Pirelli prepares for hot and twisty Hungarian GP

ERJ staff report (TP)

Mogyoród, Hungary – Pirelli will bring its medium and soft tires to this week's Hungarian Grand Prix.

The Hungaroring, the first Formula One venue ever to be built behind the former Iron Curtain back in 1986, is a permanent facility but has many of the characteristics of a street circuit, with tight and twisty corners and a low grip surface that puts the emphasis on mechanical grip.

In the past, the race has often been very hot, but rain is not unknown either. This year the race will run 24-27 July.

Pirelli is bringing the P Zero White medium along with the P Zero yellow soft tires, which should provide the “right compromise between performance and resistance to the high ambient temperatures”.

Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director, said: “Hungary is well-known for being a tricky layout, where it’s difficult to overtake and to find a perfect set-up for the whole lap. This means that strategy is especially important, as it offers a rare opportunity to gain track position.

“The weather is normally a talking point in Hungary, but having seen how our tires performed in the very hot track temperatures of Hockenheim, we’re confident that this shouldn’t be a problem.”

The winning strategy in 2013 was three stops, as Lewis Hamilton took his first win for Mercedes using the medium and the soft tires. Kimi Raikkonen finished second for Lotus after stopping only twice.