Second Free Practice Report & Results 2024 Hungarian F1 GP

Event: Hungarian F1 Grand Prix
Track: Hungaroring circuit

Weather: dry  31.3-30.8°C
Tarmac: dry  48.8-41.6°C
Humidity : 36-40%
Wind : 8.2 km/h South

Norris Leads the Pack in Eventful FP2 at Hungaroring

The second practice session (FP2) for the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring saw McLaren's Lando Norris setting the pace with a commanding performance, topping the timesheets with a lap time of 1m 17.788s. This session was marked by several significant incidents, including a dramatic crash by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Norris on Top

Lando Norris was the star of FP2, posting the fastest lap of the day. The McLaren driver was the only one to dip into the 1m 17s range, finishing 0.243 seconds ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Despite not showing their full hand in FP1, Norris and McLaren demonstrated impressive one-lap speed, putting them in a strong position heading into the weekend.

Verstappen Consistent on Long Runs

Max Verstappen continued to showcase Red Bull's strength with consistent performance during the longer runs. While he finished second in FP2, his pace on higher fuel loads suggests he will be a formidable competitor on race day. Verstappen's teammate, Sergio Perez, also had a solid session, ending up in the top five.

Leclerc's Costly Mistake

Charles Leclerc's session ended abruptly after he spun and crashed into the barriers between Turns 4 and 5. The Ferrari driver took too much curb, losing control and hitting the wall, bringing out the red flags. This incident limited Leclerc to just eight laps in FP2, potentially compromising his preparation for the rest of the weekend.

Zhou's Close Call

Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu nearly mirrored Leclerc's spin at the same spot but managed to avoid the barriers, narrowly missing Perez's car in the process. Zhou's incident highlighted the tricky conditions and the fine margins at the Hungaroring.

Varied Strategies and Track Conditions

As temperatures dropped from 60 degrees Celsius earlier in the day to around 45 degrees during FP2, teams experimented with different tire compounds. While most drivers completed their runs on medium and hard tires, some, like Lance Stroll and Lewis Hamilton, continued to test the softs. The data gathered from these runs will be crucial for strategy decisions in qualifying and the race.

Mechanical Issues and Upgrades

Oscar Piastri faced reliability issues, spending much of the session in the garage after floor damage and water pressure problems earlier in the day. Meanwhile, Aston Martin and Red Bull tested new upgrades, with Aston Martin aiming to regain ground lost in recent races.

Mercedes in the Mix

Mercedes showed competitive pace, with George Russell briefly topping the charts before Norris's late surge. Both Russell and Hamilton seem poised to challenge for strong positions, though they are cautious about their straight-line speed compared to Red Bull and McLaren.

Quickest Sector Times

The quickest sector times during this second practice session where:

1. 27.967 sec. by Lando Norris (McLaren)
2. 27.431 sec. by Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
3. 22.262 sec. by Lando Norris (McLaren)

With eight teams represented in the top ten, the competition is fierce heading into FP3 and qualifying. The final practice session, scheduled for 12:30 local time (10:30 UTC), will be crucial as teams finalize their setups and strategies. Stay tuned for more action from the Hungaroring as the drivers and teams prepare for what promises to be an exciting Hungarian Grand Prix weekend.

1:17.686 min was the fastest lap time of last year's (dry) FP2 in Hungary. It was clocked by Charles Leclerc with the Ferrari SF-23.

FP2 Times Table 2024 Hungarian GP

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

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