2023-07-21 17:24:15
However, Leclerc was only 15/1000th ahead of the Briton Lando Norris (McLaren) during the 2nd session which took place on a dry circuit. Frenchman Pierre Gasly (Alpine) placed 3rd by just over two tenths.
“A fairly difficult day to understand and analyze compared to the others because we all have different programs but we have to improve the car on the few corners where it was not going too well today. We will see tomorrow (Saturday) where we are compared to the others, “said Leclerc.
The relative disappointment came from the Red Bulls, who have won every race since the start of the season and are aiming for a 12th consecutive victory in Hungary. Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion and current championship leader, did not turn in the first session due to rain and he might do no better than 11th in the second.
His team-mate Sergio Pérez had another dark day when he left the track at the very start of the first session, when it was not yet raining, damaging the front axle of his car.
This might be repaired in time for the 2nd but the Mexican might not do better than the 18th time. “Going off the track in the first session was my fault,” he admitted.
In addition, the teams must, from this GP of Hungary, come to terms with a new regulation which requires them to use certain types of tires in a defined order during the tests and this seems to handicap certain teams more than others, including Red Bull.
“With the new rules, you have a very limited number of tires to use and I didn’t want to wear them out today so that we might prepare better tomorrow” (Saturday), during the 3rd free practice session in the morning and for qualifying in the followingnoon, stressed Verstappen.
Disappointment also at Mercedes with only the 16th time for the Briton Lewis Hamilton and the 20th for his teammate and compatriot George Russell during the 2nd session. Russell had however achieved the best time of the 1st but in the rain.
Ricciardo 14e
Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who returns to F1 with AlphaTauri following several months of absence, set the 14th time for his return.
“There is obviously a lot of attention around me but as soon as I put on the helmet and sit in the car, everything is familiar, as if I had never left,” he said.
His compatriot Oscar Piastri, who replaced him at McLaren at the end of the last season, had some setbacks by damaging his car and only achieved the 19th and penultimate time of the 2nd session.
The other McLaren driver, Briton Lando Norris, confirmed the return to form of the orange single-seaters following their good results at the previous British GP with his 2nd time.
McLaren is in the fight with Alpine for 5th place in the championship. Pierre Gasly’s good time just behind Norris in the second session reassured the French team, whose two single-seaters had retired at Silverstone. His teammate Esteban Ocon is 5th.
Alpine had announced the replacement at its head of Laurent Rossi by Philippe Krief, who came from Ferrari. The French team finished the 2022 season in 4th place among manufacturers and hoped to do at least as well in 2023. But it is already well behind the first four (in order Red Bull, Mercedes, Aston Martin and Ferrari) and has just been overtaken by McLaren in the provisional classification.
“I’m happy with the work done today and it feels good to be in the top three. The car is working well and consistently and we still need to work on some things to get faster before qualifying tomorrow (Saturday),” said Gasly.
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