The Hungaroring is one straight and fourteen corners. They come one after the other, so the exit of each corner is the entry of the next. The car is turning for almost the whole lap, and top speed counts for very little.
So this F1 2020 Hungary setup has nearly all the wing the game gives you, and a rear end set for traction. It is a time trial setup, saved with 10 kg of fuel.
F1 2020 Hungary setup
| Setting | Front | Rear |
|---|---|---|
| Wing | 7 | 11 |
| Camber | -2.70 | -2.00 |
| Toe | 0.06 | 0.26 |
| Suspension | 1 | 11 |
| Anti-roll bar | 3 | 5 |
| Ride height | 2 | 4 |
| Tyre pressure | 21.0 psi | 19.5 psi |
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Fuel load | 10 kg |
| Differential on throttle | 50% |
| Differential off throttle | 54% |
| Brake pressure | 100% |
| Front brake bias | 50% |
In F1 2020 the wings, suspension, anti-roll bars and ride height all use a scale from 1 to 11. The differential goes from 50%, fully open, to 100%, locked.
This setup was collected for the site in 2022 from a fast time trial lap, like the rest of my F1 2020 setups. Use it as a base and adjust it with the table further down.
The lap on board
Why this setup works at the Hungaroring
The wings. 7 and 11. The rear is at the maximum, like in Monaco, Singapore and the USA. The front at 7 is the third highest in my list, after the 9 of Monaco and Singapore. There is one straight here and it is not long. Everything else is corners, and wing is grip in every one of them.
The differential. 50% on throttle, 54% off. Open on the power, so the car keeps turning in the long corners: turn 1, turn 2, turn 5 and the last one. The little bit of lock off throttle keeps the rear calm when you brake downhill into turn 1.
The toe. 0.06 front and 0.26 rear. This is the detail that makes the setup different. All the other 21 setups in my database run 0.20 at the rear. More rear toe makes the rear more stable and gives you traction on the way out of a corner. You pay for it with a bit of drag on the straight. At the Hungaroring that is a good deal.
The camber. -2.70 front and -2.00 rear. Most of my setups stay at -2.50 at the front, the least the game allows. Here there is a little more, because the outside front tyre is loaded for a long time in the long corners.
The tyre pressures. 21.0 psi front and 19.5 psi rear, the lowest the menu allows.
Stiff springs, soft rear bar
Front springs 1, rear springs 11. The softest front and the stiffest rear the menu has. Nine of my 22 setups do the same. The soft front gives the front tyres grip in slow corners, and the stiff rear helps the car rotate.
The anti-roll bars tell another story: 3 at the front and 5 at the rear. A rear bar at 5 is soft. Most of my setups run 7 or more there. A soft rear bar lets the rear lean a little and lets both rear tyres work when you go back on the throttle. With the rear toe at 0.26 it is the second part of the setup that is there for traction.
Ride height is 2 and 4. The rear is a bit higher than usual, which helps the car turn in and gives you room on the kerbs of the chicane.
The brakes
Brake pressure 100%, front bias 50%. Every setup in my F1 2020 database runs 100% pressure.
The big stop is turn 1, downhill at the end of the straight. The others are short. With this much wing the car stops very well, so the risk is not locking in turn 1. It is locking the inside front in turn 12 and turn 13, where you are slow and the wing does not help you. If that happens, go to 95%.
What to change
One change at a time, three laps, then decide.
| Problem | Change | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Understeer in turn 2 and turn 5 | Front wing 7 to 8 | More front grip in the long corners |
| The rear moves in turn 4 or turn 11 | Front wing 7 to 6 | The rear wing is already at 11, so take grip off the front |
| Wheelspin out of turn 12 and turn 13 | On throttle differential 50% to 60% | A little lock makes both rear wheels push |
| The car does not rotate in the slow corners | Rear anti-roll bar 5 to 7 | A stiffer rear bar helps the car turn |
| The car jumps on the chicane kerbs | Ride height 2 and 4 to 3 and 5 | More room over the kerbs |
| The rear slides on the way into turn 1 | Off throttle differential 54% to 58% | More lock steadies the rear on entry |
| Front tyres lock in turn 12 | Brake pressure 100% to 95% | Less peak pressure, easier to hold at the limit |
For a race
It is very hard to pass at the Hungaroring, so qualifying and the start count more than anywhere except Monaco. The tyres get hot because they never rest. Before a 25% or 50% race I would change this:
- On throttle differential 50% to 60%. Fourteen exits a lap, 70 laps at full distance. The rear tyres need the help.
- Brake pressure 100% to 95%. A heavy car locks more easily in the slow corners.
- Keep the wings. There is nothing to win with less wing here. You would be faster on one straight and slower in fourteen corners.
- Fuel. The 10 kg is a time trial number. In a race the game sets the load for the distance.
On a pad, I would go to 60% on throttle and take the brake pressure down to around 90%. The rear toe and the soft rear bar already make this a friendly car on the throttle.
F1 2020 manages the ERS for you and gives you an overtake button. Use it on the main straight, and out of turn 1 if somebody is beside you.
Where the lap time is at the Hungaroring
- Turn 1. A long downhill right hairpin. Brake hard, come off the brake slowly as you turn and take a late apex. The exit is worth more than the entry.
- Turn 2. A long downhill left. Wait with the throttle. Get it right and turn 3 is flat.
- Turn 4. Fast, uphill and blind. You turn in before you can see the exit. Pick a mark and trust it. This is where the wing pays you back.
- Turn 5. A long right. Keep the car tight in the middle so you can open the steering early.
- The chicane, turn 6 and turn 7. Use the first kerb and stay off the second. A clean exit beats a brave entry.
- Turn 8 to turn 11. One rhythm. Every exit is the entry of the next corner, so a mistake in turn 8 follows you to turn 11.
- Turn 12 and turn 13. Two slow corners. Brake in a straight line for turn 12, and in turn 13 wait until the car points up the road.
- Turn 14. A long right onto the straight. Late apex, early throttle. The rear toe is in the setup for this corner.
If you take one thing from this page: do not overdrive the entries. Here a corner taken too fast costs you in the next two as well.
Hungary in 2020
The real 2020 cars did race here. The Hungarian Grand Prix was on 19 July, round 3 of 17, with no spectators. It had been planned for 2 August and swapped dates with the British Grand Prix when the calendar was rebuilt.
Lewis Hamilton took pole in 1:13.447, with Valtteri Bottas beside him. The two Racing Points of Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez were on the second row. The race started on a damp track. Max Verstappen crashed on his way to the grid, and his mechanics repaired the car before the start. He finished second from seventh.
Hamilton won by a distance. His lead was big enough for a late stop for soft tyres, and he set the fastest lap on the last lap, a 1:16.627. It was his eighth win at the Hungaroring. Bottas lost places at the start and came back to third.
The lap is 4.381 km and the race distance is 70 laps. The circuit is at Mogyorod, just outside Budapest.
More F1 2020 setups
All 22 tracks are on the F1 2020 setups page. The track before Hungary in the game's calendar is Silverstone, with my F1 2020 Silverstone setup, and the next one is Spa, with my F1 2020 Belgium setup.
For the same track in other games, here are my F1 2019 Hungary setup, my F1 2021 Hungary setup, my F1 23 Hungary setup and my F1 25 Hungary setup. The values do not carry over from one game to the next.
FAQ
What is the best F1 2020 setup for Hungary?
Front wing 7, rear wing 11, differential 50% on throttle and 54% off, suspension 1 and 11, anti-roll bars 3 and 5, ride height 2 and 4, brake pressure 100% with 50% front bias, and tyres at 21.0 and 19.5 psi.
What wing levels should I run in Hungary in F1 2020?
7 at the front and 11 at the rear. If the car understeers in the long corners, go to 8 at the front.
Why is the rear toe at 0.26?
For traction. More rear toe makes the rear stable on the way out of a corner. The Hungaroring has fourteen corners and one short straight, so the drag does not hurt much.
Can I use this Hungary setup in a race?
Yes. I would raise the on throttle differential to 60% and lower the brake pressure to 95%. Keep the wings where they are.
Does this setup work with a controller?
Yes. I would run 60% on throttle and around 90% brake pressure.
Who won the 2020 Hungarian Grand Prix?
Lewis Hamilton, from pole, for Mercedes. Max Verstappen was second and Valtteri Bottas third.
How long is the Hungaroring?
4.381 km with 14 corners. The Grand Prix distance is 70 laps.