Norris splits pace-setting Ferraris in second Hungarian practice

Charles Leclerc led the way in second practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Lando Norris beating efforts from Carlos Sainz and Formula 1 championship leader Max Verstappen to set the second-fastest time.

Key moments

– Leclerc fastest ahead of Norris
– Albon spins at first corner
– Leclerc reports low torque in first gear
– Verstappen experiences engine oscillations

Leclerc set the early pace for Ferrari in the second practice session as he headed Ferrari team-mate and FP1 pacesetter Sainz by more than six tenths of a second on their medium-tyre runs.

Norris, who had earlier been a strong fourth in FP1 for McLaren, was among the first to try the soft tyre in FP2 and went fastest by close to four tenths – though he did run wide out of the final corner on his push lap, which would likely have been deleted for infringing track limits had it been qualifying.

It was nevertheless an impressive lap, with Sainz failing to beat it – his first timed attempt having been aborted after coming across Nicholas Latifi’s Williams on the run to Turn 4 – and Leclerc only two tenths up the road.

Leclerc did have a brief scare in the session when he reported the “torque is very, very low” in first gear – something he said he’d never experienced before.

Ferrari brought him back in after that but sent him out again before the end of the session – albeit after hitting a jack while trying to exit the garage.

McLaren’s strong Friday was completed by Daniel Ricciardo, who was fifth fastest in the second MCL36 and clear of the rest of the midfield.

Verstappen was half a tenth behind Sainz in fourth, and as in FP1 fared much better on single-lap pace than team-mate Sergio Perez.

The second Red Bull was only ninth fastest behind Fernando Alonso’s Alpine, the upgraded Aston Martin of Sebastian Vettel and George Russell’s Mercedes.

“I think the car has too much understeer and we are trying too much with the tools in the low speed,” said Perez, likely referencing the means by which he could adjust the car’s balance in the cockpit.

While Mercedes’ pace looked solid in FP1, with Russell fifth fastest, both drivers endured more struggles in FP2.

Russell was again fastest of the two but ended the session more than nine tenths off the pace. He asked “What the hell is going on at Turn 1? [I] just cannot get round the corner without locking” while on his single-lap runs, and was later asked to manage his power unit temperature by lifting and coasting for an extra 100 metres.

Lewis Hamilton didn’t even make the top 10, ending up 11th behind the lead Alfa Romeo of Valtteri Bottas.

Alex Albon caused a brief yellow flag when he spun his Williams at the first corner. He was able to continue without the need for the session to be stopped, but ended up slowest of all.

Practice 2 Results