FP2: Norris sets the pace while Leclerc brings out red flags during second practice in Hungary

Lando Norris ended the opening day of action at the Hungarian Grand Prix on top after going fastest in second practice, a session that was interrupted following an earlier crash for Charles Leclerc.

Amid air temperatures soaring to 31 degrees Celsius, several drivers were quick to hit the track as the green light showed at 1700 local time. Amongst them was Nico Hulkenberg, who had sat out FP1 to hand his Haas over to rookie driver Oliver Bearman.

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While Sergio Perez set an early benchmark in the initial laps, team mate Max Verstappen reported over the radio, “My brakes are not working. They’re not biting”. Like the majority of the field, both Red Bulls were running the medium tyres for their first runs, with just McLaren bucking the trend on the hard compound.

With around 44 minutes left on the clock, the red flags were thrown when Leclerc took too much kerb heading into Turn 4 and subsequently spun off the track into the barriers. Fortunately the Monegasque emerged unharmed, while his stricken Ferrari was recovered by the marshals.

Following a pause in proceedings, the action resumed with less than half an hour remaining and most of the pack had bolted on the soft tyre for their fast laps. There was soon further drama, however, when Zhou Guanyu suffered a spin and only narrowly avoided collecting the Red Bull of Perez.

As the quick laps came in, Norris put himself at the top of the timesheets with an effort of 1m 17.788s in the McLaren, putting him 0.243s clear of Verstappen, while Carlos Sainz was the lead Ferrari in third ahead of Perez in fourth.

FP1: Sainz heads Verstappen and Leclerc during first practice in Hungary

George Russell put his Mercedes into fifth place, with Kevin Magnussen going sixth in the Haas and the Silver Arrows machine of Lewis Hamilton following in seventh.

Daniel Ricciardo claimed P8 in the RB, while Williams’ Alex Albon and Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin completed the top 10 in P9 and P10 respectively.

Valtteri Bottas was 11th for Kick Sauber as the team continue to search for their first points of the season, ahead of the Williams of Logan Sargeant in 12th and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in 13th, who seemed to lose some time in the garage during the session after suffering floor damage.

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly took P14 and P16, separated by the Haas of Hulkenberg in P15, and Lance Stroll – running the updates on his Aston Martin that had earlier been bolted onto Alonso’s car – ended the hour down in P17.

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Leclerc was unable to rejoin the session, leaving him in 18th place, while Yuki Tsunoda was 19th after his RB underwent a suspension change earlier in the session. Zhou, meanwhile, brought up the rear in 20th.

With the day’s track action now complete, the drivers and teams will examine their data before returning for third and final practice on Saturday at 1230 local time, ahead of qualifying later in the day.