Hungary – Free Practice 1: Hamilton and Rosberg dominate the competition with Mercedes
The first practice session of the Hungarian Grand Prix was marked by the domination of Mercedes, which relegated the Ferraris and Red Bulls to a distant second. Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time ahead of Nico Rosberg.
It is under gray and cloudy skies that the Hungarian weekend begins at the Hungaroring track. Rain fell overnight, leaving some traces of moisture in certain areas on a tarmac that was completely resurfaced during the winter. For the first time in Formula 1, the track has been equipped with connected curbs, aiming to better control drivers who go beyond the track limits.
At Renault, Esteban Ocon is preparing to participate in a new practice session. He takes the seat in Kevin Magnussen’s RS16, who will get back behind the wheel this afternoon. The young Monegasque Charles Leclerc also gets his chance at the wheel of the Haas, replacing Esteban Gutierrez.
In the first half hour, the track activity is not intense. All drivers nonetheless go out to perform their reconnaissance lap, before quickly returning to the pits to wait for the trajectory to dry completely to start their work.
There are patches of moisture on the track following showers overnight and early this morning#HungarianGP 🇭🇺 #FP1 pic.twitter.com/gC7PpXSp9n
— Formula 1 (@F1) 22 juillet /f1/actualite/21183-le-hungaroring-equipe-de-vibreurs-intelligents-.html
Valtteri Bottas is the first to launch his Williams on track with dry weather tires. He is followed by Fernando Alonso, who sets the first benchmark in his McLaren with a time of 1.27.172.
The two drivers have started the session and the other competitors are beginning to flow onto the track to set a first lap time. The two Ferrari drivers, Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen, even choose to fit the Super Soft tires on their cars.
At mid-session, all the drivers, except for Felipe Nasr in the Sauber, completed a fast lap on a track that is gaining speed as it dries. Notably, the McLaren of Jenson Button, despite having a car lacking balance according to its driver, climbed to 5th place in the provisional standings.
PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION (40 MINS INTO SESSION)#HungarianGP 🇭🇺 #FP1 pic.twitter.com/hUauMZKlOQ
— Formula 1 (@F1) 22 juillet /f1/actualite/21183-le-hungaroring-equipe-de-vibreurs-intelligents-.html
That’s when the two Mercedes drivers decide to also switch to Super Soft tires and take the opportunity to exchange the best time, putting their opponents more than two and a half seconds behind! Lewis Hamilton emerges victorious from his duel with Nico Rosberg with a 1:21.347, just 0.237s ahead of his teammate. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso spins at turn 14 but resumes without any issues.
In the last half-hour, a majority of drivers switch to Super Soft tires. Romain Grosjean propels his Haas to 5th place while his teammate from the morning, Charles Leclerc, makes a mistake in turn 6 without consequence. Sebastian Vettel gets within one and a half seconds of the best time still held by Hamilton.
STAND-IN STARS:
P15 Leclerc 📸 (@HaasF1Team)
P16 Ocon (@RenaultSportF1)#HungarianGP 🇭🇺 #FP1 pic.twitter.com/Zf80xJvPZ7— Formula 1 (@F1) 22 juillet 2016
No significant improvement occurs in the final minutes and the session concludes with the two best times held by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. The Mercedes once again crushed the competition, with their closest pursuers, the Ferraris, more than a second and a half behind, while the Red Bulls are relegated to 2 seconds behind!
Final timing screen for #FP1 at the #HungarianGP pic.twitter.com/tR4Ag5cdvv — Renault Sport F1 (@RenaultSportF1) 22 juillet
