Formula 1

Max Verstappen Leads Mercedes Duo In Hungarian Grand Prix First Practice

2 Mins read
Image Credit : Red Bull Racing

After the drama of the last few weeks, the title race between the young Belgian Max Verstappen and the experienced Lewis Hamilton has certainly heated up with both drivers and teams delivering blows to each other on Social Media, Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team’s statement on the failed review from Red Bull Racing of Lewis Hamilton’s penalty from the British Grand Prix certainly added more heat to a title battle this season that could potentially be one for the ages.

However, once both drivers were back on track at a circuit in which Hamilton tends to go extremely well at – (even managing to take a win at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix in a McLaren which should not of been near the top step of the podium) it was Verstappen who dealt the first blow out on track finishing 0.061 seconds ahead of Valtteri Bottas and 0.167 seconds of title rival Hamilton who was down in third.

It was a practice session full of plenty of incidents, Fernando Alonso had a spin early on in the session, Mick Schumacher ran wide at the same sweeping left hander of Turn 4 and most dramatically, Yuki Tsunoda – who would’ve been hoping for a quiet weekend incidents wise after a tricky couple of Grand Prix weekends crashed which brought out the red flag.

Even though he was down in third place, the lap set by Lewis Hamilton was on a used pair of soft tyres, which suggests that this weekend could be another close one with the momentum in the title fight having potentially swung Lewis Hamilton’s way.

Perhaps the surprise of the session was Sergio Pérez who finished the session down in eighth, almost a second off team-mate Verstappen and the Mexican will no doubt be looking to find that performance after a tricky weekend at Silverstone.

On the back of their strong weekend at Silverstone, Scuderia Ferrari started on the front foot on Friday, with Carlos Sainz Jr. fourth and Charles Leclerc seventh, with Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda‘s Pierre Gasly and Alpine F1 Team‘s Alonson in between them. The top ten was completed by McLaren F1 Team‘s Lando Norris and Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team‘s Lance Stroll.

Elsewhere, Kimi Räikkönen was given the morning off as we saw the return of reserve driver Robert Kubica who ended the session ahead of his team-mate Antonio Giovinazzi, in what was a difficult session for the Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN Team who finished the morning with their cars considerably off the pace in eighteenth and twentieth.

Hungarian Grand Prix Free Practice 1 Results

1 Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing211’17.555 
2 Valtteri BottasMercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team261’17.6160.061
3 Lewis HamiltonMercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team251’17.7220.167
4 Carlos Sainz Jr.Scuderia Ferrari241’18.1150.560
5 Pierre GaslyScuderia AlphaTauri271’18.1810.626
6 Fernando AlonsoAlpine F1 Team261’18.3850.830
7 Charles LeclercScuderia Ferrari231’18.3910.836
8 Sergio PerezRed Bull Racing 201’18.4660.911
9 Lando NorrisMcLaren F1 Team261’18.6491.094
10 Lance StrollAston Martin Cognizant Formula 1 Team251’18.7551.200
11 Esteban OconAlpine F1 Team261’18.7651.210
12 Yuki TsunodaScuderia AlphaTauri181’18.7701.215
13 Sebastian VettelAston Martin Cognizant Formula 1 Team221’18.9891.434
14 Daniel RicciardoMcLaren F1 Team271’19.2651.710
15 George RussellWilliams Racing241’19.7242.169
16 Nicholas LatifiWilliams Racing241’19.8242.269
17 Mick SchumacherUralkali Haas F1 Team261’20.3832.828
18 Robert KubicaAlfa Romeo Racing ORLEN231’20.6393.084
19 Nikita MazepinUralkali Haas F1 Team231’20.9923.437
20 Antonio GiovinazziAlfa Romeo Racing ORLEN51’21.8894.334

Avatar photo
144 posts

About author
FIA Formula 3 coverage for The Checkered Flag
Articles
Related posts
Formula 1

2024 Australian Grand Prix - TCF Driver of the Weekend

2 Mins read
TheCheckeredFlag Driver of the Weekend is revealed for the 2024 Australian Grand Prix.
Formula 1

2024 Australian Grand Prix – What the Team Principals are Saying after the Race

7 Mins read
The ten Team Principals reflect on drivers performances at Albert Park during Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, a race that saw Ferrari claim their first win of 2024.
Formula 1

2024 Australian Grand Prix – What the Drivers are Saying after the Race – Part 2

7 Mins read
Those who missed out on points in Australia reflect on their races, including Max Verstappen, who retired from a Grand Prix for the first time since the same event in 2022.