Leclerc Leads Red-Flagged Hungarian GP FP1 Despite Ferrari Stop

Leclerc sets the pace as Ferrari hits trouble

Charles Leclerc topped a disrupted first practice session ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, but Ferrari’s strong opening was tempered by a late stoppage that ended the Monegasque driver’s running.

Leclerc posted a best lap of 1m 19.075 before stopping at the entry to the pit lane. He reported a problem, forcing Ferrari mechanics to retrieve his SF-26 and costing him the closing minutes of the session. No driver improved after the incident as the field switched its focus to high-fuel running.

Max Verstappen finished second, five-tenths behind Leclerc, with Lewis Hamilton third. Isack Hadjar and George Russell completed the top five. Gabriel Bortoleto, Fred Vesti, Nico Hülkenberg, Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson filled the remaining positions in the top 10.

The result offers an early indication of Ferrari’s one-lap performance, but Leclerc’s interruption means the team lost valuable track time. The session therefore ended with pace at the front, but also an immediate reliability question to investigate.

Red flag disrupts Hungarian practice

FP1 was interrupted with 23 minutes remaining when Lance Stroll stopped after a rear suspension failure on Aston Martin’s heavily upgraded car. The component was one of 16 new parts fitted to the machine. The session resumed almost seven minutes later, leaving limited time for most drivers to complete their soft-tyre runs.

The upgrade package was consequently introduced in a difficult environment, with the red flag affecting the most important late-session performance comparisons. More on the significance of Aston Martin’s Hungary changes is available in our report on the team’s AMR26 upgrade.

Before the stoppage, Verstappen had led the timing screens with a 1m 19.559, ahead of Russell. They were the only drivers to have completed soft-tyre laps at that stage, while Leclerc was the fastest medium-tyre runner in third, seven-tenths off the pace.

Verstappen’s session was also marked by frustration. He complained after being impeded by Carlos Sainz, although Sainz was later found to have no radio. The pair will be investigated after practice. Verstappen subsequently reported “horrendous downshifts” and said his RB22 was “jumping like crazy”.

Hamilton, meanwhile, nearly spun at the final corner and described his car as too stiff. The session featured five rookie drivers, including Leonardo Fornaroli, Fred Vesti, Paul Aron, Colton Herta and Ryo Hirakawa, adding another variable to an already fragmented opening hour.

Leclerc sets the pace as Ferrari hits trouble