Alonso took Silverstone penalty for Hungary preparation

Fernando Alonso has admitted that he was thinking of the Hungarian GP weekend two weeks ago, before the British GP weekend got underway. Alonso took a 30-place grid penalty for the race at Silverstone, meaning he started the Grand Prix dead last.

Hungary will theoretically be a stronger track for the Woking-based squad, as the circuit is not heavily dependant on power. With McLaren still struggling with engine supplier Honda, Hungary cold provide an opportunity to leap from the bottom of the standings and past Sauber.

"The important thing for us, as always, is reliability," Alonso said. "Even if our car could perform better in Hungary, we need to have a trouble-free weekend to take advantage of every opportunity for points. We made some big decisions in Silverstone in terms of taking grid penalties in preparation for this race, and hope that's paid off so we can put ourselves in the best possible position for points this weekend."

He continued: "On paper, the Hungaroring presents one of the best opportunities for us this year. The short, twisty circuit means we are less reliant on outright power, and the drivers have to really depend on the capabilities of the chassis to get the best out of the lap.

"I always like returning to Budapest – we get to stay in the centre with great views of the river, and you feel like you're really part of the city all weekend. The temperatures are high and it's a testing weekend for the teams and drivers – especially since the summer break is so close, but a good result can be a great boost for everyone going into the shutdown period."

 

Fergal Walsh

Replies (2)

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  • Lets hope it pays off.

    • + 0
    • Jul 25 2017 - 16:53
  • Should be able to get into top 8

    • + 0
    • Jul 25 2017 - 17:22

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