Budapest/Hungary, 20th September 2016 – Premium tyre maker Hankook is in Budapest this weekend for round eight of the 2016 DTM season. The drivers will have to maintain concentration from the first second to the last as they negotiate the 14 turns on the Hungaroring, where even the slightest error can cost a lot of time. It is particularly important not to drive aggressively on the twisting sections of track, but to let the car roll through and stay on the racing line.

“The circuit is in a valley and there is a lot of dirt on the track surface at the start of the race weekend. As such, it is imperative that the pilots clean up the racing line during free practice and then do not veer from it during qualifying and the race. If you do, you lose a lot time on the dirty surface, or even come off the track in the worst-case scenario,” explains Hankook DTM race engineer Thomas Baltes.

The number of turns makes overtaking very difficult on the tight circuit. The best opportunity presents itself at the end of the start-finish straight, which culminates in a hard right run after just 800 metres. The teams also have to ensure that they adjust the set-up of the cars to suit the special track layout in Hungary. Turns four and eleven feature the largest lateral acceleration, as the drivers take these in fourth gear at around 160 km/h.

The last time the DTM raced at the Hungaroring two years ago, the much braking and accelerating on the smooth and slippery asphalt resulted in higher tyre temperatures and a greater strain on the running surface. However, the Hankook race tyre coped admirably with this challenge. In contrast, the structure of the Ventus Race was hardly troubled. This should be the case again this weekend, as the uneven and bumpy surface has been replaced by a new track surface, while new kerbs have been installed in place of the old and sometimes aggressive ones.

A special feature of the Hungaroring is its location, which has also led to it being dubbed the “flat plate”. The circuit is in a valley, allowing great views of roughly 80 percent of the track for the spectators sitting in the grandstands. Because the circuit lies in a natural basin, the air and track temperatures can soar if it is sunny, a fact that teams and drivers need to take into account when choosing their tyre pressure. Thomas Baltes: “The new asphalt is the unknown factor here at the Hungaroring. We do not have any data from past experience on this surface and will have to collect this as we go.”