First Sainz, then Norris the fastest

Two training sessions took place on Friday as part of the Hungarian GP. While Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari had the fastest time in the first session, McLaren driver Lando Norris was the fastest in the second session. World Championship leader Max Verstappen came second twice.

July 19, 2024

From: dpa/apa

World Championship leader Max Verstappen also missed the best time in the second free practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Red Bull star finished second on the Hungaroring near Budapest in the late afternoon, as he did in the opening session. This time, the three-time Formula 1 world champion was unable to get past Lando Norris in the McLaren, who was 0,243 seconds faster than Verstappen on his top lap.

Third place in the one-hour session, which was interrupted for a long time after Charles Leclerc crashed in the Ferrari, went to his teammate Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard had set the fastest lap in the first practice session, which prompted Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko to make the following analysis: "We are satisfied, it worked on the whole. I assume that we are on the right track. Ferrari has celebrated a resurrection, the course seems to suit them," said Marko on ORF.

Leclerc experiences black day

The Austrian racing team brought a major upgrade package to Hungary in order to return to the winning track after two Mercedes victories, most recently in Silverstone and Spielberg. In the World Championship, Verstappen, who triumphed in Hungary in the past two years, leads McLaren driver Norris with 84 points after twelve races. The two Ferrari drivers Leclerc and Sainz are already 15.00 and 1 points behind respectively before the race on Sunday (105 p.m./live ORF 109, RTL, Sky).

For Leclerc, however, the second practice session ended prematurely and with another disappointment. The Monegasque lost control of his car and crashed the rear of his car into the track barriers. Leclerc was uninjured, but his Ferrari had to be towed and the practice session was interrupted for around a quarter of an hour.

Charles Leclerc retired from the second practice session after a crash. © ANSA / ZSOLT CZEGLEDI

There was then almost a crash between Kick-Sauber driver Guanyu Zhou and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull. The Chinese Zhou braked, skidded, but was able to catch his car again without touching the Mexican's Red Bull, which ultimately finished fourth ahead of George Russell in the Mercedes. Hungary's record winner Lewis Hamilton came seventh in the second Silver Arrow.