HUNGARIAN GP – Carlos Sainz fastest by almost three tenths in first practice ahead of Max Verstappen
Carlos Sainz was fastest in first practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix the Ferrari driver set an 18.713 which put him almost three-tenths faster than Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver going two hundredths faster than Charles Leclerc.
Despite the global IT failure practice was relatively OK, though coverage missed the on-board feeds. Sainz looked very quick at the Hungaroring setting his fastest time halfway through the session beating Leclerc’s benchmark as he went almost three-tenths faster, then Verstappen split the two going two hundredths faster.
Verstappen said on Thursday that the upgrade’s performance would have a defining effect on the rest of their season, following the inroads made by Mercedes and McLaren in recent races. These are the team’s biggest upgrade of the season on their car, featuring a revised engine cover, front wing and front and rear aerodynamic tweaks.
While Verstappen was unable to match Sainz’s leading time, the fact he was able to go faster than Leclerc while doing a second stint on his soft tyres, suggested the Red Bull may have the early edge in terms of tyre degradation, which will be the key factor in deciding Sunday’s result.
Both Ferrari and Red Bull have brought upgrades this weekend, but Verstappen was able to maintain a strong pace later into his running on soft tyres that appeared to be degrading at a faster rate than his rivals.
There is also the fact that Hungary is a track better suited to the Ferrari, so even a strong weekend here wouldn’t ensure the same level of competitiveness would remain next weekend at the final race before the sport’s summer break in Belgium.
George Russell put his Mercedes fourth just over four hundredths faster than Guanyu Zhou, the Sabuer driver impressing as he was three hundreds ahead of both McLaren’s. Lando Norris was sixth fastest four hundredths ahead of his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastiri.
Yuki Tsunoda put his RB eighth as he went five thousandths faster than Lance Stroll, with Lewis Hamilton completing the top ten. Hamilton looking to repeat what he did at Silverstone with a ninth win in Budapest, though that appears more challenging given this is a different type of circuit.
Aston Martin has also brought a major upgrade, theirs focusing on a heavily revised floor, in addition to the front wing and beam wing – the lower part of the rear wing. The upgrade is aimed at addressing the drivers’ concerns about inconsistent handling.
Stroll and teammate Fernando Alonso, who was in thirteenth, still looked to struggle with inconsistency from the car. Sergio Perez missed out on the top ten going a tenth and a half behind the Mercedes, the under-pressure Red Bull driver a tenth ahead of sister RB car Daniel Ricciardo.
Alex Albon put his Williams fourteenth, a hundredth faster than Valtteri Bottas who spilt the two Williams with Logan Sargeant eight hundredths behind the Finn.
Pierre Gasly was nearly half a second faster than his Alpine teammate Esteban Ocon. While the Haas propped up the field, Kevin Magnussen almost eight-tenths faster than incoming driver Ollie Bearman.