Charles Leclerc recorded the fastest time in Free Practice 1 ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, outpacing Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. The Ferrari driver set a lap time of 1 minute, 19.075 seconds, placing him half a second ahead of Verstappen. However, Leclerc’s session concluded prematurely due to a mechanical issue that caused his car to stop at the pit lane entry.
The session saw several teams introduce upgrades, prompting drivers to quickly take to the Hungaroring circuit. This included five rookie drivers, with Fred Vesti driving Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes. Antonelli, the Drivers’ Championship leader, observed the opening one-hour session from the sidelines.
Practice Session Highlights
Early in the session, George Russell initially led the times with a 1 minute, 22.056 seconds lap on medium Pirelli tires. Leclerc then improved with a 1 minute, 20.884 seconds as the track conditions improved. Verstappen later moved to the top with a 1 minute, 20.788 seconds, despite reporting issues with downshifts.
Leclerc faced a brief obstruction from Hamilton before setting a new benchmark of 1 minute, 20.287 seconds. Hamilton moved into second, though he noted his car’s ride was too stiff. Colton Herta, driving for Cadillac, and Alex Albon’s Williams both experienced lock-ups at Turn 1.
Russell was the first to switch to soft tires, achieving a 1 minute, 20.066 seconds, but Verstappen quickly surpassed this with a 1 minute, 19.559 seconds. Leclerc then set his fastest time of 1 minute, 19.075 seconds on the soft tires, maintaining a half-second lead over Verstappen. Russell also encountered a significant lock-up at Turn 1, expressing concerns about his Mercedes’ ride.
Incidents and Investigations
The session was interrupted by a red flag with just over 20 minutes remaining when Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin stopped at the exit of Turn 3 due to a suspected left-rear suspension failure. The car, which featured a heavily revised design with 16 separate aerodynamic updates, spun off the track but avoided contact with the barriers. Stroll’s session lasted only 11 laps, and the team will investigate the issue before the second practice session.
The session resumed with 17 minutes left, allowing teams to continue with qualifying simulations. Carlos Sainz experienced a double-front lock-up at Turn 1. Both Verstappen and Sainz are scheduled to meet with stewards following an incident where Sainz impeded Verstappen, who then appeared to slow in front of the Williams driver. Sainz will also be questioned regarding another alleged erratic driving incident involving Alpine rookie Paul Aron.
Leclerc remained the fastest driver when the chequered flag was waved, but his session ended with seven minutes remaining after a mechanical failure in his Ferrari at Turn 13, leading him to stop at the pit lane entry. Verstappen finished second, followed by Hamilton. Isack Hadjar secured fourth place, placing both Red Bulls in the top four.
The top 10 was completed by Russell, Gabriel Bortoleto for Audi, Vesti, Nico Hulkenberg in the second Audi, and the two Racing Bulls drivers, Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson. Lando Norris finished 11th. Fernando Alonso, driving the other Aston Martin, completed 20 laps and finished 13th, despite the team’s significant upgrade package.
Other rookie drivers participating included Leonardo Fornaroli for McLaren, Ryo Hirakawa for Haas, Paul Aron for Alpine, and Colton Herta for Cadillac. The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend continues with the second practice session scheduled for Friday.
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Source: formula1.com
Chloe Tremblay is the Sports Reporter at CasinoNews, covering basketball, tennis and athletics with nine years of reporting experience. She reported on the Raptors' rise and two Olympic cycles. She holds a degree in Journalism from Concordia University. Based in Montreal, she plays recreational basketball and follows track athletics. “The best stories come from the athletes everyone overlooks.”
