After adding another two championship points to its tally at Hockenheim last weekend, thanks to Marcus Ericsson finishing in ninth place, the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team is now heading to Hungary, for the second back-to-back racing weekend and the final round before the Formula 1 summer break starts, feeling confident.
The Swiss-based team has been steadily fighting in the midfield through the first half of the year and has scored a total of 18 points in the Constructors' Championship so far.
With confident drivers and a good performance from the Ferrari-powered Sauber C37 single-seater, the Alfa Romeo-sponsored team travels to Budapest with its spirits high, and aims to build further on the progress made over the past weeks.
The Hungaroring is a circuit where the cars are set up to carry maximum downforce. The track features a sequence of flowing low to medium-speed corners with short straights. Braking stability, as well as good traction, is crucial. The limited track width does not offer many ideal lines which makes overtaking difficult and emphasises the importance of a good grid position.
The Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team’s Test Driver, Antonio Giovinazzi, will be taking over the cockpit from Charles Leclerc to complete the first free practice session at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Last weekend Giovinazzi replaced Ericsson during the FP1 session.
The Budapest F1 test, which is taking place after the grand prix next Tuesday and Wednesday (31 Jul-1 Aug), will be completed by Ericsson on day 1, and Giovinazzi on day 2 for the team.
Marcus Ericsson
“After a strong race at Hockenheim I go to Budapest with an extra boost of confidence. The team feels positive and we are ready to tackle the last race before summer shutdown. The Budapest track is a very technical one. It has a lot of corners, and it is quite intense to drive there – it reminds me of a go-kart track. It is a tough circuit for both the driver and the car, however, with the car and good form we have at the moment we should be able to fight for good results there. There are a lot of Swedish flags around the track, which always gives me extra motivation, so I look forward to seeing the Swedish fans at Budapest as well. Let’s see what is possible.”
Charles Leclerc
“I look forward to the Grand Prix weekend in Hungary. Budapest is a great city, and I always enjoy spending time there. As for the racing – I look forward to being back at the Hungaroring. It is a very technical track, and quite different to the circuits we have been to so far this season. I have some good memories from my races in Formula 2 there last year, so I look forward to seeing what is possible this time around. We have given a consistently strong performance in the last few weeks, and will build on that to finish the first half of the season on a positive note.”
Photos: Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team - 2018 FIA F1 World Championship
