2001 Hungarian GP

The Hungarian circuit, according to Benson and Hedges Jordan Chief Executive Eddie Jordan, is one of the most difficult tracks the team will race at. 'It is a very punishing race for the car because the Hungaroring is a slow speed circuit and the weather is usually hot, which makes cooling the car very difficult. The track is also very bumpy so finding the perfect set up raises a huge challenge,' he explains.

Jordan’s Managing Director, Trevor Foster, agrees. 'The Hungaroring is a difficult circuit,' he says. 'Levels of grip are very low and there is really only one overtaking opportunity, which means qualifying is more important than ever. As the track is so dirty off the racing line, the driver has to maintain 100% concentration as running wide might affect the following sequence of curves. As a result, it is one of the most mentally tiring circuits.'

Just ten miles south-east of the beautiful city of Budapest, the hills surrounding the Hungaroring form a natural amphitheatre to offer fabulous views of virtually the whole circuit.

The raised F1 paddock enables the teams to see much of the track action from the back of the motorhomes which is a refreshing change from watching the race on televisions in the motorhomes and garage. Hungaroring hosted its first Grand Prix in 1986 and its twisty configuration with slow corners makes this circuit one of the slowest on the calendar. Maximum downforce is required for fast cornering and with few overtaking opportunities, a good qualifying position is crucial. This race is a pleasure for the teams as they stay in the heart of the stunning and historic city of Budapest.

Just ten miles south-east of the beautiful city of Budapest lies the Hungaroring with its surrounding hills forming a natural amphitheatre to offer fabulous views of virtually the whole circuit.

Benson and Hedges Jordan Honda made a steady start to the weekend at the Hungaroring as Jean Alesi set sixth fastest time and Jarno Trulli finished the first day in 12th place.

Both 60-minute sessions were run in sunny, dry conditions with the ambient temperature reaching 30 deg C. Jordan Honda, along with several teams, took advantage of the three-week break since the last race to introduce revised aerodynamic packages to suit the slow and twisting 2.47-mile track.

Changing track conditions presented a few difficulties for Benson and Hedges Jordan Honda as final preparations were made for this afternoon's qualifying session.

Jarno Trulli was sixth fastest with Jean Alesi, 16th quickest, struggling to find a balance during his first run with the latest car. "Not too bad so far," said Trulli. "There is still a lot to learn about this latest development of the car. I spent the first part of the morning continuing the work on the race set-up and then concentrated on finding the best solution for qualifying during the second session. The car feels pretty competitive on new tyres but we still have to solve a bit of an understeer problem. But I think we can have a good qualifying and, of course, qualifying is even more important than usual on this tight circuit."

A brilliant performance by Jarno Trulli proved the worth of the new aerodynamic package on the Jordan Honda EJ11. Jarno claimed fifth place on the grid for tomorrow's Hungarian Grand Prix while Jean Alesi took a solid 12th place at the end of his first qualifying for Benson and Hedges Jordan Honda.

"A very good qualifying," said Trulli. "I had to abort my second lap because I made a small mistake but, otherwise, everything was fine. The car felt good and I made some adjustments during qualifying which proved to be the right thing to do. I have to say I'm pretty happy for me and the team because this new aero package seems to be working very well. Hopefully this will continue during the race and I can keep a good, consistent pace during 77 laps."

Neither driver had any mechanical problems, Alesi using the 30-minute session to continue the learning process as he settles in for his first race with Benson and Hedges Jordan Honda.