for Kimi and the whole team. Kimi did a fantastic job and our strategy was a good one. A one-two victory was on the cards but for Juan Pablo's driveshaft failure on lap 41 this was not the case, until then he drove a perfect race and could have won, I am sorry for him.We most definitely need to further improve our reliability in order to score the maximum possible points. Our potential is there so we are now looking forward to the next race which is the inaugural Turkish Grand Prix. Before, there will be a short and well deserved break for the race team members and their families when everybody can recharge their batteries for the last six races of season."
• RENAULT (Flavio Briatore): "Neither driver managed to have a clean race this afternoon, and both had problems with the car: Fernando was overheating and had some damage after lap one, while Fisico had a fuel pressure problem when he could maybe have caught Sato at the end. Obviously, we can't be happy with this result but I think it was a one- off for us, honestly, and we look forward to taking the three week break to come back refreshed in Turkey, and to continue improving the car. Today was just one of those days."
• RENAULT (Pat Symonds, Executive Director of Engineering): "Giancarlo's race this afternoon was compromised in the first stint when he got stuck behind Heidfeld. He was much quicker but could not get past and unfortunately, the time deficit by the time of his first stop was too big to handle. On top of this, we had to alter his strategy with an additional stop on the final lap when he began losing fuel pressure. Fernando was involved in a collision with Ralf Schumacher on the opening lap which not only required a nose change, but the damage sustained by the car after the front wing broke off led us to severely reduce his revs soon afterwards as the temperatures were too high.We made a repair to the car on his second visit to the pits, but the data also showed he had lost about 7% of total downforce in the incident - a significant amount at a circuit where downforce is key. In total, we think these measures were costing around 1.2 seconds a lap."
• FERRARI (Ross Brawn): "With Michael, we had a pretty good race and I don't think there is much more we could have done. In the first part of the race, we pushed as hard as we could, but once we knew it would not be enough, from then on we changed our approach and simply managed the situation to ensure we did not become vulnerable later in the race. The tyres held up quite well. We had a good strategy today and I don't know how we could have beaten Kimi because he was so quick. But we have made progress and if we can continue to do so then maybe we can have a strong end to the season. Of course, it was disappointing that Rubens got caught out at the beginning. On a track like this, pitting for a front wing and compromising the strategy makes life very difficult."

CIRCUIT:

• Hungaroring, Hungary
• located 19 km from Budapest
• slow track; tight corners ; smooth surface ; difficult to overtake
• 70 lap race ; 2.47 ml / 3.97 km per lap
• Hungaroring Winners:
• 2004 winner: M Schumacher, Ferrari, Bridgestone
• 2003 winner: Fernando Alonso, Renault, M
• 2002 winner: Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari, B
• 2001 winner: M Schumacher, Ferrari, Bridgestone
• 2000 winner: Hakkinen, McLaren Mercedes
• 1999 winner: Hakkinen, McLaren Mercedes
• lap record: 1m 16.207s M Schumacher, Ferrari 2002
• LAST YEAR'S RESULT: 2004
• 1 Michael Schumacher GER Ferrari, 70 laps
• 2 Rubens Barrichello BRA Ferrari +4.6s
• 3 Fernando Alonso Renault +44.5s
• 4 Juan Pablo Montoya Williams-BMW +1m 2
• 5 Jenson Button BAR-Honda +1m 7
• 6 Takuma Sato BAR-Honda +1 lap

QUALIFYING

GRID

• 1. Michael Schumacher (GER) Ferrari 1m 19.882
  "I drove a good lap and I am delighted to be back here after suffering for so long ... I am happy to be on pole, happy that it is with this margin and also that we look in good shape for the race. This is good for Bridgestone, who have suffered with us and this result is an excellent return for the effort they have put in."
  2. Juan Pablo Montoya (COL) McLaren 1m 20.779
  "It's good to be on the front row as my lap was not perfect. I had a bit of oversteer on the first corner and I already knew after the first couple of corners that I wouldn't catch Michael Schumacher. So for the rest of the lap I was a bit cautious and concentrated on a good clean lap and getting on the front row. I am not worried about being on the dirtier side of the track as we have shown that our starts are really good this year. I am confident that I am in a very good position for the race if everything goes to plan."
  3. Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota 1m 20.839
  "That was a very good lap, so I'm happy. We always knew this was going to be a tough session because I was going out so early after our problems in Hockenheim. I also had a fuel system problem this morning so I didn't get a chance to try out the car on new tyres. That meant it was a bit of a guess for the balance on new tyres, but our car always goes well over one lap and I tried my best. I gradually built up my confidence as I went round, which was why the third sector was the best. Looking to the race, it's always a tough afternoon here but we'll try to keep up our pace."
  4. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) McLaren 1m 20.891
  "Going out first in the session was making things obviously harder for me today. The track conditions constantly improved during the session, and I suffered as the level of grip was not at its best, and it was really slippery. However, I feel that I pushed as hard as I could to make up any deficit. I am happy with my lap and under the circumstances I feel that we have done the best job that we could expect. It is now very important for me to get a good start."
  5. Ralf Schumacher (GER) Toyota 1m 20.964
  6. Fernando Alonso (SPA) Renault 1m 21.141
  "It is frustrating to be P6 and P9, but we have not quite been competitive all weekend. We didn't manage to dial the understeer out of the car for qualifying, so the balance was not perfect, and I had a few moments round the lap. The one that really cost me time was in the last corner, where I got a bit off line and the car began understeering -- I ended up in the grass on the exit and that definitely cost me positions. It is particularly disappointing to qualify badly here because overtaking is very hard -- the only opportunities will be at the pit-stops and the start. We will be concentrating on those areas tonight so that we can make the most of our situation tomorrow."
  7. Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Ferrari 1m 21.158
  8. Jenson Button (UK) BAR 1m 21.302
  9. Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Renault 1m 21.333
  10. Takuma Sato (JPN) BAR 1m 21.787
  11. Christian Klien (AUT) Red Bull 1m 21.937
  12. Nick Heidfeld (GER) Williams 1m 22.086
  13. David Coulthard (UK) Red Bull 1m 22.279
  14. Felipe Massa (BRA) Sauber 1m 22.565
  15. Jacques Villeneuve (CAN) Sauber 1m 22.866
  16. Mark Webber (AUS) Williams 1m 23.495
  17. Christijan Albers (NED) Minardi 1m 24.443
  18. Narain Karthikeyan (IND) Jordan 1m 25.057
  19. Robert Doornbos (NED) Minardi 1m 25.484
  20. Tiago Monteiro (POR) Jordan

FRI PRAC #2, JULY 29, 2005

• 1 * Zonta, Toyota 1m 20.409 (vs 2004 pole 1m 19.146)
  "It's always nice to see your name at the top of the timesheets, and that was a good day. The track was very slippery early on and we had some problems with the balance but we worked hard to improve it. I missed a few laps with a hydraulic problem at the end of the first session and with an overheating issue in the afternoon. But despite that we were still able to complete our long runs and put in a performance run."
• 2 *Wurz, McLaren +0.1
• 3 Raikkonen, McLaren +0.87
  "Today has gone well and I am pretty happy with the balance of the car. The track was still not at its best as it was rather dusty which is normal for the Friday at Hungary. I feel that there is still some room for us to improve and the times will drop once we have a clean and fast line. There is still some work to do during free practice tomorrow morning when we will do the final tweaks to our set up for qualifying and the race."
• 4 Trulli, Toyota
• 5 R Schumacher, Toyota
• 6 Montoya, McLaren
• 7 Barrichello 8 Alonso 9 Button 10 Klien
• 11 Fisichella 12 Heidfeld 13 Coulthard 14 Liuzzi 15 Webber 16 Villeneuve 17 Sato 18 Massa 19 Doornbos 20 Albers 21 Monteiro 22 Karthikeyan 23 Kiesa

FRI PRAC #1, JULY 29, 2005

• 1 *Wurz, McLaren 1m 21.411 (vs 2004 pole 1m 19.146)
• 2 Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari +1.4
• 3 Jenson Button +1.6
• 4 Kimi Raikkonen
• 5 Michael Schumacher
• 6 Felipe Massa 7 Nick Heidfeld 8 Montoya 9 Sato 10 R Schumacher
• *reserve driver

2005 RACE PREVIEW: HUNGARIAN GP

• Giancarlo Fisichella: "there are so many corners that we don't really have time to recover from one lap to the next"
• Jenson Button: "It's not one of my favourites when it comes to the actual racing because it is so hard to overtake."
• Nick Heidfeld: "I have very good memories to the Hungaroring. I have not only won races but also claimed the Formula 3000 Championship there in 1999."
• Ralf Schumacher: "Budapest in July is one of the hottest venues that we go to during the year.."
  
  BAR - BRIDGESTONE - FERRARI - JORDAN - McLAREN - RENAULT - SAUBER - TOYOTA - WILLIAMS

BAR-HONDA PREVIEW:

• Jenson Button: "Our podium finish in the German Grand Prix has given everyone at the team a boost, so we head to Hungary in high spirits. The Hungaroring is a very twisty circuit and it's also pretty bumpy. It's not one of my favourites when it comes to the actual racing because it is so hard to overtake."
• "It's also a tough race for the drivers physically because the temperatures are usually so hot. We can lose around two to two and a half kilos around there when the temperatures are high in the thirties. I did reasonably well in Hungary last year so I'm looking forward to going back, especially after the result we had in Hockenheim this weekend."
• Takuma Sato: "The Hungaroring is a difficult circuit to overtake at so qualifying position is even more important. Even though I had a tough race in Hockenheim this weekend, I will start qualifying from a reasonable position which will help. The car is getting better all the time and performed well in German, so I am looking forward to getting to Hungary and I am determined to have a good race there."
• Gil de Ferran, Sporting director: "We have now been quite competitive over the last three races, culminating in Jenson reaching the podium last weekend in Germany. Although Hungary is quite a different track, requiring maximum downforce with lots of slow turns, we are quite confident that we should again be fighting at the front."
• "Personally, it is going to be my first time in Hungary, however it seems to be a very popular race with our team who clearly very much enjoy Budapest and all it has to offer. So not only I am looking forward to the race, but also being in the country for the first time."

FERRARI PREVIEW:

• Michael Schumacher: "I will be aiming for the next championship title as this year it is not possible ... The worst two moments of the year so far have been Malaysia and Silverstone, but the feeling inside is just the same as before, the only difference is that we are just not competitive at the moment and unless there is a miracle, this Sunday's race will not be so different to the last three."
• Rubens Barrichello: "It is fair to say we do not have the best overall car package on the grid at the moment. But, this track is very tough on tyres and if we see others struggling with tyre wear and pace towards the end of the race, we should be in a position to overtake here, unlike in Monaco for example."

BRIDGESTONE PREVIEW:

• Hiroshi Yasukawa, Director of Motorsport:
• Hisao Suganuma, Technical Manager:

JORDAN PREVIEW:

• Narain Karthikeyan: "Budapest is a new track for me again this season. It seems not to have many fast corners so I am not sure whether it will suit my driving style or not. Besides, apparently, it is quite difficult to overtake there, therefore it is very important to do well in qualifying. I have tried to learn the circuit on TV and on computer games as well. So basically I know where it goes. It could also be a difficult race because the weather tends to be always hot and humid, which makes it physically challenging."
• Tiago Monteiro: "I raced in Budapest in 2002 in F3000. I really liked the track at the time and now I am really curious to drive there in a Formula One car. The atmosphere is always great in this eastern country, the public is real fans of F1 and the show is always big. The Hungaroring is quite technical and it could suit our cars a bit more than on circuits with high speed corners. It is also often very hot there, so we will have to be well-prepared for that as well."

McLAREN-MERCEDES PREVIEW:

• Norbert Haug, (Mercedes-Benz Motorsport): "After Kimi retired from the Hockenheim GP things have not become easier for us. However, everybody in the team is working hard to achieve top results at the Hungarian Grand Prix, although this won't be an easy task at the Hungaroring."
• "The track's layout is completely different from what we have experienced in the last three races. With an average speed per lap of a little less than 200 kph the circuit is the second slowest on the calendar behind Monaco. Less than 60 percent of a lap is run under full throttle. There is only one line to be driven on and overtaking is nearly impossible."
• "After he retired at Hockenheim, Kimi faces the difficult challenge of going out first in Saturday's qualifying. The speed is there as Kimi and Juan Pablo proved again at Hockenheim, and from now on we also want to be reliable enough to achieve the best possible results with both cars."
• RAIKKONEN: "I am looking forward to getting back behind the wheel this weekend and working with the team to take a good result. Hungary is always really hot, but it has been like that at some of the last races already, so it is not a problem. The track's layout is similar to Monaco, it is very short and slow, this makes it feel quite like a karting circuit. Also there are lots of corners and gear changes like Monte Carlo, and in the heat it means it is quite tough physically."
• "As there are no real chances to overtake, so qualifying is very important, and unfortunately I will be going out first so will be affected by the dusty track, but the car is quick and I will push hard. I always enjoy Hungary as there is always a really good atmosphere because of all the Finns come down to the race. It is like a home Grand Prix for me, and I hope I can give the thousands of Finnish fans something to cheer about."
• MONTOYA: "The track in Hungary is very dusty when we get there, it does clear up on the racing lines after the first few sessions, but is really dirty off line for the whole weekend. This means it is very slippery once you get off the racing line, which makes it tricky to overtake and there is no room for error. Because of the lack of grip and the need to use the kerbs a lot, we need to make sure the car is well balanced."
• "We use a high downforce, but need to make sure to set the car up so that it is fast on the main straight, as the first corner is the only place to overtake if you get a good run down into it The Hungaroring is not one of my favourite tracks, but it has got better since the changes were made a couple of years ago."

RENAULT RACE PREVIEW:

• ALONSO: "After taking my first win there, I think the Hungaroring is a little bit more special for me, and I just really enjoy this weekend; the city, the paddock and the atmosphere as well. I am really looking forward to it. ... It is quite complex and the second slowest circuit after Monaco. You need good traction on the exit of the slow corners, but also a stable front end on the car -- you need to be completely in control of the car through the long slow corners, and any understeer will cost a lot of time. Also, it may be surprising, but the engine is very important here as well -- it needs to be driveable from low revs and to be able to operate in the very high temperatures. It may be a slow track, but it is demanding in a lot of areas.
• FISICHELLA: "I really enjoy racing there. It is a difficult circuit, and there are lots of slow speed corners which make it quite challenging for the drivers and engineers. You need to find a good set up to get good traction in the slow parts, but also a nice change of direction and high general grip, which is not always easy on the dusty track. The other things to consider are that this is a tough race for the driver: it is a long race, and with the high temperatures, that makes it very demanding mentally but also physically -- there are so many corners that we don't really have time to recover from one lap to the next, so we need good levels of endurance."

SAUBER RACE PREVIEW:

• Jacques Villeneuve: "I enjoy the race in Hungary, and the general atmosphere. The people get excited about the Grand Prix and it's quite a happening city. It's always been fun racing here. It's a strange track because it doesn't really have straight lines, it turns all the time. That's not normally a good thing, but somehow the layout is actually fun and it has a good rhythm. It's difficult to overtake here; Turn One is probably the only place where you have a realistic chance."
• "It's also always difficult to get a good balance on the car at the Hungaroring, but our car will suit its characteristics. The high ambient and track temperatures also affect tyre wear. In fact, the hotter it is the harder it is on the drivers, and engines as well, but we are now well prepared and realistically I think that we are in good shape for this race."
• Felipe Massa: "I like this place a lot. The track has a nice layout. It looks quite tight, but actually it isn't. There are several medium to high-speed corners, and that's always nice. The only problem is that it is very, very difficult to overtake here, so you really have to make the most of the car for qualifying and then you can generally defend in the race if necessary."
• "I had a brake problem last year but with a good amount of fuel in free practice I could lap in the top 10, so I think this is a good track for me and I hope that it will suit the Sauber Petronas C24. We have Michelin tyres this year, so I think we should go very well here. I'm really looking forward to this weekend."

TOYOTA RACE PREVIEW:

• Dieter Gass (Chief Race Engineer): "The Hungaroring is a maximum downforce circuit, making it important to have a solid aerodynamic package. It's quite similar to Monaco, both in terms of average speed and average brake temperatures. Because there are no long straights, the brakes do not have time to cool down and being continuously applied over the whole lap and therefore the entire race."
• "It is so hard to overtake that we must also consider the effects of running continuously in another driver's slipstream. All the temperatures inside the car rise dramatically in these conditions -- engine, brakes, gearbox -- so we have to monitor the system temperatures carefully."
• "But once we have successfully negotiated the start and the first few corners, it is important to open up enough of a gap between your car and the ones behind in order not to compromise the pit stop strategy."
• "This year we have seen that generally if a car stops later than the car it is closely following then it can build up enough of a time advantage to get past and that has to be avoided at all costs."
• Jarno Trulli (Car 16): "After my race to forget at Hockenheim, I'll be looking for a better finish in Hungary. The track is challenging because it is very narrow, with lots of corners in a relatively short lap. It's very difficult for overtaking but it is still quite a fun circuit to drive."
• "It's usually very hot in Budapest and the twisty nature of the circuit means that it tends to be a long race, often close to two hours. You have to keep up your concentration all the way through because the circuit is very dirty off line and you can't afford any mistakes. If you run wide you will go backwards because it takes a long time to clean the tyres off."
• "The track can change as the dust blows around, so it can be quite tricky to get the car handling well and going quickly. When it comes to set-up, the trick is to gain mechanical grip in the slower corners while running quite soft to make the car driveable over the bumps."
• Ralf Schumacher (Car 17): "Budapest in July is one of the hottest venues that we go to during the year, so we can expect another sweltering weekend. The circuit is not used much outside of the grand prix, so it is extremely dusty on the opening day of practice."
• "The Hungaroring is famous for being one of the hardest circuits for overtaking on the entire calendar, so grid position is particularly important and going out late in the session is an advantage."
• "If you are stuck for long periods in another car's slipstream your car's system temperatures can go up, so we sometimes have to back off during the race to let cooler air run through the car. But a couple of years ago they extended the straight so nothing is impossible. Hopefully we can extend our run of three straight finishes in the points."

WILLIAMS-BMW RACE PREVIEW:

• Nick Heidfeld: "I like racing at the Hungaroring a lot. The circuit has many corners and very little straights. That alone makes the racing physically tough. On top of that at this time of the year it is usually very hot in Budapest."
• "The track off the line is always very dusty which means you loose time as soon as you leave the clean part of it. I have very good memories to the Hungaroring. I have not only won races but also claimed the Formula 3000 Championship there in 1999."
• Mark Webber: "The Hungaroring has been a pretty good track for me in the past and while some drivers aren't that keen, I like competing there. I find it a challenge, a bit like Monte Carlo, making it a very busy track for a driver, although there isn't much overtaking."
• "Characteristically, it's quite a hot race and the track changes a lot over the course of the weekend. It starts extremely dirty on Friday as a consequence of not being used much during the year, but it cleans pretty quickly on the first day. Qualifying then becomes crucial because of the difficulty in overtaking."
• "Also starting on the left hand side of the grid is very important because if you are on the right you have no grip at all. So there are lot of things which are very specific to the track in Budapest, which all the teams know. You need very good aerodynamic downforce to cope with all of the corners as well as understanding the tyres very well. I am looking forward to going there, also because we are always welcomed very well in Budapest. It's a beautiful city and when I find time, I've promised to visit in the city in winter."
• Sam Michael (Technical Director, WilliamsF1): "Hungaroring is a technical circuit where it is crucial for the driver to get a good rhythm as the corners flow from one to another. It's a maximum downforce circuit where understeer can be an issue, so the setup must account for this fact. During the race weekend, the track changes a lot more than is usually the case as more and more rubber goes down from the F1 cars during practice."
• "We have a couple of aerodynamic improvements to the FW27 that have to come directly from the wind tunnel given the current testing ban. Michelin will bring two solid race tyres, tested in Jerez before the last GP. We are confident of improved performance in the car as we started to see over the last GP."
• Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director): "At 48 percent per lap, the Hungaroring has the second-lowest full- throttle ratio of the season after Monaco. In Budapest it's the thermal conditions that drive the engines to the limits of endurance."
• "In the high summer temperatures we usually experienced there, the valley in which the circuit lies generates a major build-up of heat. In addition, with the absence of long straights there's always the threat of insufficient cooling air."
• "Depending on the actual temperatures, the cooling air outlets will be adjusted during free practice. Big openings lower the engine's temperature significantly, but compromise the aerodynamics. Based on the data recorded on Saturday and on the weather forecast for Sunday, we will find the best compromise."
• "The Hungarian Grand Prix marks the end of a gruelling and demanding period of the 2005 Word Championship. The Grand Prix will be the eighth race within a ten week period. It will be followed by two GP-free weekends and a test ban lasting until the end of August - a break deserved by all the team."

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