Formula 1 first raced at the Hungaroring in 1986. Since then, the track has been ever-present on the F1 calendar, producing its fair share of enthralling races.
The circuit itself is tight and twisty. It is not without reason that it is often called “Monaco without the walls”. Your setup will, therefore, need to accommodate the rather unusual characteristics of the Hungaroring.
Aerodynamics
Given the nature of the Hungaroring, high downforce is a must.
Running the wings at 6-10 gives just enough turn in, with plenty of rear-end stability to boot. This will have the car tending to understeer a little, so if you want a sharper turn in then try upping the front wing a little.
The AI around here seem to run low downforce setups, so you will find yourself struggling to pass. But that just makes for a more authentic Hungarian Grand Prix experience!
Transmission
On-throttle setting will, of course, be 50% here as it is everywhere else. The stability under traction this setting gives you is invaluable.
For the off-throttle, I’ve elected for 70%. This is a little on the high side, as I’ve prioritised a stable car over ultimate pace. So, if you’re feeling confident in yourself, consider lowering this a little for better turn in but a livelier car.
Suspension Geometry
This is another aspect of the setup which is dictated by the desire for a driveable car.
For the camber, going all the way to -2.50 and -1.00 gives great stability, though it hinders your potential through the fast corners of sector two somewhat.
The toe settings are best kept at 0.05 and 0.20 as these help a fair bit with tyre wear. The stability gains from running a higher rear toe are negligible at best.
Suspension
The suspension setup is all about finding a balance between a stable car which can ride the kerbs and a car which will go exactly where you tell it to.
As there are plenty of kerbs which you will need to use at the Hungaroring, a fairly soft setup of 3-5 is the way to go. This should give you a car which is responsive enough, without making it skittish.
For the anti-roll bars, 3-9 is fast becoming my favourite. These settings are low enough that they don’t stress the tyres unduly, and the soft front combined with the stiff rear balances out really nicely.
For outright pace, a slightly stiffer anti-roll bar setup would work better, but you’d likely find the car a handful to drive.
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Finally, the ride height is another element which has to take the kerbs into account. 3-5 is realistically the lowest you can run here, or else the kerbs of sector two would have you flying off the road.
Brakes
A brake pressure of 100% with a brake bias of 50% is always my recommendation. It allows you to maintain a high level of stopping power without causing too much in the way of front lockups.
Turns 2 and 13 can cause problems with locking the brakes. If you’re finding yourself struggling with these corners, try lowering the brake pressure a little.
Tyres
It’s very hard to keep tyre temperatures low enough in Hungary, particularly at the front of the car.
For this reason, running front tyre pressures no higher than 22.2psi is a necessity. Similarly, I have the rears at 20.3psi, partially to help keep them cool as well, but also to balance well with the deflated fronts.
If you’re still struggling with overheating front tyres, go even lower on the pressures.
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The Hungaroring is one of the trickiest, most technical circuits on the calendar. It demands your attention for the entire race, giving you little in the way of breaks.
Because of this, a stable car is of the utmost importance. If you’re on a difficult circuit with a squirrely car, you’ll quickly find your concentration slipping, and into the wall you’ll go.
With this setup, you will be able to keep both your focus and also all four of your wheels on the car.