Hungarian Grand Prix

LIVE from 5pm: Second practice for the Hungarian GP

(Bild: Associated Press)

World championship leader Max Verstappen also missed out on the best time in the second free practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix! The Red Bull star drove to second place at the Hungaroring near Budapest in the late afternoon, as he did in the opening session. This time, the three-time Formula 1 world champion was unable to overtake Lando Norris in the McLaren, who was 0.243 seconds faster than Verstappen on his top lap.

Third place in the one-hour session, which was interrupted for longer after a crash involving Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari, went to his team-mate Carlos Sainz.

"It worked on the whole!"
The Spaniard set the fastest lap in the first practice session, which prompted Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko to make the following analysis: "We are satisfied, it worked on the whole. I assume that we are on the right track. Ferrari have celebrated a resurrection, the circuit seems to suit them," said Marko on ORF.

Here is the standings in the drivers' championship:

The Austro racing team brought a major upgrade package with them to Hungary in order to return to winning ways after two recent Mercedes successes at Silverstone and Spielberg.

Verstappen, who has triumphed in Hungary in the past two years, leads the championship standings after twelve races with 84 points ahead of McLaren driver Norris. The two Ferrari drivers Leclerc and Sainz are already 105 and 109 points behind respectively ahead of Sunday's race (3pm).