Mario Izola: Not everyone was able to adapt

      Pirelli confirmed: changes in temperature and wind direction during qualifying affected the balance of power...

      Mario Isola: "We saw an incredibly tense qualifying session, with the top four positions separated by just five hundredths of a second, and the first ten within half a second, promising an exciting and spectacular race tomorrow.

      There is a possibility that the weather will change tomorrow, and it might rain – in the morning, but also during the race. However, unlike last week at Spa, today all teams set up their cars for dry conditions on a track that requires maximum aerodynamic downforce.

      Weather changes, especially in relation to temperature, can lead to shifts in the pecking order, as we saw at the end of qualifying today. A drop in temperature of about ten degrees, a few drops of rain, and a 90-degree change in wind direction at key points were enough to shake things up. The lap time in the final qualifying was half a second slower than in the second session.

      We haven't analyzed all the data yet, so we can only offer general observations, namely that the temperature drop affected tire warming, which not everyone managed to adapt to.

      If the race takes place in dry weather, the fastest strategy will be a two-stop with Hard and Medium tires. A one-stop strategy might suit those in the middle of the pack, hoping to extend the stint with lower wear due to lower temperatures than yesterday and this morning.

      When choosing two stops, it’s also possible to use all three tire compounds, aiming to gain positions early with Soft tires and then returning to a free track after switching tires. Overtaking at Hungaroring isn’t easy, and undercutting is quite effective."