George Russell set the fastest times for Mercedes ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in Friday’s rainy opening practice for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. In a wet session punctuated by crashes – including one from Red Bull’s pressuring Sergio Perez – and red flags, Australian rookie Piastri clocked a best lap in 1 minute 38.795 seconds to beat Britain’s Russell by three-tenths of a second. Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin was third fastest ahead of Lando Norris in the second McLaren, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas.
Defending champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes both chose not to drive in the risky conditions.
Perez had previously crashed on his first installation lap, badly damaging the front of this car.
On a clear, but overcast day, the session started with an intense focus on Daniel Ricciardo’s return to action with Alpha Tauri and Perez’s response to pressure at Red Bull.
The Australian’s big, beaming smile was evident in the opening seconds of the broadcast as Russell led the pack out of the pit lane, only for an instant red flag when the hapless Perez lost control and crashed in turn five.
On his first installation lap, he dropped two wheels on the grass and spun into the barriers, damaging the front half of his car and destroying the front wing.
“I can’t believe this,” said Perez, who is making a bid this weekend to end a run of poor qualifying performances stretching back five races before the Miami Grand Prix.
After a nine-minute delay, the session resumed with torrential rain forcing the teams to pit their cars and wait for the storm to pass.
Hamilton made a brief detour to test conditions on intermediates, followed by Ocon, but only for one lap each before Norris and Piastri, in the two McLarens, also retired – and the rain intensified.
As the rain eased, with 16 minutes remaining, Valtteri Bottas went out to provide brief entertainment, clocking a lap time of 1:47.787 in his Alfa Romeo. It only put him at the top.
Verstappen followed him but within a minute Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz took off to cause another red flag stoppage, the Spaniard glancing at the barriers after hurling out of turn three where his car ‘beached’ before marshals pushed him back into action.
The session resumed with 10 minutes remaining and Logan Sargeant and his Williams team-mate Alex Albon led the times, having completed a lap just before the stoppage.
Their lofty position was soon lost as Nico Hulkenberg and then Alonso went top ahead of Haas and Aston Martin respectively ahead of the arrival of Ferrari’s Leclerc, as times tumbled in the closing minutes.
(This story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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