Hungarian GP 2015

JULY 24, 2015

Practice 1 Report - Upside down

Lewis Hamilton
© The Cahier Archive

 

Sergio Perez ended FP1 upside down in his Force India - a broken suspension triggered the accident. He crawled out of the car unhurt. Lewis Hamilton ended the session top side up and on top of the timing screens in his Mercedes.

The ambient temperature at the start of the 90-minute session was 81 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Centigrade) and the track temperature was 102 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Centigrade.)

The line-up for the weekend was: Mercedes - Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Red Bull Renault - Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat. Williams Mercedes - Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas. Ferrari - Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen. McLaren Honda - Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button. Force India Mercedes - Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez. Toro Rosso Renault - Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz. Lotus Mercedes - Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado. Marussia Ferrari - Will Stevens and Roberto Merhi. Sauber - Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr.

Jolyon Palmer drove Grosjean's Lotus in FP1, and Fabio Leimer was in Merhi's Marussia.

The drivers were still somewhat in a state of shock after the recent death of Jules Bianchi.

"I was there (at funeral) but I don't want to speak too much about it," Button said. "For all of us, absolutely devastated. Obviously Jules was in a critical condition for so long but it's still a massive shock when you hear the news he's passed away so tough for everyone in the sport, a lot more difficult for his close family and friends and we will respect their privacy.

"As racing drivers when one of your competitors and friends passes away it's a very tough time, but it doesn't stop you from jumping in the car the next day - it's what we do, it's the way the sport is. I'm sure Jules would love to race flat out this weekend and give it our all for him."

Rosberg was the first to set a time around the 2.722-mile (4.381-km) 14-turn circuit when he clocked a 1:29.215, and he then improved that to a 1:27.306.

16 minutes into the session, Hamilton beat that with a 1:26.286 and then beat himself with a 1:25.291.

Only 10 drivers had set a lap time 20 minutes into the session, and the Lotus drivers had not even done an install lap yet. Rosberg improved to a 1:26.221.

30 minutes into the session, the top 10 were: Hamilton, Rosberg, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Verstappen, Sainz, Alonso, Bottas, Nasr and Massa. All the drivers were now in the pits having their cars prepared for the remaining 60 minutes of FP1.

46 minutes into the session, Nasr and Massa headed out.

With 38 minutes remaining in the session, Vettel set his first time - 1:26.867 - which put him seventh, and Kvyat was now fifth. Meanwhile, Raikkonen had snatched second place with a 1:25.812.

With 35 minutes remaining in the session, Rosberg reclaimed second place with a 1:25.719.

With 34 minutes remaining in the session, Perez flipped his car after the right rear suspension broke as he was coming out of Turn 11. He landed upside down but was able to climb out of the car. The red flags came out.

With 17 minutes remaining, the session was restarted. Many drivers headed out to get in as many laps as they could in the final minutes.

With 10 minutes remaining in the session, Rosberg set a 1:25.498 to take back second place.

With 6 minutes remaining in the session, the session was red flagged again after Raikkonen's front wing got shredded when he went over the curbs at Turn 12. The session was restarted with one minute remaining, and Ricciardo and several other drivers headed out.

The top 10 at the end of FP1 were: Hamilton, Rosberg, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Kvyat, Vettel, Sainz, Perez, Bottas and Verstappen.