Charles Leclerc of Ferrari recorded the fastest time in Free Practice 1 ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Monegasque driver’s performance placed him ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who drives for Mercedes. However, Leclerc’s session concluded prematurely when his Ferrari experienced a mechanical issue in the final minutes, causing it to stop at the pit lane entry.
Leclerc set a lap time of 1m 19.075s, which was approximately half a second quicker than Verstappen’s best. The session saw numerous teams introduce upgrades at the Hungaroring circuit, which is preparing to host its 40th Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend. Drivers quickly took to the track as the session began at 13:30 local time.
Among the participants were five rookie drivers, including Fred Vesti, who drove Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes. George Russell, Leclerc’s teammate and a title rival, initially topped the timesheets with a 1m 22.056s on medium Pirelli tyres. As the track conditions improved, Leclerc then posted a 1m 20.884s.
Verstappen, after an initial flying lap where he backed off due to Carlos Sainz’s Williams being on the racing line at Turn 12, eventually moved to the top with a 1m 20.788s. Both Sainz and Verstappen were noted for erratic driving, which is set to be investigated post-session. Leclerc also encountered a brief blockage by Hamilton at Turn 12 before setting a new benchmark of 1m 20.287s.
Hamilton later moved into second place, trailing by three tenths, but expressed concerns about his car’s stiff ride. Other drivers, including Colton Herta (driving for Cadillac in place of Valtteri Bottas) and Alex Albon in his Williams, experienced lock-ups at Turn 1.
Just before the halfway point, Russell was the first to switch to soft tyres, immediately setting a new session best of 1m 20.066s. However, this was quickly surpassed by Verstappen’s 1m 19.559s. Lando Norris showed early pace in the first sector but ran wide at Turn 11, causing him to back out of his lap.
Leclerc then significantly improved his time on the red-walled tyre, bringing the best lap down to 1m 19.075s, putting him half a second ahead of Verstappen. Russell also experienced a significant lock-up at Turn 1, leading him to comment on his Mercedes’ ride.
The session was interrupted by a red flag with just over 20 minutes remaining when Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin, which featured significant revisions, stopped at the exit of Turn 3. A suspected left-rear suspension failure caused him to spin. The session resumed with 17 minutes left, allowing teams to continue with qualifying simulations on soft tyres. During this period, Sainz had a substantial double-front lock-up at Turn 1.
Despite his mechanical issue, Leclerc remained the fastest at the chequered flag. His car came to a halt at Turn 13 with seven minutes still remaining in the session, after he managed to recover to the pit lane entry.
Verstappen finished the session ahead of Hamilton. Isack Hadjar secured a spot within the top four, ensuring both Red Bull cars were well-placed. The top 10 was completed by Russell, Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi), Vesti, Nico Hulkenberg in the second Audi, and the two Racing Bulls drivers, Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson.
Norris finished in P11, followed by Esteban Ocon (Haas), Fernando Alonso, who was utilising Aston Martin’s new upgrade, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, and Albon. Leonardo Fornaroli, the reigning Formula 2 champion, participated for McLaren in place of Oscar Piastri, testing the team’s new ‘flip-flop’-style rear wing.
Aston Martin’s Upgrade and Mechanical Setback
Aston Martin team boss Adrian Newey addressed the media following the debut of the team’s B-spec car at the Hungaroring. Lance Stroll’s mechanical failure, believed to be a suspension issue, occurred less than 40 minutes into FP1. Despite this, his teammate Fernando Alonso demonstrated respectable pace in the sister car.
Newey stated that the mechanical failure on Stroll’s car was unexpected and not related to the new upgrades. He explained that the area involved had not been changed, although there were minor alterations due to different cladding. The team is still investigating the cause of the failure.
During the session, Alonso was advised via team radio to avoid kerbs during his push laps. Newey clarified that this instruction was for aero data acquisition and not due to an issue with the upgrade. He noted that kerb disruptions can corrupt data collection.
Onboard camera footage from both drivers revealed oscillations, suggesting a return of the Honda engine-related vibrations that the team experienced earlier in the year. Newey indicated that this is a matter for Honda, who are working on a solution based on their data.
Future Upgrades and Team Outlook
The upgrades introduced in Hungary represent the first part of Aston Martin’s chassis overhaul. A second phase is planned for after the summer break at Zandvoort, coinciding with Honda’s sole engine upgrade. Newey also revealed that a third phase of the chassis upgrade is scheduled for either Monza or Baku in September.
Newey described the provisional results of the initial upgrade package as promising, despite the team being short on spare parts. He acknowledged that while the upgrade is a significant step forward from their previous position, it is unlikely to make them the quickest car immediately. The team’s immediate goal is to achieve a level of respectability after what Newey described as a “complete nightmare” in the early races of the season.
Prior to Hungary, Aston Martin had been an average of 4.670% off the pace, with the next best team, Cadillac, being 3.993% adrift. In FP1, Alonso’s best time placed him 3.123% off the pace. While Aston Martin’s best first sector was the slowest among all teams, their second and third sectors were ranked seventh best. The performance of these upgrades is considered crucial in convincing Fernando Alonso to remain with the team for 2027, with Newey expressing confidence in their continued relationship.
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Source: formula1.com
