The weather can play a decisive role in Formula 1 as the cockpit in the car can reach extreme temperatures. The two Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas experienced this when they drove over the Hungaroring in practice on Friday.
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Budapest had a temperature of 36 degrees Celsius which certainly increased the heat in the car as they drove around in training sessions. Hamilton said he lost massive weight while his Finnish teammate felt it was like a sauna.
Hamilton and Bottas felt the heat of Budapest
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When they had just finished training, they were soon asked how hot it was in the car. Hamilton replied, “Yes, obviously there is roasting today and today he lost a lot of weight. I think I probably lost two pounds between sessions. So a good amount of weight loss. “
Bottas was asked the same question to which he replied, “Honestly, it feels like a Finnish sauna, you know, it’s a good comparison, especially when you stop being with the runs, you get heat stroke and it’s really how far more than 60 degrees or 70 degrees in the cockpit. So it’s sweaty, but at least you get a bit of air on the track. “
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How did the two of them fare on the track on Friday?
The two pilots of the Silver Arrows were in the lead in FP1; Hamilton finished third while his teammate moved up to second. However, both must have been disappointed when Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took first place on the timesheet.
But FP2 told a different story, as Bottas was the one who topped the timesheets with a lap time of 1: 17: 012. While his British teammate only qualified second, he will be happy with himself as it was an improvement for the first session of the day.
Formula 1 F1 – Styria Grand Prix – Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Styria, Austria – June 27, 2021 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton with Valtteri Bottas after finishing second and third REUTERS / Darko Vojinovic
The two would like to have similar experiences in the third session and hope to be able to pass them on in the high-intensity qualifying rounds.
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On the last F1 visit to Hungary, Hamilton won the race and kept the Dutchman in the rearview mirror, who had to be content with P2. Bottas also achieved a podium finish in third.
Can history repeat itself with Hamilton flying the checkered flag, which would bring him nine victories at this location? Let us know your predictions in the comments below.
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