George Russell topped a wet Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix FP1 as Sergio Perez crashed out just moments into the session.
An early red flag for the Mexican’s shunt curtailed all dry running and a second for a spin for Carlos Sainz halted some intermediate laps too but Russell left it late to go to the top.
Oscar Piastri, fresh off the back of his best F1 result at Silverstone, was second fastest in the McLaren while Lance Stroll was third. Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso came next in the McLaren-Aston Martin fight.
Valtteri Bottas was sixth ahead of Charles Leclerc, Zhou Guanyu, Logan Sargeant and Nico Hulkenberg. Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Sainz didn’t set a lap at all as only 12 got a time on the board.
Perez woes compounded
Perez has been in torrid form in the last five races, with no Q3 appearances in that time and his Hungarian GP weekend did not start well.
On his very first flying lap, the Mexican clipped the grass on entry to Turn 5 and slammed into the tyre barriers, ending his FP1 before it had even begun.
This latest mishap couldn’t have come at a worse time with Daniel Ricciardo actively seeking that second Red Bull seat now that he is back in full-time racing at AlphaTauri. The pressure is getting to Perez with every weekend that passes by.
