F1 | Hungarian GP | Verstappen leads FP1 ahead of Mercedes
The first Free Practice ended with Red Bull’s Verstappen ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton
The Hungarian Grand Prix opened with Red Bull’s first driver Max Verstappen leading over Mercedes. The Dutchman showed on track with his racing what he expressed very largely in words during the last two weeks and he made it to conquer a first place during the first session of free practices.
The Red Bull driver made it with a great time of 1.17.555, and his placement can be defined as even more valuable after having put behind him the two Silver Arrows, a great satisfaction which can be clearly read behind the lines after he got pushed away quite violently by Lewis Hamilton during the British Grand Prix. In that occasion, the Briton got away with a so-called “underrated” 10- second penalty, which left Red Bull wanting for more.
Mercedes had a great pace today, but the Brackley-based team placed only second this morning, with Valtteri Bottas obtaining a lap of 1.17.616. Lewis Hamilton had to settle for a third position, and he put out a lap of 1.17.722.
Ferrari can feel satisfied instead, making it to place one of its drivers in the first part of the grid again. Carlos Sainz is fourth indeed with his lap of 1.18.115, followed by AlphaTauri’s veteran Pierre Gasly who scored 1.18.181.
The sixth position of the first track action in Budapest has been conquered by Fernando Alonso, who celebrates his fortieth birthday that occurred yesterday by bringing Alpine in a good position with a lap of 1.18.385. At his back, we find the second Ferrari, driven by Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque signed a time of 1.18.391.
In eighth position there is the other Red Bull, Checo Perez’s with a fastest lap of 1.18.466, followed up by the fastest McLaren, Lando Norris’, which signed 1.18.649 and Lance Stroll on his Aston Martin, with his time of 1.18.649.
Yuki Tsunoda caused a red flag as the Japanese driver crashed at turn 4. Fernando Alonso also spun at T4 during a warm day at the Hungarian venue.
The whole session just confirmed the current situation but it opens its way to a second one that will see Mercedes trying to get back its usual first place on a revenge-eyed Verstappen.
Here's how we got our Budapest weekend started...#HungarianGP 🇭🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/MNvMQzefyE
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 30, 2021
