Ricciardo To Return To F1 Grid In Hungary With Alpha Tauri
The Formula 1 paddock returns to Budapest this weekend for the Hungarian Grand Prix at the popular Hungaroring circuit.
Max Verstappen is looking for a seventh grand prix victory in a row at a track where he won last year from 10th on the grid. The Dutchman is cruising to a third world championship this season, currently holding a 99-point to Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in second.
Yet the biggest talking point this weekend is Daniel Ricciardo’s return to the grid with AlphaTauri. The Australian, dropped by McLaren last year, replaces Nyck de Vries for the remainder of this season and starts at a track where he claimed his second F1 victory in 2014.
Lando Norris will be hoping to back up his strong performance for McLaren at Silverstone two weeks ago, a race where Lewis Hamilton finished third for Mercedes. Hamilton is an eight-time winner in Hungary. On Friday, Charles Leclerc was quickest in second practice after Sergio Perez crashed in first practice.
Follow live updates from the Hungarian GP with The Independent
F1 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX – QUALIFYING
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Lewis Hamilton a happy man after FP3!
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Kieran Jackson22 July 2023 12:39
Lewis Hamilton the fastest man in third practice!
An encouraging hour for the eight-time winner in Hungary Lewis Hamilton – he’s quickest with a 1:17:811!
Max Verstappen is second, 0.250secs back, with Sergio Perez in third.
Nico Hulkenberg – who has been so impressive for Haas on Saturdays so far this season – is fourth, with Lando Norris fifth.
6-10: Russell, Leclerc, Sainz, Alonso, Bottas
Daniel Ricciardo, incidentally, down in 18th but quicker than his AlphaTauri team-mate Yuki Tsunoda in dead-last!
Should make for an interesting qualifying I reckon!
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Kieran Jackson22 July 2023 12:34
Max Verstappen not happy:
“Unbelievable! No f***ing grip!” says Verstappen!
He’s not overly happy out there is the championship leader!
He won’t like being behind Lewis Hamilton either!
Final qualifying simulation runs coming up now…
Kieran Jackson22 July 2023 12:30
Lewis Hamilton quickest in FP3!
Lewis Hamilton goes fastest with a 1:17:811 on soft tyres for Mercedes!
Max Verstappen is 0.250 secs back for Red Bull in second, with Sergio Perez in third.
4-10: Norris, Russell, Alonso, Bottas, Stroll, Zhou, Albon
10 minutes to go… and both Ferraris are in the bottom-three!
Kieran Jackson22 July 2023 12:27
Alfa Romeo now towards the top of the standings
Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are second and third respectively after half-an-hour!
Bottas is just 0.011 secs off Verstappen’s leading time of 1:18:478.
Zhou is 0.066 secs off Verstappen, with Lando Norris in fourth and Sergio Perez fifth.
“Just randomly lost the rear there,” Verstappen said. That’ll be the wind, Max….
Lewis Hamilton down in 10th for the time being, with George Russell in 14th.
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Kieran Jackson22 July 2023 12:03
McLaren look quick again!
Oscar Piastri has just put in a belter of a lap, going third – 0.471 secs off Verstappen‘s leading time of 1:18:478.
Esteban Ocon goes fourth, with Lando Norris in fifth.
6-10: Gasly, Russell, Leclerc, Hamilton, Alonso
20 minutes gone in FP3…
Kieran Jackson22 July 2023 11:49
Max Verstappen top of the timesheet early on
After finishing an odd 11th place in second practice on Friday, Max Verstappen is back where he belongs here – top of the timesheets in FP3 early on with a 1:18:478 on mediums, with Sergio Perez setting the exactly the same time in second!
Charles Leclerc is third for Ferrari, with Lance Stroll fourth and Alex Albon fifth.
“I think I’m struggling with the wind,” says Carlos Sainz on what is clearly a gusty day.
Both Mercedes and McLaren drivers yet to leave the pits after the first 10 minutes…
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Kieran Jackson22 July 2023 11:40
FP3 underway!
It’s a stunning day in Budapest as we get underway with third practice!
Daniel Ricciardo among one of the first drivers out on track in the Hungarian capital…
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Kieran Jackson22 July 2023 11:34
FP3 at the Hungarian Grand Prix LIVE
We’re just a few minutes away from the third and final hour of practice at the Hungaroring!
It was a tough day to read on Friday, with the first practice a washout and FP2 producing a mixed-up leaderboard – what will Saturday morning bring?
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Kieran Jackson22 July 2023 11:28
Lewis Hamilton reacts to Nyck de Vries axing: ‘That’s how Red Bull work’
Daniel Ricciardo has been handed a second chance in Formula One, replacing De Vries at Red Bull’s junior team AlphaTauri for the concluding dozen rounds of the year, starting at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.
De Vries, 28, crashed on multiple occasions and failed to score a single point, with a best finish of 12th in Monaco, before he was handed his marching orders by Red Bull’s ruthless motorsport adviser Helmut Marko 48 hours after he finished 17th and last at the British Grand Prix.
“I am not surprised to see Daniel back but I was surprised to see the decision they took for poor Nyck,” said Hamilton at the Hungaroring.
Kieran Jackson22 July 2023 11:19