The first session was red-flagged and held up for 17 minutes by Perez’s accident in which the Force India auto slammed into the barriers and flipped upside down. The racing drivers return to action this weekend, as the Hungarian Grand Prix hosts the final race before the four-week summer break.
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Perez ran wide on the exit of Turn 11 at the Hungaroring with 32 minutes remaining in the interrupted session when the right rear corner of his auto – adorned like all of the cars with a tribute to Frenchman Bianchi, who died last Friday – appeared to suffer a technical failure, possibly with its suspension.
Two days after attending the funeral of their colleague Jules Bianchi, Formula One’s leading drivers gather again Thursday to begin preparations for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, the 10th race of a season dominated by Mercedes and their dueling duo of defending champion Lewis Hamilton and team-mate Nico Rosberg.
It wasn’t a smooth session for the other Ferrari driver either, as Sebastian Vettel was delayed by nearly 45 minutes with an electrical problem before a lack of power curtailed his morning. 098 seconds ahead of Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg and.
“Sergio’s auto suffered significant damage to the bodywork, wings and floor, and repairs are ongoing”, the team said in a statement.
No one will blame Force India for that, the same as no one will blame the rest of the field for continuing to race “full-blooded” in honour of Bianchi.
“It’s so fun to drive with the combination of corners and undulations”.
His accident comes less than a week after the death of Bianchi, who succumbed to injuries sustained in a horrific crash in last year’s Japanese Grand Prix.
“You’re drenched in sweat before you even get in the auto with all the thermals on and I lost about half a kilo just in that session”.
Hamilton leads the world championship standings by 17 points from Rosberg having won five of the nine races so far this season. “The way it all flows together just feels old school”.
“I don’t think there was suspension failure”.
“It is there in our mind always, in terms of we are fully accepting and aware that when we are getting in the vehicle there are dangers involved”, added Hamilton, who was in imperious form as he completed a practice double on Friday.
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Raikkonen was third fastest in the first practice session with Australian Daniel Ricciardo, last year’s victor, fourth for Red Bull. Perez spun out of control, his front left tyre flat, and hit the opposite wall as his auto overturned. Jenson Button was four tenths slower than his team-mate in 13th.
