Run without respite. Red Bull and Mercedes, the duel continues at the Hungaroring: in the morning, in the first free practice session, Verstappen was the fastest ahead of Bottas and Hamilton. In the afternoon the parties are reversed. The Black Arrows dominate the Budapest track and send a strong message in view of Saturday’s qualifying: Valtteri lapped a tenth faster than Lewis, Verstappen is three tenths behind. Then Ocon and Perez. In Hungary, pole is important, there are not many points to overtake: the last race before the summer break comes after the clash at Silverstone between Hamilton and Verstappen and the controversy that followed.
Ferrari was gone quite well in the first round (Sainz 4th and Leclerc 7th), then took a step back when the temperatures went up. The Monegasque has closed 11th ahead of the Spaniard. Maranello’s goal is to stay ahead of McLaren, Leclerc’s second place in England sparked hopes for progress. But each track now has its own story: in Hungary the race pace of the Reds was not bad, the problem is finding the starting point in qualifying.
Red Bull lost the appeal, asking for a review of the 10 ” fine in Hamilton, but wasted time and money renting the English circuit by simulating the dynamics with Alexander Albon who “played” Hamilton. Mercedes welcomed the news with a harsh note against Christian Horner and Helmut Marko (without ever naming them), accused of “tarnishing Hamilton’s reputation and image”. “Now they have to stop” is the gist of it. Phrases that obviously were not liked within the blue team, the feeling is that really anything can happen at the first corner. Or nothing.
July 30, 2021 (change July 30, 2021 | 16:24)
© Time.News