Hungarian GP 2024
JULY 19, 2024
Practice 1 Report - Sainz leads session
© Ferrari
Ferrari kicked off the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend with a strong performance in FP1, as Carlos Sainz set the fastest lap time. Teammate Charles Leclerc secured the third spot, showcasing the potential of the SF-24 cars, which featured a modified floor aimed at addressing bouncing issues that had resurfaced following the Barcelona upgrade. Both Ferrari drivers used a set of Hard tyres during this session, a strategy only shared by Aston Martin.
From the onset, Sainz appeared at ease with the new car setup, delivering consistent performance throughout the session. Leclerc, however, faced challenges with front-end grip in the final sector, leading to occasional wide runs and a 0.3-second gap behind Sainz. Despite these struggles, Ferrari’s overall performance indicated promising improvements.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen managed to split the Ferrari duo, finishing the session in second place. Verstappen’s RB20 was the only Red Bull equipped with the complete upgraded package, highlighting the team’s strategic choices. Red Bull opted to use two sets of Soft tyres during FP1, potentially sacrificing their qualifying setup to preserve Medium and Hard compound tyres for the race, expected to be held under scorching conditions.
Initially unhappy with his car’s performance, Verstappen’s pace improved significantly after a few setup adjustments. His final gap to Sainz was 0.276 seconds, primarily lost in the final sector due to tyre wear after a quick first sector. Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Pérez, running only a partial upgrade, experienced delays due to aero testing and eventually finished 11th, over 0.4 seconds behind Verstappen.
Mercedes’ George Russell showed competitive pace with the new upgrades to the W15, securing the fourth quickest time. In contrast, Lewis Hamilton, despite the upgraded car, couldn’t match his teammate’s improvement on Soft tyres and ended up in P10. The close 0.15-second gap between the two Mercedes drivers highlighted the tight competition in the 2024 field.
McLaren’s performance was slightly off the pace, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finishing in P6 and P7, respectively. Both drivers were half a second behind Sainz, losing most of their time in the slow first sector of the track. The team is expected to work on their setup ahead of FP2 to address these issues.
Zhou Guanyu from Sauber emerged as a surprise, clocking the fifth-fastest time despite running with the old package. Zhou’s performance, likely boosted by a higher engine mode, followed a session where he lost time due to a loose bodywork panel. His teammate, Valtteri Bottas, the only Sauber driver with the new package, initially ran within the top five but dropped to P15 after struggling to improve on Soft tyres.
Yuki Tsunoda provided optimism for VCARB, achieving the eighth quickest time with a mostly updated package, blending new and old parts. His teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, was less content with his car’s balance, finishing P12, 0.3 seconds behind Tsunoda.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll managed to secure P9 using the standard AMR24, while Fernando Alonso, equipped with all the new parts, expressed frustration with his car’s balance and finished P13. Alonso’s vocal dissatisfaction highlighted the challenges faced by Aston Martin with their latest updates.
As the teams prepare for FP2, the close competition and varying upgrade strategies promise an exciting build-up to the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Ferrari and Red Bull setting the early pace and Mercedes and McLaren not far behind.