First Free Practice Report & Results 2024 Hungarian F1 GP

Event: Hungarian F1 Grand Prix
Track: Hungaroring circuit

Weather: dry  30.6-31.6°C
Tarmac: dry  58.1-57.0°C
Humidity : 39-36%
Wind : 4.6 km/h South

Hungaroring Heats Up as Sainz Tops First Practice

The 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix weekend kicked off under scorching conditions, with temperatures soaring to 30 degrees Celsius. The intense heat set the stage for an exciting first practice session at the Hungaroring, Budapest, marking Round 13 of the 24-race Formula 1 season.

Carlos Sainz emerged as the fastest driver in FP1, clocking an impressive 1m 18.713s. The Ferrari driver managed to hold off Red Bull's Max Verstappen by 0.276s, while his teammate Charles Leclerc secured third place, further highlighting Ferrari's improved form.

Red Bull's New Upgrades in Focus

Red Bull introduced a series of new upgrades for this race, aimed at regaining their winning momentum after being outpaced by Mercedes in Austria and Silverstone. Verstappen, who did not set his fastest lap on fresh tires, showed promising pace but admitted there is more to come. His teammate, Sergio Perez, ran only part of the upgrade package and ended the session in 10th position.

Mercedes and Alpine's Mixed Fortunes

Mercedes appeared competitive, with George Russell finishing fourth and Lewis Hamilton seventh. The team will be looking to build on this in the second practice session. Alpine, however, struggled, with Esteban Ocon only managing 18th and his teammate even further behind. The French outfit will need to find significant improvements to be competitive in qualifying.

Midfield Battles and Driver Rumors

The midfield remains tightly packed, with several teams showing potential. Yuki Tsunoda secured eighth for AlphaTauri, while Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri of McLaren took fifth and sixth, respectively. Meanwhile, the driver market continues to buzz with rumors, including speculations about Esteban Ocon potentially joining Haas alongside Ollie Bearman for the next season.

Ferrari's Resurgence

Ferrari displayed a return to form, with Sainz leading the session and Leclerc overcoming a few off-track excursions to place third. The team's recent struggles with car balance seemed less evident today, giving them hope for a strong performance throughout the weekend.

Debut for Ollie Bearman

Ollie Bearman made his FP1 debut for Haas, substituting for Nico Hulkenberg. Bearman completed 11 laps on medium tires, focusing on gaining experience rather than setting competitive lap times.

Looking Ahead

As the chequered flag fell, drivers and teams turned their attention to the second practice session, scheduled for later in the day. With more upgrades to test and race simulations to run, FP2 promises to offer further insights into the competitive order for the weekend.

Quickest Sector Times

The quickest sector times during this first practice session where:

1. 28.356 sec. by Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
2. 27.865 sec. by Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
3. 22.492 sec. by Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

1:38,795 min was the fastest lap time of last year's (wet) FP1 in Hungary. It was clocked by George Russell with the Ferrari F1-75.

FP1 Times Table 2024 Hungarian GP

✅ Don't forget to check out our 2024 Hungarian F1 Grand Prix preview info.

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