Friday: Hamilton and McLaren at the top of the timesheets
Building on their successful German Grand Prix, McLaren is capitalizing on their current form, and Lewis Hamilton confirms his resurgence.
Lewis Hamilton – 1st and 1st
« It’s a great feeling to start the weekend off on the right foot. We had a rather calm Friday here compared to the Nurburgring, so I am very happy. The car seems competitive given the balance and fuel load we had. It’s important not to read too much into the Friday timesheet. The track might be different tomorrow, as will the temperatures. That being said, I think we have the same pace as in Germany, which is encouraging. The guys have worked very, very hard at the factory. We brought a few improvements this weekend and it’s an achievement for everyone to have them in such a short time ».
Jenson Button – 5th and 3rd
« A trouble-free day, that’s great. We completed a lot of good stints and did good work on the setup, so it’s a good day. I’m very happy with the direction we have taken with the car. We are strong in the first and third sectors. I’m faster in the first sector and Lewis in the last sector. If we manage to put them together, it will be very good. I love driving at the Hungaroring. With a few more tweaks to the settings, I think we can be competitive. I hope to fight for the win, but I’m not the only one who wants it ».
Martin Whitmarsh, director of McLaren
« We had a calm day. It’s good to see Lewis topping the time sheets and both drivers were very competitive on their long runs. There’s a lot of development on the track here from Friday morning to Saturday morning. It becomes really representative on Friday afternoon, so there are always a few question marks. But it’s definitely better to head back to the hotel on a Friday night when you’re at the top of the time sheets than when you’re in the midfield. So far, so good ».
