18/08/2003

Olivier Panis looks ahead to Hungary

After our fantastic result in Hockenheim where Cristiano and I finished in the points we go to the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend hoping that we can continue that run of form. We have made a lot of progress with the car over the last few months - as we proved in Germany - so I am confident that we can be competitive at each of the last four tracks of the season.

I am really looking forward to getting back into the car at the Hungaroring because I have just had a two-week holiday with my family and feel completely refreshed. We spent the week immediately after Hockenheim in the mountains and the following week by the sea which the kids loved. The weather was fantastic in both places so we were outside all the time and had a really good time together.

As for the Hungaroring it's a really slow track with a lot of similarities to Monaco in the way that we set-up the car. You can't have enough downforce and I know that the team has been in the windtunnel recently trying to find ways in which to generate even more grip.

There will be a few changes this year because the track has been re-designed. From the maps I have seen it looks more interesting from a driver's point of view but I don't expect it to have a big impact on car set-up as it will remain a low-speed circuit.

The Hungaroring is not the best track to race on because it is almost impossible to overtake but over one lap I find it quite challenging. You are always busy in the cockpit be it braking or turning the steering wheel and the high temperatures make it quite a physical challenge too.

The track surface is always a big variable in Hungary because it is very rarely used away from the grand prix. On Friday it is incredibly dusty and slippery and you have to be very careful not to spin but by Sunday there is a lot more grip and the balance of the car is much better. Having said that the conditions for Friday practice should be better than normal this year because the teams testing on Friday morning will do a lot of running on the track before we even turn a wheel!

On the subject of grip I am sure that Michelin will bring a good tyre for us. They have done an incredible job so far this year and we have found a compound that really suits the TF103. For this reason I am sure that we will be more competitive at the Hungaroring than we were at Monaco a couple of months ago where we had set-up problems. We have completely changed the car since then: as well as the tyres we have a new aero package and a new-spec engine so I am hopeful that we will be near the top end of the grid.

Panasonic Toyota Racing lies sixth in the constructors' championship and while that is great for us we must keep pushing until the end of the year so that we can learn the maximum amount for next year's car. And if we do that I am sure that we will push very hard for fifth place in the championship.