Lewis Hamilton led a Ferrari one-two during Friday’s practice sessions at the Hungarian Grand Prix, with teammate Charles Leclerc closely behind. Despite their strong performance, Leclerc indicated that Saturday’s qualifying session is expected to be competitive. McLaren’s Lando Norris secured third place, nearly half a second behind the leading Ferrari duo.
For Mercedes, the day presented challenges. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished 13th fastest after his soft-tyre runs were disrupted. His first attempt was aborted due to a crash involving Franco Colapinto, and his second was compromised by a driving error. Teammate George Russell placed fifth, noting that the track conditions were difficult due to resurfacing and bumps, particularly in the final corner.
Aston Martin’s New Package Shows Promise
The new car from Aston Martin was a significant talking point, with driver Fernando Alonso describing it as feeling “much better.” The team, which has been at the back of the field for much of the season, saw an encouraging debut for their updated package. Alonso was 2.990 seconds off the pace in 19th position, though a lap that was 0.4 seconds faster was disallowed due to track limits.
Even with the disallowed lap, Alonso’s actual lap time represented a notable improvement for the team, which had been more than four seconds behind in recent races. He highlighted a “positive atmosphere in the team now” and mentioned that the car felt “more glued to the ground and easier to drive.” Alonso also noted that the upgrade had delivered the expected numbers and correlation, which is encouraging for future developments and next year’s car.
This upgrade marks the first major development under Adrian Newey’s technical leadership for Aston Martin. Previous upgrades over the past three seasons had not met expectations, making the success of this new package, designed with new tools at the team’s new factory, crucial for their future trajectory. Alonso acknowledged that while it’s a step in the right direction, there is still a considerable amount of work ahead for the team.
However, the day was not entirely smooth for Aston Martin. Alonso’s teammate, Lance Stroll, experienced a spin in the first session due to what appeared to be a rear suspension failure. This incident prevented him from participating in the second session, as there was insufficient time to repair the car due to a lack of spare parts. Team representative Pedro de la Rosa confirmed the suspension failure and the challenges in repairing the car in time.
Ferrari’s Strong Start and Mercedes’ Concerns
Ferrari had been anticipated to perform well at the Hungaroring, a track known for being less dependent on engine power and favoring cars with strong cornering capabilities. This expectation was met as Ferrari comfortably led both practice sessions. Leclerc, while pleased with the initial performance, remained cautious about the team’s advantage, anticipating a tighter qualifying session.
George Russell of Mercedes acknowledged that Ferrari’s strong pace, which Mercedes had feared, had materialized. Mercedes, despite leading the world championship with eight wins from 10 races, finished second practice significantly behind the leaders. Russell noted that the car felt “far from great” for both himself and Kimi Antonelli, suggesting room for improvement.
Isack Hadjar of Red Bull, who finished sixth fastest, commented on Ferrari’s expected speed on this type of track. Oscar Piastri of McLaren also observed that the Ferraris appeared very quick in both sessions. The focus now shifts to Saturday’s qualifying, where teams will aim to optimize their performance.
Hamilton, in Ferrari’s end-of-day press release, described it as a “solid day overall,” despite challenging conditions with wind and a bumpy track. He noted improvements in the car during FP2 and expressed confidence in finding more performance after reviewing data overnight. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur echoed a cautious sentiment, emphasizing that Friday’s results do not guarantee pole position or a race win.
The Hungarian Grand Prix continues with qualifying on Saturday, July 25, followed by the main race on Sunday, July 26.
Source: bbc.co.uk
Adam Rutherford is a Senior Football Correspondent at News-UK. He spent his early career filing match reports across the North West. 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 Manchester Metropolitan University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Manchester, he coaches a youth team and watches grassroots football. “Every transfer window hides a dozen real stories.”
