Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd
The FIA Formula 3 Championship will be racing on Pirelli’s medium compound tyre for the first time this season at the Hungaroring.
The compound was nominated for the Imola round in May, but that was cancelled due to local flooding. This weekend’s races in Hungary marks the last time the series is at a high-downforce track, with the season concluding with rounds at the high-speed Spa-Francorchamps and Monza.
“Coming into Hungary, I don’t think the biggest difference is that it’s a high-downforce track, I think the biggest difference is that we are on the medium compound, a compound that we haven’t used this year and a compound that is new from last year, as the medium is softer this year,” Prema driver Paul Aron said to Formula Scout.
“So it’s definitely a big change and I think it will be key for all teams to get up to speed as quick as possible, understand the tyre, as we only have one free practice and we go straight into qualifying. And I think generally if anything high-downforce tracks are a bit easier, because obviously with higher downforce the car is more stable on braking and so on.”
Trident’s Oliver Goethe added that the field will not be going into the weekend blind about the characteristics of the tyre, as “we did a test with these tyres, so teams and the drivers got some good knowledge from that”.
In terms of adjusting the car for the compound, “the teams know what they’re doing from the side of the changes” said Hitech GP’s Luke Browning.
“It’s not really down to us turning up at the circuit with such limited track time to be able to push them in an direction. With the resources they’ve got now, it’s incredible how these feeder series teams come in, to be perfectly honest, it’s a super high level.
“We rock up, and I think often when you get such little track time, you turn up and it is what it is, if that makes sense. It’s very difficult to develop throughout the weekend and often by the time you have it’s going to be too late. Preparation for us is key.”