Fernando Alonso has warned Aston Martin must be prepared to capitalise on what could be a "strange" Hungarian Grand Prix. The two-time World Champion secured his first F1 victory at the Hungaroring 20 years ago and has gone 10 years without adding to his tally of 32. Aston Martin arrives in Budapest knowing the track characteristics likely suit its AMR23, with low-to-medium-speed corners and higher downforce set-ups playing more towards a Monaco-style circuit - where Alonso was closest to overcoming Red Bull's Max Verstappen. But with the race historically providing the potential for shock results - Jenson Button securing a win for Honda in 2006 and Alonso's then-teammate Esteban Ocon emerging victorious for Alpine two years ago - the Spaniard is eager for his current outfit to make the most of any opportunities. "I have many good memories of racing at the Hungaroring: I won my first ever race in F1 in 2003, exactly 20 years ago, and it’s often the venue where I have celebrated my birthday," said Alonso. "It’ll be strange to celebrate that this year in Belgium, but let’s hope we have something else to celebrate this weekend. "Overtaking isn’t easy here, but sometimes there are very strange races with unpredictable weather, so we have to be ready to capitalise and score as many points as possible."
The tight and twisty nature of the Hungarian venue places a focus on qualifying, with overtaking in the race coming at a premium. Alonso's teammate Lance Stroll added: "The Hungaroring is a super technical circuit with plenty of twists and turns; it’s a very different challenge to Silverstone for both the cars and the drivers. "Stylistically, it’s more like a karting track with sequences of tight corners and only one real straight, so we’re hopeful that it should suit the AMR23. "Overtaking can be tough, so we’ll be looking to find a good rhythm in the practice sessions to ensure we deliver a strong performance in Qualifying on Saturday. "Budapest is a great city, and the fans always bring an incredible atmosphere, so I’m looking forward to racing there.”
Most read
