French Drivers Face Trials in Hungary

Alpine F1 grapples at the rear in Hungary, as French drivers endure a tough start.

Free Practice 1 and 2 proved less than promising for Alpine F1 in terms of lap times.

Esteban Ocon, who finished 18th in FP1, improved to 14th in FP2. He reported issues with the A524 not performing as expected around the twisting Hungaroring circuit.

“It’s always a pleasure to return to the Hungaroring, a circuit where I enjoy driving and have fond memories. Overall, it was a challenging Friday; the car did not perform or behave as we had hoped after trying various adjustments in both sessions. We’re encountering some issues with its balance and grip on both short and long runs. The car seemed better with a heavier fuel load, but we need to improve in every area if we are to be competitive for the rest of the weekend. We must analyse everything and try to make progress before tomorrow’s qualifying.”

Pierre Gasly, meanwhile, was 17th in FP1 and 16th in FP2. He also highlighted the poor fundamental balance from the first day.

“It’s a great pleasure to come back to Hungary, even though the start of the weekend has been tough on our side. We naturally have to deal with high temperatures, and the car did not feel good today. There’s a lot we need to work on in terms of balance and settings, so tonight’s work on the factory simulator will be crucial. We have yet to find the right setup for the car on this track. We have more to offer and I hope we can apply our learnings tomorrow to show improved form.”