Hulkenberg ‘afraid’ F1 drivers will have to hold back in Hungary 

Nico Hulkenberg expects Formula 1 tyre management to play a key role in Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix, adding he is afraid drivers will have to “hold back” in the race. 

While F1 has boasted some thrilling races this season, there have also been a number of uneventful rounds in which tyre preservation has proved critical, leading to complaints from drivers and fans alike. 

And Hulkenberg fears it could be the same story again at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, having sampled all three of Pirelli’s compounds in hot conditions during Friday practice at the Hungaroring. 

“I am afraid we will have to hold back,” Hulkenberg said. “If you stop and put another set on that will just do the same thing again to the next set and that’s just not an effective way of racing. 

“Or it won’t be the fastest race time. So I think tyre management will be key on Sunday.”

The Renault driver endured a difficult Friday in Budapest as an electrical problem curtailed his running in FP1, before he was sidelined for the majority of the afternoon session while the French manufacturer fitted a new energy store as a precaution.  

Hulkenberg - who ended FP2 in 14th - managed the eighth-quickest time in the opening session, while teammate Carlos Sainz was present in the top 10 throughout.

Sainz ended the day four tenths adrift of Romain Grosjean’s Haas, and Hulkenberg reckons the American squad will once again prove to be Renault’s main competition this weekend. 

“The Haas again looks very strong again, both in long and short run and I think they will be the main competition again,” he said. “It’s hard to judge. In P2 it was far from ideal so I think there is more to come. We will try to be the fourth best team tomorrow and Sunday. 

“Its been a tricky Friday, not perfect. Obviously we missed a lot of running this morning and half of this afternoon with the electrical problem. That’s obviously time we cannot get back and testing time gone. All in all we will try and make the best from it.”