Qualifying updates and lap instances as Lewis Hamilton eyes pole

Weekend preview by Kieran Jackson

Two follow laps. That’s all it took for Sergio Perez to point out – a lot to his personal astonishment – how the Red Bull pendulum has swung forward of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. From a place of such power three months in the past off the again of two wins in 4 races, the Mexican’s spot on the runaway leaders in Formula 1 seems to be shrouded in additional doubt because the weeks go on.

On Friday, barely 5 minutes into first follow on the brief and twisty Hungaroring in Budapest, Perez inexplicably clipped the grass and crashed closely into the barrier at flip 5. The shunt is an indication of the instances.

F1 is trialling a brand new ‘alternative qualifying format’ this weekend in Hungary. It was initially set to debut in Imola in May however that race was cancelled.

The format is as follows: timings would be the similar, however tyre allocations is not going to.

Could effectively boost the pecking order!

Analysis by Kieran Jackson

Within the Red Bull ecosystem, encompassing two groups on the Formula 1 grid and the junior staff under, there isn’t a doubting who the senior statesman is. When Dr Helmut Marko speaks, individuals hear. And for Nyck de Vries, the writing has been on the wall for some time now.

Asked after the British Grand Prix whether or not Red Bull’s ‘third driver’ Daniel Ricciardo may substitute De Vries at Red Bull’s sister staff AlphaTauri, Marko grinned. A smile which informed us every part we have to know. “We’ll have the tyre test next week and then we’ll see,” he said.

That check, with Ricciardo within the cockpit of Red Bull’s RB19 rocketship for the primary time this season, passed off on Tuesday morning at Silverstone. Hours later, the Australian’s return to F1 was confirmed.

3) Aston Martin – 181 factors

10) AlphaTauri – 2 factors

The seven-time world champion ended the concluding one-hour working earlier than qualifying on the Hungaroring 0.250 seconds away from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Comment by Kieran Jackson

At the start of the season, a mere 10 races in the past, Lando Norris endured an opener of excruciating torment in Bahrain. With his stricken McLaren impacted by a “pneumatic pressure leak”, the Brit valiantly took the chequered flag in lifeless final after pitting an astonishing six instances all through the race. It was, merely, a shambles.

But that now appears nothing however a distant reminiscence, 4 months on within the secure haven of the British Isles.

Most observers didn’t elevate an eyebrow when McLaren introduced quite a few upgrades to their automotive forward of the Austrian Grand Prix final week. It is the section of the season the place each staff is altering components in quest of that further tenth or two of velocity. Usually, by the use of pure development, the development is gradual. Yet out of an abyss of doom to begin 2023, the papaya have come storming again into competition.

F1 is trialling a brand new ‘alternative qualifying format’ this weekend in Hungary. It was initially set to debut in Imola in May however that race was cancelled.

The format is as follows: timings would be the similar, however tyre allocations is not going to.

Could effectively boost the pecking order!

“We haven’t signed it but emotionally we have!”

“This tyre format is weird, no one understands where you are. Put on the softs and the grip was very good, Lewis is able to add another two and three tenths.

“George was saying the car was completely transformed with the soft on. A second quicker. We don’t see how we can run it in the race though.

“If teams just drive one tyre in FP1 or FP2, it doesn’t make any sense. You can’t really understand the pecking order. It’s not broken, let’s keep it.

“To a large degree we’re on next year’s car. Slowly but surely everything is transitioning to next year.”