Charles Leclerc did not want to waste time: in the second free practice session of the Hungarian GP the Ferrari driver wanted to give a break with Ferrari. The Monegasque arrived at 1’18 “445 on soft tires, leaving a trio of pursuers with a couple of tenths of a second. The Principino wanted to measure the Magyar track to try to build that winning weekend that must redeem Paul’s disappointment. Ricard.
Charles does not seem to have been affected by the crash at Castellet and did not let himself be influenced by Lando Norris capable of bringing McLaren to 217 thousandths from the red with a very aggressive lap that also included the passage on the ground. The MCL36 in the high load configuration seems to work well, as Daniel Ricciardo also reached the fifth position with a gap of only two tenths from the team comaapgno, being able to count on a more thrusting Mercedes engine mapping.
If there were no “spoiler” Norris, Ferrari would have shown that they have the potential to build a red double. The Spaniard, author of 1’18 “676, did not find a clean lap, but the best indications come from the race pace of the Madrid rider who flew with the reds, confirming the excellent balance of F1-75. Charles Leclerc started his simulation in lightweight delay after having flattened the front right when braking and after having accused a problem in the management of the engine which was then solved.
Red Bull came 283 thousandths from Leclerc with Max Verstappen in the flying lap, but the Dutchman’s difference in the long run has become clearer that goes well beyond fourth position. If Max complains, Sergio Perez seems missing with the other RB18 forced only to the ninth place with a gap of seven tenths from the world champion. It is evident that at Milton Keynes they cannot keep up with the pace of the Ferrari which on this track seems capable of dictating another step.
Behind a recovering McLaren (the new aerodynamic package introduced in France seems to be working) came Fernando Alonso with the Alpine, while Esteban Ocon is only 13th. And behind the Spaniard who celebrates his birthday, Sebastian Vettel climbed with the Aston Martin that seems to work with the new rear wing that is causing the paddock to be discussed for the reappearance of the side bulkheads, an idea by Luca Furbatto that seems to work a lot well, even if Lance Stroll didn’t go beyond 14th place.
Behind a dull Sergio Perez, ninth, here comes Valtteri Bottas with Alfa Romeo: the Finn, who had missed the first round having left the C42 to tester Robert Kubica, had no problems in getting to the positions that matter immediately.
And the Mercedes? George Russell is eighth, while Lewis Hamilton has remained out of the top 10. The W13 suffers from endemic understeer which does not allow the riders to easily get into the rope. If France had given Brackley’s team a smile, Hungary has extinguished a lot of enthusiasm.
Guanyu Zhou is 12th with the second C42, while Pierre Gasly immediately behind Lance Stroll has to be satisfied with the 14th position and the leadership in AlphaTauri with Yuki Tsunoda only 19th with the AT03.
The evolved Haas that was entrusted to Kevin Magnussen continues not to impress: the Dane preceded Mick Schumacher with the old one by just 167 thousandths. The potential has not yet come out, yet the Hungaroring should be the track to enhance the qualities of the Ferrari clone …
Nicholas Latifi closes the day with the 18th position with Williams, leaving Alex Albon the role of rear: the Anglo-Thai was the author of a straight in braking at turn 1 and after the spin he returned to the pits sadly with something that was not working properly …
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