FP2: Norris dominates while Leclerc's crash causes red flag in Hungary
Lando Norris topped the timesheets during the second practice session at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where soaring temperatures and Charles Leclerc's dramatic crash punctuated the day's events.
As temperatures reached a scorching 31 degrees Celsius, drivers were keen to hit the circuit as soon as the green light appeared at 1700 local time. Among the early risers was Nico Hulkenberg, who returned to the track after rookie Oliver Bearman took his spot in FP1 for Haas.
Sergio Perez quickly set an initial benchmark, though teammate Max Verstappen expressed concerns over the team radio, stating, “My brakes are not working. They’re not biting.” Both Red Bull drivers ran medium tyres for their first outings, while McLaren opted for the hard compound, defying the trend.
With around 44 minutes left in the session, red flags were waived following Charles Leclerc's crash. The Monegasque took too much kerb heading into Turn 4, resulting in a spin that sent him into the barriers. Fortunately, Leclerc emerged unharmed, and marshals swiftly cleared the damaged Ferrari.
After a brief stoppage, the session resumed with under half an hour left, seeing most drivers switch to soft tyres for their fast laps. The drama continued as Zhou Guanyu's spin nearly collided with Perez’s Red Bull.
Ultimately, it was Lando Norris who set the pace with a blistering lap of 1m 17.788s in his McLaren, finishing 0.243s ahead of Max Verstappen. Carlos Sainz led Ferrari's charge in third, closely followed by Sergio Perez in fourth.
The Top Contenders
1st: Lando Norris (McLaren) - 1m 17.788s
2nd: Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - +0.243s
3rd: Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
4th: Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
5th: George Russell (Mercedes)
6th: Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
7th: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
8th: Daniel Ricciardo (RB)
9th: Alex Albon (Williams)
10th: Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
Valtteri Bottas secured 11th for Kick Sauber, as the team continues to hunt for their first points this season. Williams’ Logan Sargeant and McLaren's Oscar Piastri followed in 12th and 13th, with Piastri suffering from floor damage earlier in the session.
Alpine paired Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly in 14th and 16th, separated by Hulkenberg's Haas in 15th. Lance Stroll, running updated parts on his Aston Martin, ended the session in 17th.
Unable to rejoin after his crash, Charles Leclerc settled for 18th, with Yuki Tsunoda in 19th after undergoing a suspension change on his RB. Zhou Guanyu rounded out the field in 20th following his earlier spin.
As the day's activity concluded, teams and drivers will now scrutinize their data ahead of Saturday's final practice session, aiming to refine their strategies for the remainder of the weekend.
