Norris Impresses in Hungarian GP Practice while Leclerc Crashes

In an eventful practice session at the Hungarian Grand Prix, McLaren driver Lando Norris demonstrated impressive pace, topping the timesheets. However, the session was marred by a heavy crash involving Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, BBC reported.

Norris set a blistering pace, finishing 0.243 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen in the upgraded Red Bull. Carlos Sainz, driving for Ferrari, claimed the third spot on the timings, trailing Norris by 0.397 seconds.

Red Bull's Sergio Perez secured the fourth-fastest time, while George Russell of Mercedes finished in fifth place. Lewis Hamilton, Russell's teammate, settled for seventh, with Kevin Magnussen from Haas in sixth place.

Leclerc's accident occurred at Turn Four, the fastest corner on the circuit when he lost control of his Ferrari. A sudden oversteer threw him off onto the exit curb, resulting in a spin and collision with the barriers on the opposite side of the track.

Despite the high speeds involved in the crash, Leclerc's car surprisingly sustained minimal damage, as it went into the barriers rear-first before the front-left corner also suffered an impact.

Shortly after the session resumed, WeRace Sauber Academy driver Zhou Guanyu also encountered a potentially similar incident. He spun at Turn Four, nearly colliding with Perez's Red Bull before safely regaining control. His frustrated reaction over the team radio highlighted his displeasure towards the Mexican driver.

Elsewhere on the timesheet, Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull finished eighth, with Williams' Alex Albon and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso rounding out the top ten. Norris expressed satisfaction with his performance but mentioned a desire for further comfort in the car to deliver optimal laps.

Meanwhile, Verstappen lauded Red Bull's upgrades, while Hamilton and Russell acknowledged their struggle for pace in the heat, which mirrors challenges they faced in previous races in Spain and Austria.

The Friday practice session in Hungary posed a unique challenge for teams, especially Mercedes, as it encompasses rear-limited tracks at high temperatures. Mercedes' trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin, echoed this sentiment but remained optimistic about their prospects.

Ferrari ran a modified floor aimed at addressing aerodynamic issues caused by a previous update. In FP1, they showcased their progress, holding the lead with their upgraded floor, which aims to rectify recent bouncing issues that affected their competitiveness.

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