When Lewis Hamilton took the chequered flag first final day trip at Silverstone, he managed to set yet one more all-time report in his extraordinarily embellished F1 profession with an unprecedented ninth grand prix victory on the identical circuit.
However regardless of ready virtually three years to report his 104th grand prix victory, he now has the chance to equal his personal recently-set report at one other circuit the place he has virtually owned the highest step of the rostrum – the Hungaroring.
With 9 pole positions, eight wins and 11 podium finishes from his 17 begins in Hungary – together with final 12 months’s pole place right here in 2023 – there may be maybe no higher monitor for Hamilton to attempt to construct on his Silverstone success and Mercedes’ two-race win streak than the twisty 4.38km course. In spite of everything, even the W15’s two tempestuous predecessors fared higher on the low-speed circuit than most venues on the calendar.
But when Mercedes and Hamilton have been hoping to cost into Budapest with their heads held excessive and be within the combat for a hat trick of wins, the staff could have come away from Friday much less energised than they’d have hoped. And never simply due to all the additional work they needed to do fixing the CrowdStrike issues on all their paddock tech.
On the finish of the day, Hamilton was solely seventh-fastest, slightly below a tenth of a second slower than staff mate George Russell and half a second adrift of Lando Norris’s finest time of the day for McLaren.
“We’ve probably not been on kind right this moment,” Hamilton admitted after apply. “The automobile hasn’t felt good, set-up sensible, however I believe we’ve got an thought why and we’ll simply work in a single day – however not the perfect prep up to now.”
On his quickest lap within the second session, Hamilton was pretty evenly-matched with each Norris and Max Verstappen over the primary half of the lap – thanks partly to the superior high pace he reached on the finish of the straight. However as soon as it got here to the twisty part of the circuit after the chicane, Hamilton misplaced time from the sweepers all the best way till reaching the chequered flag.
Advert | Turn into a RaceFans supporter and
Hamilton recommended {that a} setting the staff had adjusted on his automobile forward of the weekend could not have had the specified impact on lap time, however that it may very well be simply reverted.
“There’s a specific factor that we turned into this weekend that we in all probability want to return on,” he defined. “Nevertheless it’s all comparatively shut, in any other case. I believe we couldn’t do the tempo the opposite guys did right this moment, however the long term tempo was fairly first rate on the finish.”
Hamilton was distinctive amongst his rivals on the entrance of the sphere in that he was the one of the Mercedes, Purple Bull, McLaren or Ferrari drivers to run his high-fuel runs in second apply with the comfortable tyre. Russell, the Purple Bull pair and Carlos Sainz Jnr all selected the mediums for his or her runs, whereas the McLarens of Norris and Oscar Piastri each ran the laborious tyres.
It was a extremely popular begin to the weekend in Hungary, with monitor temperatures touching 60C within the opening hour of apply. Pirelli famous that it was the third-hottest day on monitor motion that they had skilled since changing into the game’s tyre provider again in 2011.
Whereas the circuit cooled down dramatically for the night’s second apply session, circumstances have been nonetheless not absolutely consultant of what groups can count on for the grand prix. Not one of the three apply classes over Friday and Saturday are scheduled for a similar 3pm time slot as the beginning of the race. As such, groups assorted their tyre methods. McLaren opted for a gentler method, whereas Purple Bull seemed extra eager to check how shortly Perez’s mediums would fade when pressed.
Though direct comparisons are difficult, given the totally different compounds, there are indicators that Purple Bull and McLaren will once more be locked in a detailed battle for supremacy this weekend. Purple Bull have solely been in a position to deliver one full raft of upgrades to the Hungaroring this weekend, with, unsurprisingly, Verstappen getting the total good thing about them. However regardless of lacking out on having the optimum Purple Bull package deal, in idea, Sergio Perez was far happier on the finish of Friday than he so typically has been in latest months, saying that this was “essentially the most snug I’ve felt with the automobile at this stage of the weekend shortly.”
Norris was quickest over a single lap, however even his long term on the laborious tyres seemed promising, matching or being even sooner than Verstappen’s runs on the mediums, which have been barely slower however extra constant. Sadly for Ferrari followers, Charles Leclerc missed out on any alternative to get a long term in after crashing out of the session early. Nonetheless, even Sainz’s high-fuel runs would have finished little to assist his staff really feel like they’re any nearer to preventing for extra wins this weekend.
Advert | Turn into a RaceFans supporter and
As a substitute, it appears as if the combat for pole place may very well be between the world champions and McLaren – with Perez probably a real issue on the entrance as soon as once more. However Norris and Piastri can have a tough prospect to maintain the Purple Bulls off the highest spot, as recommended by how Verstappen and Perez have been quickest by sectors two and three, respectively, on their quickest laps of Friday whereas Norris forward solely by the opening sector.
That might point out that the Purple Bulls are each robust by the medium-to-higher pace corners on the monitor, whereas McLaren might have the sting within the heavy braking zones in the beginning and finish of the lap. Both manner, Norris is aware of he’s in for a tricky combat on Saturday.
“ first day, however undoubtedly slightly bit extra work to do if we need to be a bit extra snug,” Norris stated.
“I really feel like we’ve got the pace within the automobile, it’s simply having the ability to ship it when you have to. It felt good right this moment, however undoubtedly slightly bit extra from a consolation aspect than I would love. Simply so I can ship slightly bit greater than only one lap a day.”
Whether or not Norris is ready to take the combat to Verstappen as soon as once more or if even Mercedes find yourself with extra within the tank than they appeared to have on Friday, it’s wanting like Saturday may very well be pink scorching in Hungary in additional methods than one.
Mixed apply instances
Groups’ progress vs 2023
Advert | Turn into a RaceFans supporter and
Miss nothing from RaceFans
Get a each day e mail with all our newest tales – and nothing else. No advertising and marketing, no adverts. Enroll right here:
