George Russell Sets the Pace in Rain-Hit FP1 in Budapest as Sergio Perez Crashes Out

The Formula 1 teams descended upon Budapest for the opening practice session of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, eager to gather valuable data on their new upgrades before inclement weather hit. However, these plans were abruptly disrupted when Red Bull driver Sergio Perez suffered a crash just moments into FP1.

Perez's incident occurred when he dipped a tire onto the grass at Turn 5, causing him to lose control and collide with the barriers. This unfortunate event hampered Red Bull's opportunity to assess their latest updates on their RB19 car.

Following a brief interruption for track repairs and debris removal, FP1 resumed after a delay of approximately ten minutes. However, as drivers returned to action on wet tires due to unexpected rainfall during this pause period.

The deteriorating track conditions led many drivers to remain cautious and opt for staying in their garages rather than risk potential incidents or damage. Eventually, Valtteri Bottas from Mercedes and Williams duo Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant braved these treacherous conditions to set initial lap times but faced immediate challenges due to Carlos Sainz spinning off into barriers at Turn 3.

Once again facing disruption due to another red flag stoppage resulting from Sainz’s incident; however, he managed minor damage sustained by his front-wing during this spinoff but was able continue despite Ferrari needing additional repairs before subsequent sessions began.

With just over 10 minutes remaining in FP1, the session finally resumed for a final stint. Nico Hulkenberg initially set the fastest time as drivers strived to extract the maximum performance from their cars before conclusion of this rain-hit session.

As lap times began to drop and drivers engaged in fierce competition, it was George Russell who emerged at the top of the leaderboard. The Mercedes driver showcased his exceptional wet-weather driving skills by setting a blistering lap time of 1m 38.795s, establishing himself as the pacesetter in these challenging conditions.

Oscar Piastri impressed with a strong showing for McLaren, securing second place just 0.359 seconds behind Russell's leading time. Lance Stroll demonstrated Aston Martin's competitiveness by clinching third position ahead of Lando Norris from McLaren and Fernando Alonso representing Aston Martin.

Valtteri Bottas concluded FP1 in sixth place while Zhou Guanyu from Alfa Romeo secured eighth position alongside Charles Leclerc from Ferrari sandwiched between Williams' Logan Sargeant in ninth and Haas' Nico Hulkenberg rounding off the top ten.

Yuki Tsunoda had an incident that resulted in damaging his front wing after contact with barriers but still managed to achieve twelfth fastest time on track. Alex Albon finished thirteenth out of all participating drivers who registered a timed lap during this disrupted practice session.

Daniel Ricciardo made his comeback but faced difficulties similar to Max Verstappen and Esteban Ocon as they were unable to set competitive lap times during FP1 due to these challenging weather conditions.

Notably absent among those unable to set timed laps were Lewis Hamilton, Pierre Gasly, Sergio Perez, and Carlos Sainz – each facing setbacks or damage that prevented them from completing representative runs during this first practice session at Hungaroring.

Despite unfavorable circumstances caused by persistent rain showers throughout FP1; George Russell showcased his prowess by skillfully navigating the wet track to claim the fastest time of the session. As teams hope for improved weather conditions in subsequent sessions, it remains to be seen how this early performance will set the tone for a weekend filled with excitement and unpredictability in Hungary.

As FP1 drew to a close, teams and drivers eagerly awaited further opportunities to refine their setups and strategies ahead of qualifying. With rain expected throughout the weekend, adaptability and skill in wet conditions could prove pivotal in determining success at the Hungarian Grand Prix.