It was a Friday to forget for Toro Rosso’s Alex Albon who suffered a heavy crash in FP2 at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Here is how Friday practice played out in Hungary…
George Russell got the rally going for Williams team-mate Robert Kubica.
Poor guy, Kubica gets that point in Germany, his first in a recordΒ 8 years and 256 days, and now George is reduced to being his hype man.
Someone had to π#F1 #HungarianGP ππΊ pic.twitter.com/nrbqegQayB
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) August 1, 2019
Lance Stroll rocked up at the Hungaroring still scratching his head over how that podium in Germany slipped away.
A muggy session was to come but the rain was on its way. Here we go again.
FIVE MINUTES TO FP1 β°
We have cloudy conditions at the Hungaroring ahead of the first session of the race weekend πβοΈ#F1 #HungarianGP ππΊ pic.twitter.com/rqvVnDMPOv
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 2, 2019
On came the green light and indeed the heavens opened as soon as Kubica exited the pit lane.
Aaaaaand itβs raining. #RSspirit #HungarianGP #FP1 pic.twitter.com/7eVtpHdO7E
— Renault F1 Team (@RenaultF1Team) August 2, 2019
With the drivers out there early Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel used the soft rubber to trade fastest times.
Valtteri Bottas looked set for a spot of bother after a late call to pit from Mercedes after they saw a “misfire” in the PU.
He wasn’t able to go to the right of the bollard on entry to the pits, the crime which cost Hamilton in Germany.
Better late than never π #F1 #HungarianGP ππΊ pic.twitter.com/wuHyU0QjKn
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 2, 2019
Lance Stroll went for a spin…
Full 360 π
Lance Stroll is the first driver to be caught out by Turn 7 this weekend π¬#F1 #HungarianGP ππΊ pic.twitter.com/8iBzBtaV05
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 2, 2019
30 minutes gone and Hamilton was in the lead with Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly behind.
Verstappen was looking to cut that 0.6s gap to Hamilton and pushed a little too much when he spun at the final turn.
Max Verstappen is now back facing the right way π #F1 #HungarianGP ππΊ pic.twitter.com/HXIT6BXiDz
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 2, 2019
Soon after the teams chickened out, not just Alfa Romeo to be fair.
And here is the rain again, so… box box box. βοΈπ #HungarianGP pic.twitter.com/Bo9GeFKKQ9
— Alfa Romeo Racing (@alfaromeoracing) August 2, 2019
A few drivers went out for some intermediate running including Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg, “a very gentle lap” was the instruction.
Meanwhile Mercedes told us what was going on with Bottas.
UPDATE: We will do a PU swap with Valtteri as a problem with the current unit has been identified. We are swapping in the other PU already in the pool. This will allow us more time to trace the problem outside the car. #HungarianGP #FP1 pic.twitter.com/qdHXH1xARo
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) August 2, 2019
Hamilton was next for a steady lap on the inters with an eagle-eyed Paul Di Resta pointing out that doing this earns them an extra set.
Itβs not quite wet enough for intermediates, not quite dry enough for drys. We need a new tyre compound. Drintermediates. #HungarianGP #F1
— Lights Out βββββ (@LightsOutF1Blog) August 2, 2019
The drops slowed again as the drivers re-emerged for some slick tyre running.
The weather sure is indecisive today. π€ Lando takes to the track on the red-banded Soft tyre. #HungarianGP ππΊ pic.twitter.com/C8gfBF6xDT
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) August 2, 2019
It was proving a difficult morning for SportPesa Racing Point.
Perez was soon in the wars again following his chicane error after a lock-up sent him off at Turn 1.
Both Racing Points have now taken a spin π²#F1 #HungarianGP ππΊ pic.twitter.com/Ghojao4Tat
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 2, 2019
Vettel promoted himself to P2 with a 1:17.399 to go 0.16s shy of Hamilton, while Verstappen was less than a tenth further back.
Verstappen moved up to P2 but went for another spin, claiming he couldn’t believe how “sensitive” the RB15 was.
With just a few minutes to go we also knew Bottas wouldn’t be setting a time in FP1.
Valtteri Bottas is the only driver to not set a time in FP1
The hard work continues ahead of FP2 πͺ#F1 #HungarianGP ππΊ pic.twitter.com/4EMXhz1cnW
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 2, 2019
A mixed session for the Silver Arrows with Hamilton topping the standings, while Bottas propped them up.
π TOP 10: END OF FP1 π
1 HAM πΈ
2 VER
3 VET
4 GAS
5 MAG
6 LEC
7 HUL
8 NOR
9 SAI
10 RAI#F1 #HungarianGP ππΊ pic.twitter.com/KeCCbWqGGf— Formula 1 (@F1) August 2, 2019
Lando Norris was called to the stewards room between sessions for stopping in the fast lane of the pits in FP1, he escaped after it turned out he had stalled the MCL34.
No further action for Lando Norris after he stopped in the pit lane. Norris stalled the car after the team asked him to conduct a βbite point findβ.
— GPToday.net (@GPToday_net) August 2, 2019
The red flags were out early when Alex Albon binned his Toro Rosso at Turn 14.
RED FLAG: A nightmare start to FP2 for Alex Albon π΄
He is off after losing control on Turn 14 #F1 #HungarianGP ππΊ pic.twitter.com/UQoZiaDiWU
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 2, 2019
Daniil Kvyat, the sole surviving Toro Rosso returned to the pits with just over an hour to go as the rain got heavier.
He was joined in doing so by most of the drivers.
The rain starts to pick up again so Dany returns to the garage π§ #HungarianGP ππΊ pic.twitter.com/60LoWekrGQ
— Toro Rosso (@ToroRosso) August 2, 2019
Bottas, Norris and Antonio Giovinazzi had a trip around the circuit on inters.
.@ValtteriBottas tried the intermediate tyre earlier. A shame that nobody has gone on the blue full wet yet: itβs the only tyre not be used so far today. pic.twitter.com/3UmNaswBCH
— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) August 2, 2019
The drizzle put the circuit in an awkward position between compounds and on-track action became extremely limited.
But, as the rain came down heavier, a few thought ‘ah what the hell let’s go for it’.
Out for some intermediate fun π§ #HungarianGP ππΊ pic.twitter.com/cW3zMQeB1y
— ROKiT WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) August 2, 2019
Gasly headed a Red Bull one-two ahead of Verstappen, not that it will mean much in the context of the race weekend.
π TOP 10: END OF FP2 π
1 GAS
2 VER
3 HAM πΈ
4 BOT
5 RIC
6 RAI
7 LEC
8 HUL
9 GIO
10 KVY#F1 #HungarianGP ππΊ pic.twitter.com/Ki2n2EfFk6— Formula 1 (@F1) August 2, 2019
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