Round 9 of the 2024 FIA Formula 2 season gets underway at the Hungaroring in Budapest, Hungary. The track has been rapidly heating up and is currently 49.5 degrees Celsius. It is expected to increase throughout the session.
The practice session gets underway with the drivers heading out for an initial exploratory lap under the virtual safety car (VSC). They return to the pit lane after this lap to change tyres before re-emerging onto the circuit. Prema Racing’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli (ANT) and Oliver Bearman (BEA) are the first to set a time with Antonelli’s time of 2:00.307 being just about 2.1 seconds faster than Bearman’s time of 2:02.395. The Prema drivers quickly fall to P2 and P3 respectively as Crawford sets his first lap time of 1:50.729. More drivers are getting themselves onto the timesheet. Just about ten minutes into the session, all drivers except ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins (VMA) have set a time. There is constant change in the standings as the drivers improve on their lap times.
With the first fifteen minutes of the session now complete, Rodin Motorsport’s Zane Maloney (MAL) sits at the top of the timesheet with a time of 1:33.521. The standings are MAL, HAU, VER, HAD, BEA, COL, ANT, JMA, STA, COR, CRA, BOT, FIT, VIL, MAI, ARO, BAR, DUR, OSU, MIY, COR, VMA.
Antonelli improves his time to go P2. His time of 1:33.765 is 0.2 seconds slower than Maloney’s. He soon drops to P3 with Invicta Racing’s Gabriel Bortoleto (BOR) setting the second-fastest time of 1:33.709, 0.1 seconds behind Maloney.
A VSC is deployed as Campos Racing’s Josep Maria Martí (JMA) goes off the track and into the barriers at Turn 11. The Red Bull Junior driver’s practice session is over as the marshals push his car away. With Martí’s car off the track, the green flags are shown once more.
The Hitech Pulse-Eight drivers appear to be struggling, with Paul Aron (ARO) and Amaury Cordeel (COR) sitting in P21 and P22 respectively after 25 minutes in the session. Championship leader, Isack Hadjar (HAD) of Campos Racing, sits in P8 with a time of 1:33.995, 0.7 seconds behind Martin’s top time of 1:33.245.
As the 30-minute mark draws near, Bortoleto goes up to P1 with a time of 1:33.221. He is quickly displaced by MP Motorsport’s Dennis Hauger (HAU) who sets the new fastest time of 1:33.100. With 15 minutes left in the practice session, the standings are HAU, BOR, VMA, MAL, STA, BEA, VER, CRA, ANT, VIL, HAD, OSU, COL, MAI, MIY, JMA, COR, DUR, FIT, BAR, ARO, COR.
As the track temperature continues to rise, the drivers’ struggle with grip increases as well, with more and more going wide. The standings remain relatively constant, despite some drivers improving their individual lap times. Most of the drivers are experiencing significant tyre degradation.
Race control has noted an impeding incident between Bearman and Martins at Turn 4. This will be investigated by the stewards after the session.
With just about five minutes left in the Formula 2 practice session, the standings are HAU, VMA, MAL, BOR, STA, COL, BEA, OSU, VER, CRA, ANT, VIL, HAD, MAI, MIY, DUR, JMA, COR, BAR, FIT, ARO, COR.
Two drivers, likely Antonelli and MP Motorsport’s Franco Colapinto (COL) appear to have stalled at the pit exit. This is at least the second time that the Prema Racing driver has stalled this session. Both are able to rejoin the track, however, an impeding incident between them is noted by race control. This, like the incident involving Antonelli’s teammate Bearman and ART Grand Prix’s Martins, will be investigated by the stewards after the race.
Into the final minutes of practice and Bortoleto goes P2. He, however, loses this time due to track limit violations and drops to P4. Aron goes top from P21, setting the fastest lap time of 1:32.984, 0.116 seconds ahead of Hauger. He soon drops to P2 with Maloney setting the new top time of 1:32.668. Aron then drops to P3 with Van Amersfoort Racing’s Enzo Fittipaldi (FIT) moving into second with a time of 1:32.928. He drops to P3 as Dams Lucas Oil’s Jak Crawford sets a time of 32.535. However, Fittipaldi’s second-place position is soon restored as Crawford sees his lap time deleted for violating track limits.
The checkered flag falls at the Hungaroring as the drivers complete their final attempts at an improved lap time. Maloney finishes the session at the top of the timesheet and holds onto the position as the final drivers cross the finish line. The final standings are MAL, FIT, ARO, HAU, VMA, CRA, COL, MIY, BOT, STA, BEA, OSU, VER, ANT, VIL, HAD, COR, MAI, DUR, JMA, COR, BAR.
The drivers will return to the track for qualifying at 16:00 local time, the results of which will determine their starting positions for Saturday’s sprint race and Sunday’s feature race. With so many drivers running wide, and with the high track temperatures expected, it is expected that tyre management and track limits will play significant roles in qualifying.
