FLIP SCARE But Force India ace walks away unscathed as Lewis sets the pace
made the car roll over. But everything’s alright.
“It was a strange accident. I thought it was under control but the Astroturf was very dirty, which is why I went into the wall. We will have to check everything in detail.”
After pulling both their drivers out of second practice, a spokesperson for Force India revealed they hoped to be back on track for today’s final practice session ahead of qualifying.
The spokesperson said: “The team continues to investigate a suspension problem, which caused Sergio Perez to crash this morning. Sergio’s car suffered significant damage to the bodywork, wings and floor and repairs are ongoing.
“The team will work hard to fully understand the cause of the failure and find a resolution in order to be ready for Saturday’s free practice session.”
Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen also suffered a potentially dangerous failure when his front wing collapsed under his car, causing the morning session to be stopped for a second time.
But there were no such issues for Hamilton, with the double world champion in blistering form in the sweltering heat. Chasing a fifth victory in Hungary, Hamilton’s fastest lap was more than half a second clear of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, who finished the afternoon session only fourth fastest.
The main challenge to Hamilton came from the Red Bull duo of Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo – the lack of power from their Renault engines was not so evident on the twisty Hungaroring circuit.
But the positive day for Red Bull was tainted when Ricciardo’s engine blew, raising fears over whether the replacement will last the race distance.
Even so, Hamilton welcomed the return of Red Bull to the scene – even if the only heat he was really feeling in the baking conditions was in his underwear.
“The more, the merrier. The more battles we have, the better,” said Hamilton of the challenge laid down by Red Bull, before addressing the discomfort in his Mercedes cockpit.
“It feels hotter than a sauna out there,” he added.
“Honestly, I can’t express to you how hot it is in this suit, this thermal underwear.
“Before you even get in the car, you are just drenched. I lost, just in that session, probably like a kilo.
“It’s a big challenge to get a good lap here in these conditions and I think everyone has struggled a bit.
“It’s meant to be cooler on Sunday, which will be easier to cope with physically, but it will obviously change the balance a bit, so it should be interesting.
“Our car feels strong here, though, and I’m very happy with it so far.”