Leclerc leads Verstappen in Hungary FP1 despite Ferrari issue
Charles Leclerc recorded the fastest time in Free Practice 1 ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, positioning his Ferrari ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. The Monegasque driver posted a time of 1m 19.075s, which was half a second quicker than Verstappen. However, his session concluded prematurely when his Ferrari experienced a mechanical issue in the final 10 minutes, bringing the car to a halt at the pit lane entry.
Many teams arrived in Budapest with various upgrades, and drivers quickly took to the Hungaroring circuit as the session commenced at 13:30 local time. This weekend’s event marks the 40th Hungarian Grand Prix. Five rookie drivers participated in the session, including Fred Vesti in Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, while the Drivers’ Championship leader observed from the sidelines.
Practice Session Highlights
George Russell initially set the pace with a 1m 22.056s on medium Pirelli tyres. Leclerc then improved with a 1m 20.884s as the track conditions improved. Verstappen, after an initial flying lap where he was impeded by Carlos Sainz’s Williams, moved to the top with a 1m 20.788s, despite reporting issues with downshifts. Leclerc also faced a brief obstruction from Hamilton before setting a new best of 1m 20.287s.
Hamilton climbed to second place, three tenths behind, but noted his car’s ride was too stiff. Colton Herta, driving for Cadillac in place of Valtteri Bottas, and Alex Albon’s Williams both experienced lock-ups at Turn 1. Russell was the first to switch to soft tyres, setting a 1m 20.066s, which was quickly surpassed by Verstappen’s 1m 19.559s. Lando Norris was fastest in the first sector but ran wide at Turn 11.
Leclerc then used the red-walled tyre to achieve his fastest time of 1m 19.075s, placing him half a second ahead of Verstappen. Russell also had a significant lock-up at Turn 1 and commented on his Mercedes’ ride. With just over 20 minutes remaining, a red flag was deployed after Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin stopped at the exit of Turn 3 due to a left-rear suspension failure.
The session resumed with 17 minutes left, as teams focused on qualifying simulations with soft tyres. Sainz encountered a double-front lock-up at Turn 1. Leclerc maintained his fastest time until the chequered flag, but his session ended prematurely with seven minutes remaining due to a mechanical issue in his Ferrari at Turn 13, causing him to stop at the pit lane entry.
| Pos. | Driver | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Leclerc LEC | 1:19.075 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen VER | +0.484s |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton HAM | +0.543s |
| 4 | Isack Hadjar HAD | +0.922s |
| 5 | George Russell RUS | +0.991s |
Post-Practice Developments
Verstappen finished ahead of Hamilton, with Isack Hadjar securing a top-four spot for Red Bull. Other drivers in the top 10 included Russell, Gabriel Bortoleto for Audi, Vesti, Nico Hulkenberg in the second Audi, and the two Racing Bulls drivers, Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson. Norris finished P11, followed by Esteban Ocon for Haas, Fernando Alonso in the upgraded Aston Martin, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, and Albon.
Leonardo Fornaroli, the reigning Formula 2 champion, participated for McLaren in place of Oscar Piastri, testing the team’s new ‘flip-flop’-style rear wing. Ryo Hirakawa (for Ollie Bearman at Haas), Sergio Perez (Cadillac), Paul Aron (for Franco Colapinto at Alpine), Herta, Stroll, and Sainz completed the order before FP2 later on Friday.
In Friday practice, Lewis Hamilton led a Ferrari one-two, finishing 0.148 seconds ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc. McLaren’s Lando Norris was third, 0.499 seconds off the pace, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was fourth. Fernando Alonso finished 19th fastest in the new Aston Martin, 2.990 seconds behind the leader, though a lap nearly 0.4 seconds faster was disallowed due to track limits.
Aston Martin team boss Adrian Newey commented on the debut of the B-spec car, noting that Lance Stroll’s mechanical failure in FP1 was unexpected and not related to the upgrade. The team is still investigating the issue. Newey also mentioned that returning Honda oscillations were a concern, with Honda working on a solution. The team plans further chassis upgrades for Zandvoort and either Monza or Baku in September.
Newey expressed optimism about the provisional results of the upgrade, stating it represents a good step forward for the team. He acknowledged that the initial races had been challenging. The team aims for respectability and continuous improvement. Alonso’s best time in FP1 placed him 3.123% off the pace. The performance of this upgrade is considered important for convincing Fernando Alonso to remain with the team for 2027.
Newey affirmed his confidence that Fernando Alonso is enjoying his time with the team and that their relationship will continue.
Source: formula1.com
