Q&A: Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso.

Renault F1's Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso have high hopes this weekend for the Hungarian Grand Prix following a positive season and a three-four finish at the German GP three weeks ago. Here they talk about the 'Ring, why they think the R23 should be really competitive and a lot, lot more...

Q:
Jarno, we saw you in some difficulty after the race in Hockenheim: have you recovered fully now?

Jarno Trulli:
Absolutely: they gave me some precautionary tests in the medical centre, but I was already feeling a lot better just a few hours after the race. I have spent some time in Italy relaxing with my family, and this week I will be busy doing a training camp to prepare for the hot conditions in Budapest: it will be a long race, but I am in the best shape to tackle it.

Q:
The Hungaroring is often a circuit the drivers enjoy, in spite of producing rather processional races in the past. Is that the case for you?

JT:
Hungaroring is a challenging track: it can be tricky because the circuit is very narrow, with a lot of corners in quite a short lap. The track surface also used to be quite bumpy, although that may have changed for this year, and it is often dusty because it is not used much during the season. That makes it a difficult lap, and interesting for the drivers.

Q:
What are you expecting from this year's race in Budapest?

JT:
Hungary has always been a strange race for me: it is one of those places where I have never managed to score points, even though I like the circuit a lot. This year, I think we have a good car for the track, and the testing on Friday morning will allow us to try a bigger range of set-ups to get it exactly right. I scored my first podium for Renault at the last race, so am more motivated than ever: the team is getting better race by race, and I think we can be on the pace wherever we go.

Q:
Fernando, this will be just your second race at the Hungaroring. Is it one you are looking forward to?

Fernando Alonso:
Definitely: by the time we get back in the cars, it will feel like a long time since we finished in Hockenheim! The Hungaroring is a complicated circuit, with lots of corners: that means there is a bigger margin for the driver to make a difference. I like the track, the fans and the city, and I think we can have a good weekend.

Q:
There have been a number of changes to the circuit since last year: what effect do you think they will have?

FA:
I have only seen the changes on paper so far, so it is difficult to say exactly what will happen, but they look good. The first corner will probably be the place where overtaking happens, and it will be a downhill braking area too, which could make things even more complicated. We will have to wait and see on Sunday, though, to judge whether things have really changed.

Q:
The team seems to have taken a step forward since Silverstone. Can that be maintained in Hungary?

FA:
I think so, yes. The conditions should suit our package, we have seen that the Michelin tyres perform very well in high temperatures, and in theory, the circuit should suit our chassis: there are lots of corners, and that is where our package is strongest, at high and low speed. We will have to work hard all weekend but, with the extra benefit of our testing on Friday, I think that we can push for the podium again.