Max second fastest at final free practice on the Hungaroring

Published on 03 August 2019 by Mike Motilall

Max Verstappen came in second fastest at the third and final free practice in Hungary. On the 4,381 meter long Hungaroring, Lewis Hamilton topped the leaderboard in his Mercedes. Sebastian Vettel was third fastest in his Ferrari behind Max’ Red Bull. Pierre Gasly drove the second Red Bull to P6.

At the start of the third free practice, in the run-up to the Hungarian Grand Prix, there is an overcast but no rain. The start is delayed by ten minutes due to cleaning up of the track as a result of an oil spill in Turn Four that happened during the Formula 2-race. The time that is required to do the cleaning up will be taken off from the time of the third free practice. This means that the drivers will only have 50 minutes to do their business on track.

Romain Grosjean is the first one to venture out. Kimi Raikkonen, Antonio Giovinazzi, Kevin Magnussen, Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas and Daniil Kvyat follow suit not much later. Both Aston Martin Red Bull Racing-drivers remain inside during the opening stages of the session and leave it to the rest to get the track in driving condition. With still 35 minutes on the clock, Max heads out on track on a set of the softs.

After a slow out lap, Max clocks the fifth fastest time in his first lap and is one of the lasts to get a timed lap. Ahead of him are both Mercedes and both Ferraris. As he cools everything down after another lap, the youngster gets his head down and puts his Red Bull at the top of the leaderboard after another fast lap. He does a practice start after a brief pit stop on a fresh set of the softs as he rejoins the pack.

Max betters his time in his first flying lap on the new tyres, but Leclerc, and not much later Bottas and also Hamilton out do the Dutchman. The following lap, Max manages to improve again and moves up to P2 behind Hamilton’s Mercedes. With still fifteen minutes remaining on the clock, Leclerc has found something and takes the second spot from Max.

In the closing stages of the session, we see Max on track on, again, a fresh set of the soft tyres. With a very fast lap the Dutchman takes the top spot and also, in the process, the track record. He is not able to really savour the moment, as Hamilton puts a spoke in his wheels not much later by snatching away P1 from him. And with that the session comes to an end.

Hungarian GP contest: Win an orange RBR 33 T-shirt and Verstappen beach towel

Results third free practice Hungary: