Max P11 despite issues in second free practice Hungarian GP

Published on 24 July 2015 by Mike Motilall

During the second free practice, a prelude to the Hungarian GP, Max Verstappen was not able to work on his entire schedule. The Dutch Formula 1-driver was forced to park the STR10 after just eight laps in the pitbox. Electrical issues in the rear were forcefully keeping him there. Still Max managed to do a total of 19 laps and was able to finish in the eleventh spot (1:25.935).

“We started the day off well, taking it easy, learning the track and setting up the car. It was quite a good first session, we were able to try a few different things on the car and we knew in what direction we wanted to go”, says Max. “In the afternoon, my first run wasn’t perfect… it was so hot out there! And then, in the in-lap, I started to feel something was wrong with the car. Unfortunately this was due to an electrical problem which cost me quite a lot of FP2 track time. I was able to get out on track again, but it wasn’t for long, as the session was red-flagged…. So not the best of afternoons for a rookie.”

It was scorching hot during the first free practice session, but during the afternoon session the Hungarian asphalt is even hotter: 54 degrees, that being 14 degrees more than in the morning. As Max heads out on track on the mediums, it becomes apparent that both Force India-drivers, as a precaution, will not see any action. The team is desperately busy searching for what triggered Sergio Perez’ crash earlier that day.

After fifteen minutes, Max notes a 1:27.874 on the mediums, at that moment good enough for P5. A lot of drivers start complaining though about the tyres, they are beginning to take a pounding in the relentless heat. Max reports to his team “hearing a very strange sound in the engine on the straights”. This triggers a stop in the pitbox, where both Renault and Scuderia Toro Rosso frantically start working on the rear of the car.

The problem appears to be electrical and after forty five minutes, Max is able to continue on. There are only fifteen minutes remaining. Verstappen has, by then, dropped to P16 but improves on the soft compound to a 1:25.935, good enough for P11. In the end, Max has nevertheless completes 19 laps.

It’s a far cry from a spotless drive for a number of drivers. We see Sebastian Vettel spin, not once, but twice. In two different corners. The German, who is clearly struggling with his Ferrari, finishes in seventh, two places behind Kimi Raikkonen. Daniel Ricciardo also has his share of problems: he is forced to park his Red Bull Racing-car, after an engine failure with a tremendous amount of smoke, at turn nine with still twenty minutes to go.

Despite that, the Ossie concludes the day in third, immediately behind his team mate Daniil Kvyat. Lewis Hamilton sets the tone again, as Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes finishes in P4.

Hungarian Grand Prix – Hungaroring – Friday 24 July

 P  No Driver             Team          Time     Gap   Laps 
 1  44 Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes      1:23.949         36 
 2  26 Daniil Kvyat       Red Bull      1:24.300 +0.351s 29 
 3   3 Daniel Ricciardo   Red Bull      1:24.451 +0.502s 16 
 4   6 Nico Rosberg       Mercedes      1:24.668 +0.719s 34 
 5   7 Kimi Räikkönen     Ferrari       1:25.134 +1.185s 30 
 6  55 Carlos Sainz       Toro Rosso    1:25.599 +1.650s 37 
 7   5 Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari       1:25.660 +1.711s 26 
 8  14 Fernando Alonso    McLaren       1:25.752 +1.803s 31 
 9  77 Valtteri Bottas    Williams      1:25.881 +1.932s 35 
10  19 Felipe Massa       Williams      1:25.920 +1.971s 31 
11  33 Max Verstappen     Toro Rosso    1:25.935 +1.986s 19 
12  22 Jenson Button      McLaren       1:25.994 +2.045s 32 
13  13 Pastor Maldonado   Lotus         1:26.090 +2.141s 36 
14  12 Felipe Nasr        Sauber        1:26.379 +2.430s 36 
15   8 Romain Grosjean    Lotus         1:26.442 +2.493s 39 
16   9 Marcus Ericsson    Sauber        1:26.831 +2.882s 29 
17  98 Roberto Merhi      Marussia      1:29.113 +5.164s 29 
18  28 Will Stevens       Marussia      1:29.115 +5.166s 28 

On Twitter and Facebook we'll keep you updated throughout the weekend followed by a full report on Verstappen.nl at the end of the day’s action.

You can find the schedule for the Hungarian Grand Prix here. 

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