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F1 Hungarian GP: Gutierrez: No second chances at Hungaroring

Esteban Gutierrez says the Hungaroring holds a special place in the Mexican's racing career and that the track offers no respite from mistakes.

The Haas driver may have suffered two mechanical failures at the Hungarian circuit in his last two appearances at the track (2013, 2014) while driving for Sauber but says he enjoys the challenge of the tight and twisty circuit and feels confident as he hunts a maiden points finish of the year.

Echoing his team-mate Romain Grosjean's comments, Gutierrez sees understanding the optimising tyre strategy on the resurfaced Hungarian track will be essential for Haas if it is to break back into the top ten.

"Budapest is a track where the temperatures are usually very hot and the main characteristic of the tyre is that they get overheated very easily," Gutierrez said. "But I know the car and I am confident in driving the car, so with any kind of conditions or track characteristics you just get used to it very quickly.

"The tyres degrade very quickly, so it's even more important in qualifying to be spot on the first lap and get the maximum out of the new tyres. You don't have a second chance on this track to put a good lap time."

Gutierrez also says the Budapest track has fond memories for him after making his European debut at the circuit while testing ahead of his maiden Formula BMW campaign in 2008.

"The Hungaroring for me is a special track. It's the first track I tested in Europe so it brings me great memories every time I come back there," he said. "I have achieved great results, so mainly from that point of view, I'm happy to be back. It is a slow track, but it has also quick corners and a very interesting layout." 

Zdroj: crash.net