Charles Leclerc of Ferrari recorded the fastest time in Free Practice 1 ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. He finished ahead of Red Bull‘s Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. The Monegasque driver’s best lap was a 1m 19.075s, placing him half a second clear of Verstappen. However, his session concluded early due to a mechanical issue that caused his Ferrari to stop at the pit lane entry with seven minutes remaining.
The session saw many teams introduce upgrades, and drivers immediately took to the Hungaroring circuit. This included five rookie drivers, with Fred Vesti driving for Mercedes in place of Kimi Antonelli. George Russell initially led the times on medium Pirelli tyres before Leclerc set a faster time as the track improved.
Incidents and Upgrades
Verstappen briefly topped the times with a 1m 20.788s despite complaining about downshifts, after an incident involving Carlos Sainz‘s Williams at Turn 12. Both drivers were noted for erratic driving, which was to be investigated after the session. Leclerc was also momentarily blocked by Hamilton before setting his leading time. Hamilton, who moved into second, reported his car’s ride was too stiff. Other incidents included lock-ups at Turn 1 by Colton Herta, driving for Cadillac, and Alex Albon‘s Williams.
A red flag was deployed with just over 20 minutes left when Lance Stroll‘s Aston Martin stopped at the exit of Turn 3. The car, which featured significant revisions, suffered a suspected left-rear suspension failure, leading to a spin. The session resumed with 17 minutes remaining, allowing teams to continue with Qualifying simulations on soft tyres. Sainz later experienced a large double-front lock-up at Turn 1.
Aston Martin’s New Package
Aston Martin team boss Adrian Newey addressed the media regarding the debut of the team’s B-spec car. Stroll’s mechanical failure occurred less than 40 minutes into FP1. Newey stated that the failure was unexpected and not related to the upgrade, as the area involved had not been changed. He also mentioned that the team is short on spares due to minor cladding changes.
Newey also discussed concerns about returning Honda oscillations, which were visible on both drivers’ onboard cameras during FP1. He indicated that this is a matter for Honda to address, as they are working on a solution. Despite the issues, Fernando Alonso, Stroll’s teammate, completed the session without apparent problems, finishing 13th fastest.
The upgrade package for Aston Martin is planned in phases. Hungary marks the first part of a chassis overhaul, with a second part expected after the summer break at Zandvoort, coinciding with Honda’s sole engine upgrade. A third phase of the chassis upgrade is anticipated for either Monza or Baku in September. Newey expressed confidence that the provisional results of the upgrades are promising, aiming for respectability after what he described as a “nightmare” start to the season.
Leclerc remained fastest at the chequered flag, with Verstappen finishing ahead of Hamilton. Isack Hadjar secured fourth place for Red Bull. Other drivers in the top ten included Russell, Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi), Vesti, Nico Hulkenberg (Audi), and the two Racing Bulls drivers, Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson. Norris was in P11, followed by Esteban Ocon (Haas), Alonso, Pierre Gasly (Alpine), and Albon. Ryo Hirakawa, driving for Haas, Sergio Perez for Cadillac, and Paul Aron for Alpine also participated in the session.
Source: formula1.com
Harry Loxley is a Senior Football Correspondent at NewsGB.org. He spent his early career reporting East Midlands football. He focuses on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from the University of Derby and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Derby, he watches non-league and runs a fan podcast. “Good football writing follows the people, not just the points.”