FIA replaces Hungarian Turn 5 with grass and gravel after Tsunoda’s qualifying crash

The FIA ​​has replaced a section of the grass track at Turn 5 of the Hungaroring in preparation for the 2024 Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix after it played a role in Yuki Tsunoda’s qualifying crash.

The RB driver crashed heavily on the exit of the long right-hander on his final lap in Q3, smashing the left side of his car into the barrier behind the corner’s drainage area, leaving Tsunoda with bruises.

While Tsunoda ran wide at the end of Q3, his position on the grass strip to the right of the run-off area left him vulnerable to a problem that had occurred at this point on the track.

“It was mentioned in the drivers’ briefing,” RB CEO Peter Bayer told Autosport. “The ground dropped a little bit and there’s a wave (created by the bump) which has the effect of a sausage kerb. He found it.”

Following an inspection – during which Bayer revealed that FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem had instructed his team to “take a closer look at the area” – the governing body has now had the last 4 metres of the grass strip excavated and filled with gravel.

This means that if a driver were to take a corner too wide, as Tsunoda did during Sunday’s race, the track limits would still deter him, but he should still be able to continue without being launched towards the exit barriers of Turn 5.

RB F1 Team VCARB 01 of Yuki Tsunoda after his crash

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Tsunoda eventually qualified tenth and was unable to make any further improvements due to his crash, while his RB teammate Daniel Ricciardo just managed to get up to ninth in the final minutes when Q3 resumed.

“Both were in Q3 for the second time this year,” Bayer said of RB’s result. “To be honest, it’s good to be back in front after Barcelona, ​​Spielberg and Silverstone.

“The car was really well set up here. I think there is a lot of potential here (in the race).”

Asked if the slower layout of the Hungaroring will give RB a boost after a difficult run of races since the problematic Barcelona upgrade, Bayer replied: “The slow corners here help us.

“For example, Daniel’s car was completely back to Miami spec. He really liked that there. Everything came together for him here. The high temperature, the soft tyre and then the Miami spec car, and also our strength in slow corners, which was noticeable here.”