Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari out in front in Hungary - but only in wet conditions

Hungarian Grand Prix

Vettel and Ferrari out in front in Hungary - but only in wet conditions

The second practice session was dominated by rain

Ian Parkes

Friday 17 July 2020 16:35 Updated: 16:41

Sebastian Vettel put Ferrari at the top of a timesheet for the first time this Formula 1 season - albeit around a wet Hungaroring.

The Scuderia has endured a troubled start to the campaign, notably being forced to take a different development path compared to the car that was unveiled earlier in the year, leading to an upgrade package being unveiled for last weekend's Styrian Grand Prix.

Vettel has already suggested the updates will not be a game-changer, and that this Hungarian Grand Prix weekend could be a difficult one for him and the team.

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The four-time F1 champion is unlikely to take too much comfort from the fact he was quickest of the 13 drivers who eventually set a time in the wet.

Given the conditions, Hamilton's time of one minute 16.003secs from FP1 led the way overall on the day, which was eye-opening as it was on the hard tyre, compared to the remainder in the top 10 who were either on mediums or softs.

It was the ideal start for Hamilton, who goes into the race with another Michael Schumacher record in his sights as he aims to equal the German's mark of most wins at a circuit. Hamilton has won on seven occasions in Hungary; Schumacher won the French GP eight times.

Come FP2, around a wet and greasy Hungaroring circuit, Hamilton ventured out for just one installation lap, similarly Renault duo Esteban Ocon and Daniel Ricciardo, and Haas driver Kevin Magnussen.

Williams pair Nicolas Latifi and George Russell managed two installation laps apiece, and Red Bull's Alex Albon three.

Unsurprisingly, due to the number of sets of wet tyres available to the teams - four inters and three wets, plus an extra set of inters shold one be used - and with more rain forecast for qualifying and the race, they were mindful of the fact they had to keep rubber in reserve.

It ensured there was barely any running over the first 50 minutes of the 90-minute run, with just three drivers setting times by that stage.

Racing Point's Sergio Perez was the first to do so on the full wets of 1:42.270secs, an insignificant time in many respects but beaten by 0.090s by team-mate Lance Stroll soon after. Perez's running was soon curtailed when he slid off the track at one point and into the gravel.

They were joined on the timesheet by Alfa Romeo's Kimi Raikkonen, but with the Finn 5.4s behind Perez before Ferrari duo Vettel and Charles Leclerc took to the track on full wets, with the four-time F1 champion soon leading the way.

Ocon and Ricciardo both attempted a lap on intermediates midway through the session, but it was clear there was a lack of grip given the number of times they had to catch their cars on the puddles of standing water, leading to them both returning to the garage without setting a time, and not returning.

Ultimately, Vettel's time of 1:40.464s emerged faster by a quarter of a second to Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas, followed by McLaren's Carlos Sainz, Stroll and Perez.

AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly, who spent the entirety of FP1 in the garage due to a power unit issue, made it on track in FP2 for seven laps.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen, Haas' Romain Grosjean, Raikkonen, Leclerc, the second Alfa of Antonio Giovinazzi, McLaren's Lando Norris and Daniil Kvyat in his AlphaTauri were the only other drivers to post times.