Lewis Hamilton led a Ferrari one-two during Friday practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Hamilton finished 0.148 seconds ahead of his team-mate Charles Leclerc. McLaren’s Lando Norris secured third position, 0.499 seconds behind the leading pace, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was fourth.
The day also saw the debut of a new Aston Martin car, with Fernando Alonso finishing 19th fastest. Adrian Newey, the team principal, described the initial outing for the updated car as “promising.” This new iteration of the Aston Martin retains its original engine, gearbox, and front suspension, with other components being new.
Aston Martin’s new car shows promise
Fernando Alonso’s fastest lap was 2.990 seconds slower than the leading time. However, a lap nearly 0.4 seconds quicker was disallowed due to track limits at the final corner. Despite not being fully competitive yet, this marks a notable improvement for Aston Martin compared to their performance for much of the season.
Adrian Newey commented on the new car between sessions, stating that the provisional results were encouraging. He also mentioned that this is only the first phase of a planned upgrade, with further developments expected at Zandvoort, Monza, and Baku. Newey highlighted the scarcity of parts, which necessitates careful handling of the new components to gather data.
The team’s engine partner, Honda, is scheduled to introduce a new engine at the Dutch Grand Prix following the summer break, which could further impact performance.
Mixed fortunes for teams in practice
While Ferrari appeared strong, particularly on a track that suits their car’s cornering capabilities, other teams experienced varied results. Mercedes, for instance, seemed to have work ahead of them. George Russell placed fifth, 0.933 seconds off the pace, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished 13th.
Antonelli did not complete a qualifying simulation lap in the second session. His first attempt was interrupted when Franco Colapinto crashed his Alpine at the final corner. His second simulation was cut short due to an error at the chicane. Throughout the session, Antonelli reported issues with rear brake locking. Despite these challenges, he matched Norris’s time in the first sector on both curtailed laps.
The day was not entirely positive for Aston Martin. Alonso’s team-mate, Lance Stroll, spun out during the first session due to what initially appeared to be a rear suspension failure. This incident prevented him from participating in the second practice session, as there was insufficient time to repair his car.
Pedro de la Rosa, a team representative, confirmed the suspension failure. He also noted that the team was confident that Fernando’s car would not experience the same issue, which is why Alonso was sent out. The lack of spare parts meant Stroll’s car could not be repaired in time, with some parts needing repair and others requiring transport to the circuit.
Behind Russell, Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar secured sixth place, followed by Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls and Oscar Piastri from McLaren. Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg and Arvid Lindblad of Racing Bulls completed the top 10 positions during the practice session.
The practice session provided an initial look at the teams’ preparations for the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix.
Source: bbc.co.uk
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Joel Kavanagh is a Sports News Writer at News-GB. He started on a Midlands sports desk. He focuses on rugby union, golf and boxing and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Journalism from De Montfort University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Leicester, he plays amateur rugby and follows the fight calendar. “In sport news, the first ten minutes decide everything.”