EU: Hungaroring: Series preview

The heat will be on in Hungary.

Munich. The last race before the teams head to the summer break will be the one furthest away as it is supporting the Hungarian Grand Prix on the track just outside Budapest. This is usually one of the hottest races and so stamina, as well as driving skills, is important on the track where overtaking is notoriously difficult.

Also, as there is just one weekend between the German and Hungarian races, four of the six teams have stayed for an extra day in Hockenheim to prepare their cars and will then go directly to Budapest, which should take the trucks about two days. Only the German based teams of Eifelland Racing and Josef Kaufmann Racing will make it back to their HQs.

This is a circuit that is quoted as a favourite by several of the drivers. Included in them is Rookie driver, Daniil Kvyat (RU/Eurointernational), who was quickest when the teams were testing there in May. The 16-year-old's comment about the circuit was: "I have a lot of favourite tracks, and this is definitely one of them. I was really fast at the test so am expecting a good result. I love the second sector where there are only fast corners and you have to push hard and be very careful as there are some bumps. In fact I love the whole circuit as every corner has something special for me. It is a very grippy track and I feel the limit of the car better." Traditionally the Russian fans visit the Hungaroring and Kvyat explained that he already knew what to expect from them: "I have my page on Facebook and my fans have been writing to me that they are going to come with the Russian flag to say hi."

Another driver who can count on support at the track is Maciej Bernacik (PL/Mucke Motorsport) as an awful lot of Polish fans have always been in the crowd at the track which is nearest circuit to them. For the driver from Pleszew, which is 800 kilometres from the Hungaroring, this is the most important race of the year as he explains: "Budapest is my favourite track because in some of the corners there is a really good in speed, it is really grippy, and it is up hill and down hill. I think it is the best on the F1 calendar. Also I have a lot of fans from Poland as they are also Robert Kubica's fans, and my family and friends will be there. It is one of the most important races for me. I am really concentrating on this race as I want to take one hundred per cent of my skills and be at the highest level I have ever been."

Top of the points' standings going into the sixth weekend of the series is Jack Harvey (GB/Fortec Motorsports) who has been there since the very first race of the season which he won in Barcelona. His nearest challenger is Robin Frijns (NL/Josef Kaufmann Racing) with 23 points separating them.

Carlos Sainz (ES/Eurointernational) has also been the leading Rookie all series long, with Hannes Van Asseldonk (NL/Josef Kaufmann Racing) now second in this battle after his category win in Hockenheim.

This will be the 25th Grand Prix in Hungary at the tight, twisty circuit and, obviously the third time the Formula BMW Europe series has raced there. Last year the temperatures were in the high twenties Celsius and there is no reason to believe this will not be the same this year. The track is only about a 20 minute car ride out of the city of Budapest, and, as the series' drivers are the first to drive on it on Friday, they usually find an awful lot of sand and dirt to contend with.

The timetable is the usual one for Grands Prix with free practice from 08.50 to 09.15 on Friday, and qualifying a short while later from 12.50 to 13.15. Then the first of the two 13 lap races on the 4.381 kilometre track, which is the shortest current Grand Prix track the series visits, will be at 09.45 on Saturday and the second on Sunday at 08.30. All these times are CET.

-source: fbmw