Charles Leclerc topped a shaken-up dry second practice session at the Hungarian Grand Prix ahead of Lando Norris and Pierre Gasly.
Ferrari driver Leclerc used a new set of soft tires to set a best time of 1m17.686s to pip McLarenâs Norris by just 0.015s, with Gaslyâs Alpine a further 0.217s adrift.
The final hour of Friday practice featured a diverse array of running plans that made comparisons between drivers difficult to make.
Continue reading on RACERRed Bull Racing and sister team AlphaTauri headline the schedule of upgrades for the Hungarian Grand Prix, with both making major aerodynamic revisions in Budapest.
Red Bull Racing has been dealing with a 10 percent reduction in development time owing to its penalty for breaching the 2021 cost cap and has thus far refrained from bringing major upgrades to the RB19 this season. The team has listed five major parts to the upgrade package applied at the Hungaroring, though four of those components have reliability listed as their primary purpose.
The car has enlarged front and rear brake ducts that will help deal with the higher braking energy generated around the twisty Budapest circuit, The rear duct exits will also add local load.
Continue reading on RACERGeorge Russell topped a wet first practice hour at the Hungarian Grand Prix after Sergio Perez spun into the barriers just three minutes into the session.
Perez was two laps into his run plan when he dipped his left wheels onto the grass getting on the brakes at Turn 5, sending him sliding out of control towards the outside barrier on exit. His upgraded Red Bull Racing car crunched its left-front corner into the wall, forcing a red flag to retrieve it from the circuit.
âI cannot believe this,â the distraught Mexican said over team radio, acknowledging his rookie error.
Continue reading on RACERAlpine CEO Laurent Rossi has been replaced at the head of the French carmaker by vice-president Philippe Krief, effective immediately.
Rossi took up the CEO role in 2021 as the Formula 1 team transitioned from Renault to Alpine to increase visibility of the boutique car brand. The Frenchman will be shifted to a âspecial projectsâ role in the broader Groupe Renault.
Rossiâs hands-on reign featured the acquisition from Aston Martin of Otmar Szafnauer as team principal, but engineer Marcin Budkowski and French racing icon Alain Prost were collateral damage of his attempt to shake the team out of its midfield lethargy.
Continue reading on RACERRed Bull Racing sets its sights on a new record, but all anyone wants to talk about is Daniel Ricciardo’s sudden F1 comeback.
Lando Norris played down expectations of a strong result for McLaren this weekend at the Hungaroring, despite his stunning second-place finish in Silverstone.
The heavily upgraded MCL60 looked at home at the British Grand Prixâs fast, sweeping bends, qualifying second and third and finishing second and fourth, with Oscar Piastri missing out on a maiden podium thanks only to the timing of the safety car.
Further upgrades are due on the car this weekend, completing a three-race update cycle that Norris said was the largest he seen in his Formula 1 career. But despite the positivity around McLarenâs big step forward into the front-running pack, the Briton is anticipating tougher going in Budapest, where he doesnât expect the circuitâs slower layout to play to the carâs strengths.
Continue reading on RACERSergio Perez says he isnât concerned about the threat posed by Daniel Ricciardo being back on the grid despite the Australianâs intention to take his Red Bull Racing seat.
Ricciardo is Red Bull Racingâs reserve driver this season but has been loaned to the sister AlphaTauri team to replace the ousted Nyck de Vries for the rest of the year. The sudden switch was made after Ricciardo set a time quick enough to have been on the front row of the British Grand Prix during a Pirelli tire test at Silverstone last week.
The test came just days after Perez started the British race 16th, having been knocked out of Q1 for the third time this season. It was also the sixth time in 10 rounds he had failed to qualify inside the top 10 for a grand prix.
Continue reading on RACERDaniel Ricciardo is confident he can avoid the same mistakes that almost ended his career at McLaren in his 12-race stint with AlphaTauri.
Ricciardo arrived at McLaren as one of Formula 1âs most highly rated drivers but was mystifyingly incapable of coming to terms with Wokingâs cars across two different rule sets.
The eight-time race winnerâs problem stemmed from the McLarenâs particular demands on corner entry, with its comparatively weak front axle needing to be loaded up on braking in a way that didnât mesh with his driving style. Efforts to adjust his method behind the wheel generated little joy, and he was released from the team last year, with a year still to run on his contract.
Continue reading on RACERYuki Tsunoda believes former AlphaTauri teammate Nyck de Vries deserved at least two more races to prove himself before losing his seat.
De Vries was dropped from the team after only 10 grands prix to make way for the returning Daniel Ricciardo, who will line up in Faenza colors at this weekendâs Hungarian Grand Prix.
Red Bull management had expressed disappointment that de Vries hadnât been more competitive from the outset given his credentials as a Formula E and Formula 2 champion. Whispers had swirled for weeks that the Dutchman was set to be cut from the team, but Tsunoda said he was shocked that it came so suddenly, with two races still to run before the midseason break.
Continue reading on RACERFormula 1 mind coach Don Macpherson joins hosts Matt Clayton and Michael Lamonato to discuss his book ‘How To Master Your Monkey Mind’ (01:53), how he became involved in F1 through Sir Jack Brabham and which drivers he has worked with (07:00), the emotions of being alongside David Brabham at the tragic San Marino Grand Prix of 1994 (09:30), how drivers have become more aware of the benefits of using mind management techniques (17:15), Charles Leclerc’s well-publicised emotional reactions to adversity (20:20), which drivers on the 2022 grid maximise the mental side of the sport (25:50) and how aspiring F1ÂŽ drivers are employing mind-coaching techniques as early as karting (30:42).
This episode contains content that may be distressing to some listeners. If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this podcast, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Max Verstappen wins again to stretch his championship lead after Ferrari fumbles to turn second and third on the grid into fourth and sixth at the flag. Featuring Christian Menath, F1 managing editor, motorsport-magazin.com.
Fernando Alonso opens his superannuation account. We talk about the Hungarian Grand Prix for about four minutes and forget to mention Porsche.
Max Verstappen won the Hungarian Grand Prix and extended his championship lead again after a Ferrari strategy blunder cost Charles Leclerc another victory.
Verstappen started 10th but made strong progress in the opening stint to run fifth after 15 laps in time of the first pit stop window, when he undercut his way past Lewis Hamilton into fourth and within striking distance of the podium.
Meanwhile, at the front of the field pole-getter George Russellâs lead came under siege from the Ferrari drivers, with Carlos Sainz leading Charles Leclerc.
Continue reading on RACERNicholas Latifi took a shock top spot in a soaking-wet final practice session at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Latifi took the unlikely accolade with his final lap of the hour, when the previously saturated track was at its driest after a long break from the rain.
Running had been suspended for a little over five minutes to clear Sebastian Vettelâs crashed Aston Martin from the barriers at Turn 10 after aquaplaning on entry, sending his rear-right corner into the wall.
Continue reading on RACERCharles Leclerc beat Lando Norris to the top spot in second practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Leclerc guided his Ferrari to the top of the order with a best time of 1m18.445s with a fresh set of softs, pipping Norris by 0.217s.
The Monegasqueâs only blip for the day was an engine complaint that forced him back to his garage late in the hour, but he was released without problem shortly afterwards â albeit after striking a jack while trying to leave his garage.
Norrisâs best time had come slightly earlier in the session, the Briton being one of the first to lap on low fuel, and the lap proved quick enough to split the Ferrari drivers when time expired on the session, with Carlos Sainz a further 0.014s down in third.
Continue reading on RACERCarlos Sainz topped a busy first practice for Ferrari at the Hungarian Grand Prix ahead of Red Bull Racingâs Max Verstappen.
Ferrariâs SF-75 is expected to be the strongest car at the downforce-sensitive Hungaroring given its season-long cornering and acceleration advantage over the field, and Sainz put it to good use for a time of 1m 18.750s, beating Verstappenâs best effort by 0.13s. It was Sainzâs second hot lap on the one set of soft tires, hinting at greater reserves of pace.
Charles Leclerc was third and 0.289s slower than his teammate.
Continue reading on RACERGeorge Russell scored the first pole position of his career by charging to the top spot in the final seconds of qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix, after points leader Max Verstappen was forced to withdraw from Q3 with engine problems.
Mercedes had looked out of sorts all weekend, with poor balance on Friday and chronic tire temperature issue during wet Saturday practice, but the W13 switched it on in time for dry qualifying.
Russell wielded the machine to perfection. His first lap split the fancied Ferrari drivers for a provisional front row, but a sublime second lap shaved 0.6s off his personal best to pip Carlos Sainz to top spot by 0.044s, all without having set a single purple sector.
Continue reading on RACEREsteban Ocon won his maiden grand prix, but an exhausted Lewis Hamilton left Hungary happiest, having turned a once massive title deficit into a slender lead.