How Hungarian Grand Prix practice unfolded

BBC News

2 days ago

Update:
Date: 17:17 BST 1 August
Title: Norris tops Hungarian GP practice as Verstappen investigated
Content: Andrew BensonBBC F1 correspondent at the Hungaroring
Lando Norris headed team-mate Oscar Piastri to a McLaren one-two in Friday practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Norris was 0.291 seconds quicker than the Australian, who leads the Briton by 16 points in the world championship heading into the last race before Formula 1's summer break.
But neither driver had an ideal run in the second session - Norris had to abort his first flying lap after a mistake at Turn Two, while Piastri had heavy traffic on his fastest.
Norris went again and beat the benchmark time set by Piastri, but his tyres would have not been in optimum condition.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen was in 14th, and said over the radio: "I don't know what's going on. It's undrivable. I just can't get any balance."
The four-time champion is also under investigation from race stewards after appearing to throw an item out of his cockpit whilst on track.
Read the full report here
Update:
Date: 17:15 BST 1 August
Title: FP3 build-up from 11:15 BST on Saturday
Content: Friday in Budapest belongs to McLaren, and more specifically, Lando Norris, who has topped both session ahead of his team-mate Oscar Piastri. But the Australian has the upperhand in the drivers' championship, leading the Briton by 16 points, so Saturday's qualifying looks set to be a fascinating battle between the two drivers. Can anyone beat them? Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari has been the closest driver so far.
We'll be back tomorrow from 11:15 BST to build up to third practice. And then it's full steam ahead for the fight for pole position, the final one before the summer break, which begins at 15:00.
See you on Saturday!
Update:
Date: 17:13 BST 1 August
Title: Andrew Benson Q&A: Send us your questions
Content: What will be the main talking point after this weekend's race? Will it be something that can keep us satisfied throughout the summer break? Who knows.
What I do know is Andrew Benson is ready to answer any of your questions, big or small, so send them through via the link here.
Update:
Date: 17:10 BST 1 August
Title: And the rest
Content: 11. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
12. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
13. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
14. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
15. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
16. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
17. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
18. Alex Albon (Williams)
19. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
Update:
Date: 17:07 BST 1 August
Title: Top 10
Content: 1, Lando Norris (McLaren) - 1:15.624
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.291
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.399
4. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +0.495
5. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +0.609
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.705
7. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.793
8. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) +0.803
9. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) +0.861
10. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.896
Update:
Date: 17:04 BST 1 August
Title: Chequered flag
Content: That towel Max Verstappen lashed out of the cockpit is still on the track, and the stewards are going to investigate the incident after the session.
A bit of drama at the end of the session. Lando Norris comes out of the pits but he locks up as team-mate Oscar Piastri goes round the outside of him at Turn One. Repeat that move on Sunday, lads.
It's another McLaren one-two, with Norris the quicker driver once again. His top time was a 1:15.624 on the softs, over two tenths better than Piastri.
Update:
Date: 17:00 BST 1 August
Title: Long-run corner
Content: Andrew BensonBBC F1 correspondent at the Hungaroring
Slightly compromised race data because of traffic. Hard to compare, but Ferrari look about half a second slower than McLaren.
Aston Martin look pretty descent. I can't see many cars getting to that lap time apart from the McLarens. So maybe it'll be a good weekend for the Aston Martin.
Update:
Date: 16:59 BST 1 August
Title: Post
Content: Isack Hadjar is completing his long run preparation but a fiesty radio message comes in to Racing Bulls. "Is this guy doing this on purpose?!" he asks, as the Mercedes of George Russell is just ahead ploughing on with his own programme, slowly, in the eyes of Hadjar.
Update:
Date: 16:59 BST 1 August
Title: Vasseur 'has an incredible vision' - Leclerc
Content: When asked about Fred Vasseur's multi-year deal in the driver's news conference yesterday, Charles Leclerc said he was "really happy" the news was out in the open, especially as recent whispers had suggested the Frenchman's position as boss could be in doubt.
"Fred has an incredible vision," said Leclerc "and I think what is difficult within Ferrari is, the emotion is very much part of the daily job because Italian people are extremenly passionate about Ferrari.
"But Fred really knows how to leave his emotions aside and have a clear vivsion of where we are at, no matter how much noise there is around the team."
Update:
Date: 16:56 BST 1 August
Title: Team principal Vasseur signs new Ferrari deal
Content: Andrew BensonBBC F1 correspondent at the Hungaroring
Frederic Vasseur has signed a new contract to continue as Ferrari team principal beyond the end of this year.
The 57-year-old Frenchman's deal was due to run out at the end of 2025, but he has agreed what the team have called a "multi-year contract for the coming Formula 1 seasons".
Vasseur joined the team at the start of 2023 on what was then a three-year deal.
"I'm grateful for the trust Ferrari continues to place in me. This renewal is not just a confirmation - it's a challenge to keep progressing, to stay focused, and to deliver," he said.
"Over the past 30 months we've laid strong foundations, and now we must build on them with consistency and determination."
Update:
Date: 16:53 BST 1 August
Title: Post
Content: What is going on at Red Bull? Even Max Verstappen is clueless as to why the car is, in his words, "undriveable" today. Balance has been mentioned again, so note that down for the Friday debrief.
Update:
Date: 16:52 BST 1 August
Title: Post
Content: Telemetry is back at Williams! The message to Carlos Sainz was quite frantic: "Box, box... no, stay out, it's back!" cried his engineer. Liam Lawson wasn't too happy with the Spaniard's positioning on track, but he was quickly informed Sainz was dealing with an issue, so no need for any complaints.
Update:
Date: 16:49 BST 1 August
Title: Post
Content: The medium tyres are on for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri - the top two so far in second practice - but Carlos Sainz and Williams are in a spot of bother. The team are trying to tell the Spaniard they've lost telemetry, but can he actually receive their messages? He's still out on track, so maybe not.
Update:
Date: 16:44 BST 1 August
Title: Alonso moves to P5
Content: Fernando Alonso's sore back isn't hindering the 44-year-old in this session. He pops up with a 1:16.233 on the softs to go fifth behind team-mate Lance Stroll. Amazingly, Aston Martin were the only team not to score any points during last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, which was also a sprint event. Even bottom side Alpine picked up one point.
Update:
Date: 16:42 BST 1 August
Title: Leclerc goes P3
Content: Charles Leclerc, on a track he says is his worst of the lot, finds some extra pace on the soft tyre to go back to third spot on the timesheets. The Ferrari man is 0.399 seconds away from the McLaren of Lando Norris.
Speaking of Norris, George Russell had the best view of the Briton running wide on to the grass after dipping a wheel at the final corner. Russell is on the radio to his Mercedes pit wall to express his surprise.
Update:
Date: 16:39 BST 1 August
Title: Post
Content: Max Verstappen throws a rogue item out of his cockpit. It doesn't look like a visor tear-off, maybe it's a towel? Whatever it is, it shouldn't really be in there. And where did it land? Who knows. The Dutchman is down in 13th place, in a Red Bull that has already been flagged with balance issues this session.
Update:
Date: 16:36 BST 1 August
Title: Stroll improves
Content: These are encouraging push laps by Lance Stroll. Charles Leclerc briefly went P3 ahead of the Canadian but Stroll improves on his next soft run to return to the top three. The Aston martin has pulled out a 1:16.119, which is now 0.495 seconds away from Lando Norris best time.
Update:
Date: 16:34 BST 1 August
Title: Norris beats Piastri's time
Content: That's a rapid time by Lando Norris. The Briton places his McLaren above team-mate Oscar Piastri by 0.291 seconds. The papaya cars are way ahead of the field; Lance Stroll's marker in third, which is a great effort, is still nearly six tenths off the pace of Norris.
Update:
Date: 16:32 BST 1 August
Title: Post
Content: Andrew BensonBBC F1 correspondent at the Hungaroring
We expect Aston Martin to have a better weekend. Expect Alonso to qualify closer to the top 10.
Update:
Date: 16:31 BST 1 August
Title: Piastri quickest
Content: The track is packed with red tyres. Kimi Antonelli slips into third place with a 1:16.520 in the Mercedes but that McLaren rocket ship is on thte prowl, lifting Oscar Piastri to the top of the leaderboard with a 1:15.915, which is three tenths faster than Lance Stroll's time in the Aston Martin.