Upgrades headline hot FP1 session in Budapest

Ferrari has started the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend on a strong note after finishing FP1 with both cars in the top three, separated by Max Verstappen’s heavily upgraded RB20 in boiling Budapest conditions.

It was a scorching start to the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, with the grid capitalising on the time away from the track to return revitalised, fuelled by hopeful upgrades.

Charging out onto the blistering 58°C Hungaroring tarmac to start FP1, Lewis Hamilton was the first driver to brave the conditions.

The most recent F1 winner was promptly joined by his competitors, with all teams barring McLaren adopting new components for the weekend that lies ahead.

Not only running an unadjusted spec, Oscar Piastri’s opening practice session was off to a limited start.

The Australian spent an additional 10 minutes on the sidelines with a suspected hydraulic issue, watching on as his team conducted a hydraulic pressurisation system check before starting his FP1 session.

Piastri’s first push-lap on the medium tyre was a 1:20.914s, placing him in P10.

He was quick to improve on that time, shooting to a session-high position with the second-fastest time, just seven milliseconds off the benchmark.

Making the switch to the soft compound tyre, Piastri naturally cut down on his time as he began his soft-tyre simulations. 

After finding his way back into the top three, the #81 drifted to P7 as the chequered flag was waved.

He ended the session with a time of 1:25.396s, partaking in a final practice start on the grid before returning to the McLaren garage. 

As for the second running Australian, Daniel Ricciardo ran the session with a thick coating of flow-vis paint on his VCARB 01, allowing the team to capture data on their revised front covers and rear covers. 

Ricciardo capitalised on every moment of the session, leaving the pitlane as the light turned green to set the fourth fastest time in the opening minutes.

Falling down the order, his second push lap on the C4 compound placed Ricciardo in P10, sitting a short distance behind the Ferrari duo who had opted to start their Hungarian campaign on the hard compound tyre. 

After making the mid-session switch to a first display of qualifying simulations, Ricciardo recorded a time of 1:19.578s, placing him in P12 as the chequered flag was waved. 

Early signs are strong for RB in their fight with Haas, however, with both cars ending the session at the back of the order — albeit Ollie Bearman running in place of Nico Hulkenberg for FP1 — with complaints flooding the American team’s radio waves.

The Haas drivers weren’t the only unsatisfied racers out on track, with the hot conditions proving difficult for all 20 cars to manage.

Testing out their new upgrades and the temperament of their tyres in the blistering conditions, Turn 12 caught a lot of drivers out.

On the Medium tyre, Lando Norris was the first to snap off-track as his rear tyres overheated at the 180° corner, with hard tyre runner Charles Leclerc following suit shortly later. 

Leclerc’s struggles continued throughout the hour session, however, the timing sheets reflected otherwise. 

What was primarily occupied but Mercedes during their medium tyre stint soon became flooded with red as soft tyres were rolled out, seeing Ferrari move into P1 and P2.

Carlos Sainz charged to the top of the order with a time of 1:18.713s, holding out until the chequered flag, even despite Max Verstappen’s best efforts in splitting the Italian outfit.

Working on familiarising themselves with their new upgrades, FP2 will pose a similar opportunity for the final hour of practice on Friday.

The session will kick off at 1:00 AM, with conditions expected to mildly cool in Budapest.

Image: Andy Hone / LAT Images

Free Practice 1 Results:

2024 Hungarian Grand Prix Schedule:

Friday July 19th:

FP1: 21:30 – 22:30

Saturday July 20th:

FP2: 01:00 – 02:00

FP3: 20:30 – 21:30

Sunday July 21st:

Qualifying: 00:00 – 01:00

Race Start: 23:00

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