Lando Norris, in the lead-up to the Hungarian Grand Prix, expressed his frustration over claims that he’s ‘too nice’ on the track when competing against Max Verstappen. Based on the second free practice, it’s highly likely that the two rivals and friends will once again battle for victory at the Hungaroring.
This year, Norris has missed out on several victories, due to strategic and tyre blunders. He’s frustrated that his tally in 2024 stands at just one GP victory. If he wants to challenge championship leader Max Verstappen this season, he needs to act quickly. However, the prospects for success in Hungary seem promising after the first training sessions. The McLaren MCL38 feels at home on the Hungaroring.
At exactly five o’clock UST, Nico Hülkenberg is the first driver to kick off the second free practice under the scorching Hungarian sun (32 degrees). Understandably, as the German veteran had to give up his car in the first session to reserve driver Oliver Bearman, who has been signed by Haas as a driver from 2025. Hülkenberg wants to continue the impressive streak of recent weeks, although the Hungaroring traditionally doesn’t suit Haas’ challenger.
In the second training hour, teams are primarily searching for the right tyre options for Sunday’s race. The extreme heat and consequently high asphalt temperature pose quite a few challenges on the short, twisty circuit. For Charles Leclerc, the search ends after fifteen minutes. He loses control of his Ferrari coming out of turn 4, crashes hard into the barriers, and is done. The medical car is dispatched as a precaution, but the Monegasque is unharmed. His car, however, has significant damage.
The removal of the Ferrari costs the entire field a quarter of an hour of playtime. This results in a busy track in the remaining thirty minutes. The fastest time set by Sergio Pérez in the opening minutes doesn’t last long. In the qualifying simulations on the fastest (red) tyre, George Russell is the first to beat it, followed by Lando Norris. The time clocked by the Brit in the McLaren (the only team that didn’t bring updates to Hungary) is not improved upon. Max Verstappen falls short by a quarter of a second, Carlos Sainz by almost fourteenth.
