Renault with Hungarian advantage

The Renault F1 team will head into this coming weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix with a slight advantage over their rivals due to their signing up for the new Heathrow testing agreement this season. As a result, Renault can perform testing on fridays before races, and are therefore the only top four team that can test during the test ban period."At Hockenheim, the two hours on Friday morning proved extremely useful," explained Executive Director of Engineering Pat Symonds on the team’s official website. "Our work allowed us to select a new tyre construction for use in Budapest."

The French squad will also have the chance to test on coming Friday, allowing them to set up the car and do tyre testing before the other topteams are allowed to race their cars. Since the circuit is slightly modified since last year, this again may prove very valuable for both car setup and drivers who will have more time to get to know the new layout. Pat Symonds however is not convinced the layout changes will improve overtaking possibilities:

"It is hard to say before we actually run the cars," he said. "We saw changes at Magny-Cours with the same aim in mind… and did not really see any benefit. At the Hungaroring, I don’t think the cars will be able to get close enough through turn 11 to overtake into turn 12. The first corner may be a little more favourable in terms of passing, but you still have to remember that the circuit is very dirty off line. In terms of our strategy simulations, we will be going to Budapest with the assumption it will remain difficult to overtake."