Hungarian Grand Prix transformed by "crazy" F1 cars - Sainz

Carlos Sainz has claimed the Hungaroring is not the low-speed layout it used to be with the "crazy high downforce" of the current cars transforming the venue.

The Hungaroring has previously been described by drivers as 'Monaco without the walls' due to its tight and twisting nature.

Ahead of this year's running, where Ferrari is expected to perform well and continue its Silverstone form, Sainz believes the downforce levels of modern cars mean races at the circuit are no longer the low-speed slogs of years gone by.

"Budapest recently has actually become a medium to high-speed track with these cars," he said.

"If you look at Monaco and Baku, they are second and third gear corners, Budapest nowadays with these crazy high downforce cars you have a middle sector that you are fourth, fifth gear all the time, so it is not a pure low-speed track all the time like it used to be in the past."

Although team-mate Charles Leclerc finished second to Lewis Hamilton in the British Grand Prix, losing the lead with just two laps remaining, and high downforce circuits have been kinder to Ferrari than others this year, Sainz dismissed suggestions a win could be on the table.

"I don’t think it’s going to be such a good track for us," he added.

"I do think it is a great opportunity to be right behind the Red Bull and Mercedes but downforce is still king.

"And we see it from data that these guys are still, as we saw at Silverstone on the hard with Lewis, that they have a bit more pace than us and they should be ahead in Hungary."

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