Why it matters:
Overnight rain at the Hungaroring has "reset" the track surface, leading Pirelli to warn of "unpredictable situations" at the start of the Hungarian Grand Prix. This could significantly impact race strategy and the initial pecking order.
The details:
- Pirelli Motorsport Director Mario Isola noted that engineers observed the left side of the grid (pole-sitter Charles Leclerc's starting position) was "more grippy" after qualifying.
- However, the rain means the new tarmac's surface has been effectively "reset," potentially negating any previous grip advantage.
- Isola predicts a two-stop strategy (medium-hard-hard) will be the quickest path to the flag.
- An offset one-stop (medium-hard) is also considered, particularly for teams with specific tire allocations.
- Sauber is the only team with two sets of mediums, while most others have one medium and one hard.
- The undercut is highlighted as a very powerful strategy tool at this track.
- The time delta between a one-stop and two-stop strategy is estimated at around 10 seconds, though cooler conditions could reduce this gap.
What's next:
Teams will need to adapt their strategies rapidly to the evolving track conditions, especially given the potential for cooler temperatures and the uncertainty of grip levels at the start. The "unpredictable situations" at lights out could reshuffle the field early.