Sauber: tyre management key in searing Hungary

Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson claims tyre management in searing conditions will be “one of the big challenges” during next weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, with team-mate Felipe Nasr also calling it “very demanding.”

Both drivers are keen to make the most of Pirelli’s P-Zero yellow-walled soft and white-coloured medium compounds, though the pair equally braces for a scorching afternoon in Budapest.

“The Hungaroring is a difficult circuit – a small track, quite narrow, also bumpy, with a lot of corners,” said Ericsson. “Budapest and its surroundings usually have extremely hot temperatures at the end of July, therefore, we require good tyre management and need to make sure they are working in the right way. That will be one of the big challenges.”

The Swede came close to scoring fresh points at Silverstone two weeks ago, while Nasr failed to make it to the start of the race following a gearbox issue on his formation lap.

After a promising start to their 2015 campaign, Sauber is yet to return to the top 10 since last May’s Monaco Grand Prix where the Brazilian rookie secured a strong ninth-place finish.

Although Nasr declared that the Swiss outfit needed upgrades to target points again, he also thinks that cleverly exploiting Pirelli’s compounds holds the key to success in Hungary.

“The Grand Prix in Budapest is always very challenging. This circuit has many combinations of corners and only short straights. The track is very demanding for the tyres. We need to have a lot of braking stability, as well as good traction.

“As a driver, on this track you feel as if you are busy all the time. You always have to be concentrating for the next corner. There is only a brief break on the main straight.

“The grip on the track improves from day to day. We must, therefore, rely on our experience in order to anticipate grip level changes from day to day and adjust accordingly. Normally Budapest is a hot place during the whole grand prix weekend, and that can be really tricky for the tyre strategy.”

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