• Hungarian Grand Prix

Tyres can handle heat - Hembery

Paul Hembery: "I wouldn't say it'll be the harshest [race we've faced]" © Sutton Images

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Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery says predictions of 40C during the Hungarian Grand Prix will not lead to track temperatures that the tyres can't handle.

The high temperatures forecast for Sunday's race could see track temperatures passing 50C for the first time this season. However, Hembery said the characteristics of the track don't cause Pirelli too much concern and he is confident that the new tyres faced a stiff enough test during hot weather at Silverstone last week.

"I wouldn't say it'll be the harshest [race we've faced]," Hembery said. "Bahrain is always pretty horrific from that point of view and Malaysia as well. Malaysia the surface itself is very abrasive, here is similar in many ways to Germany - the Nurburgring - and not too dissimilar to Canada from many points of view.

"To be honest the Silverstone Young Driver Test was very severe, we had 45 degrees track temperature in Silverstone and I don't think I'm ever going to say that again in my lifetime! Silverstone is a very quick, high-load circuit and to have 45 degrees was a very good workout."

However, Hembery admitted there is likely to be teams that struggle badly with the tyres and picked out Mercedes to suffer in the heat.

"We've seen regularly that they have a lot of pace in qualifying and then in the race they can't keep up with that pace. Certainly with the temperatures that we've got here it's probably the worst conditions that Mercedes can have."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.