Lando Norris set an eye-catching pace in his McLaren to beat Max Verstappen and the rest of the leading F1 pack in a Practice Two session where Charles Leclerc crashed out for Ferrari.
Norris, Verstappen’s nearest challenger in the championship who could have conceivably won five of the past six races instead of none, laid down an early marker for the weekend at a scorching Hungaroring with a best lap on the soft-tyre runs that put the Briton 0.243s clear of the second-placed Red Bull.
Carlos Sainz, who had set the pace in the opening session was third for Ferrari, albeit almost four tenths off Norris’ pace, with Mercedes – the winners of the past two grands prix – nearly half a second back in fifth with George Russell.
Under-pressure Sergio Perez was fourth, two tenths away from team-mate Verstappen despite having most but not all of Red Bull’s car upgrades for this weekend, while British GP victor Lewis Hamilton was seventh quickest in the other Mercedes.
But it was another session to forget for Leclerc, whose involvement in it ended after just 16 minutes when the Ferrari driver crashed out at high-speed rounding Turn Four.
On a weekend where he is aiming to hit back to form after a series of difficult races, the Monegasque lost control of his car after going over the outside kerb on the exit of the sharp left-hander and spun around, with the SF-24 slewing across the track.
The car then scraped along the outside barrier, taking much of the advertising hoarding covering the Armco with it, before coming to rest in the run-off area at the following corner.
Leclerc was on just his eighth lap of the session at the time and Ferrari will now assess the consequences of the crash in terms of car damage for the remainder of the weekend.
One solace for the Scuderia is that, on a slower-speed circuit that should better suit their car anyway, the car appeared more competitive following revisions to its floor.
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Zhou Guanyu was inches away from crashing into Sergio Perez during practice two at the Hungarian Grand Prix
Having finished sixth with Nico Hulkenberg at the past two races, team-mate Kevin Magnussen claimed that same position for Haas in Friday’s second session at the Hungaroring, just ahead of Hamilton.
Daniel Ricciardo was a promising eighth-quickest in the second Red Bull ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon and the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso.
More to follow…
Sky Sports F1’s live Hungarian GP schedule
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Sky F1’s Anthony Davidson takes a look at the iconic Hungaroring track ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix
Saturday July 20
8:45am: F3 Sprint
11.15am: Hungarian GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.15pm: Hungarian GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: Hungarian GP Qualifying
5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday July 21
7:20am: F3 Feature Race
9am: F2 Feature Race
11am: Porsche Supercup
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday – Hungarian GP build-up
2pm: The HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Hungarian GP reaction
5pm: Ted’s Notebook
Next up for F1 is the Hungarian Grand Prix from Budapest on July 19-21. You can watch every session live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime