F1 news: Hamilton gains Red Bull intel as Verstappen wants rules reviewed at Hungary GP
Express Sport keeps you up to date with the latest F1 developments ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton shows off his impressive surfing skills
There are storylines aplenty for F1 fans to keep tabs on over the weekend, when Max Verstappen will aim to keep his foot firmly on the gas at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Daniel Ricciardo's return, a fresh cost cap saga and the pressure on Sergio Perez have kept supporters intrigued over the past two weeks, and it's nearly time for the talking to be done on track.
Crossing the line last of the finishers proved to be the final straw for AlphaTauri as Nyck de Vries was ruthlessly axed after the British Grand Prix. Ricciardo has stepped in to take his place, and the fan favourite will hope to make a splash at the Hungaroring this weekend.
Perez will hope not to follow in De Vries' footsteps as he eyes a significant improvement on a dismal run of results in recent weeks. Verstappen has built up a 99-point lead after 10 races, with the Dutchman racking up four times as many race wins as his team-mate in 2023.
Meanwhile, rumours of a fresh cost cap saga have been denied by the FIA, although all will become clear when the findings are released later this year.
With all this to delve into and more, follow Express Sport's live F1 updates below...
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Perez blasted for 'rookie error'
Martin Brundle has slammed Sergio Perez for his 'rookie error' as the under-pressure Red Bull star admitted he made a mistake.
The Mexican spun off into the barriers in FP1 causing heavy damage to his RB19 and Brundle was left speechless at the 33-year-old's latest error.
“I can’t get my head around that,” Brundle said on Sky Sports F1. “It is a rookie error.
“I think back to his victories earlier this year, his brilliant victory in Saudi and Azerbaijan, his utterly brilliant victory last year in Singapore on a drying track in one of the most challenging races I have seen for a long time where he was perfect.
“And then he does that. I can only assume it’s pressure because he didn’t just clip the edge of the grass or the white line, he was on the grass by a metre or something and I can’t get my head around it at all."
Verstappen wants rules changed
Max Verstappen has suggested F1 chiefs must review their rules to ensure fans are left short-changed after revealing why Red Bull did not spend much time on track on Friday.
The Dutchman spent a lot of the session in his garage despite having no technical issues and the two-time world champion spoke out on the rules changes he thinks need to be made with regards to tyre allocation.
"With this format, we use as few tyre sets as possible on Friday," Verstappen said on his own official website.
"That's very unfortunate for all that crowd here today. I do think that needs to be looked at."
Hamilton gives bleak Mercedes verdict after FP2
A downcast Lewis Hamilton said his Mercedes car was 'at its worst' on Friday after he could only muster 16th in the Hungarian Grand Prix second free practice session.
The 38-year-old admitted that he had nothing positive to say about the W14 after another troubled practice session but pledged to find the right setup.
"It wasn't feeling good at all. It was feeling like the car at its worst today, but we'll work on the setup tonight," Hamilton said to Sky Sports F1.
"Last year it felt terrible at the beginning and then we tuned it around with some setup changes. So we will work on that tonight and hopefully tomorrow it will feel better."
Ricciardo happy to be back
Daniel Ricciardo was pleased to get back inside the car for practice after returning to the grid with AlphaTauri at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Australian has been drafted in on loan from Red Bull to replace Nyck de Vries and finished 14th in the timings, with team-mate Yuki Tsunoda fourth. But the 33-year-old said their places at this point are not important.
“I think positions are probably not too relevant at the moment. But I think it was more for me today to feel basically where I am with the car. It all felt pretty familiar.
“I think obviously there is a lot of outside attention, but once I put the helmet on and got in the car, it all felt like I never really left. That was nice.
"Obviously, this morning we didn’t really get anything, but this afternoon... just a little bit on the new tyre."
Max Verstappen almost ran over F1 icon
Max Verstappen almost intentionally ran over F1 legend David Coulthard at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Coulthard was standing next to the Red Bull pit box as the Dutchman peeled in during the closing stages in a bid to secure the fastest lap.
However, Verstappen veered inches from the ex-McLaren star with the Red Bull driver later admitting it was on purpose.
Coulthard told his Formula for Success podcast: "I was flying back with Max to the south of France, back to Monaco. He comes in and goes, 'Did you like how close I got to you in the pit lane?'
"And I went, 'You knew it was me?' He went, 'Yeah, I didn't need to go that close. I just wanted to give you a little scare.'"
Lewis Hamilton and co benefit as Red Bull secrets leaked
Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s other F1 rivals could steal Red Bull’s secrets after Sergio Perez’s crash at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The team could face a double blow with Martin Brundle admitting teams were able to snap images of key Red Bull parts.
It comes at the worst possible time for Red Bull who introduced new upgrades at this weekend’s race.
Brundle told Sky Sports F1: “They were telling me a little bit earlier on that a very good number of them were able to photograph the underneath of the Red Bull when Sergio Perez crashed earlier on.
“I’m sure that will be most useful to other teams and a lot of pain for Red Bull."
Sergio Perez may have Red Bull contract clause
Sergio Perez’s future may be out of his hands with Red Bull reportedly holding a special contract clause.
The clause could allow Red Bull to replace the Mexican at a moment's notice in exchange for one of their AlphaTauri stars.
According to The Race, there is speculation the clause does exist with Red Bull being able to switch Perez between its two teams at their will.
Perez has struggled in recent races with the 33-year-old now in dire form compared to Max Verstappen.
George Russell calls out Red Bull penalty
George Russell has claimed Red Bull’s budget cap penalty “didn’t fit the crime” as he called on FIA officials to take strong action against teams breaking the rules.
The Mercedes star even suggested Red Bull should be hit with an “even greater” penalty if they breached F1’s financial cap again.
It comes amid reports that three teams have gone over F1’s £105million budget cap for the 2022 campaign.
Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Russell said: “If anybody has breached any regulation you want the punishment to represent the crime.
"There were breaches last year and clearly the punishment didn't fit the crime."
Hamilton and Shakira rumours swirl
Lewis Hamilton and Shakira are “inseparable” as romance rumours continue to swirl around the pair. According to a source, Shakira is now “over” her ex-husband Gerard Pique, the father of her two children.
The insider claims Shakira is "fast-tracking” the relationship with Hamilton in a major development. A source told InTouch Weekly: “She’s over Gerard and fast-tracking her romance with Lewis. They’re inseparable. It’s definitely a hot summer romance.”
“She believes in love and is very open to see what the future might hold for them.” Shakira has now been spotted at three F1 Grands Prix this season as speculation over a possible relationship continues to mount.
Russell tops FP1
George Russell set the fastest lap time in FP1 around the Hungaroring, with rain creating treacherous conditions ahead of Sunday's Grand Prix.
The Mercedes star was followed by McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Aston Martin's Lance Stroll to complete the top three.
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were among those not to set a time.
And neither did Sergio Perez, who frustratingly crashed out just six minutes into the session.
Hungary GP setback for Perez
Red Bull boss Christian Horner was left stunned on the pitwall after Sergio Perez crashed in practice at the Hungaroring.
Perez dropped his tyre on the grass at the entrance of turn five, sending his Red Bull into a 180-degree spin before slamming into the tyre wall.
The contact ripped off the Mexican’s front left tyre and ended his morning session just six minutes after the start of FP1.
Horner was spotted rubbing his chin with a baffled expression as he watched replays of the accident.
RED FLAG! \ud83d\udea9
\u2014 Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 21, 2023
Sergio Perez goes off the track! \ud83d\ude2c pic.twitter.com/YWrjoSmNFM
Perez makes alarming admission
Sergio Perez has admitted that he doesn't trust his Red Bull car ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Mexican has struggled for form since crashing out of qualifying at the Monaco Grand Prix, and he has now failed to reach the final part of qualifying at the last five races.
"I think what happened in Monaco probably brought me a step back and it has taken me some time to fully trust the car the way I was doing it," Perez told Autosport.
"And then you add the external factor from the changeable conditions. And then there is a bit more of a discrepancy."
Verstappen taunted F1 icon
Max Verstappen has found time to poke fun at his F1 friends as he powers towards a third consecutive world title.
David Coulthard almost fell victim to the Dutchman's antics in Austria earlier this month, with Verstappen intentionally missing the 13-time Grand Prix winner by inches before taunting him on the journey home.
"I went down into the top-three driver interviews so I was standing just before the Red Bull garage in the pit lane with my back to the FIA garage door," Coulthard explained to Eddie Jordan on the Formula For Success podcast.
"Max came past and I'll show you the video. He went past about half a metre away from my feet. I couldn't go any farther back and he pulls into the pit box. I filmed it and I thought, 'God, that was a bit on the edge.'
"I was flying back with Max to the south of France, back to Monaco. He comes in and goes, 'Did you like how close I got to you in the pit lane?'"
Claire Williams opens up on sale of F1 team
Claire Williams, daughter of Sir Frank Williams, has opened up on selling her father's F1 team.
She resigned as team boss in 2020 and Sir Frank passed away the following year.
The iconic F1 team was sold to American investment firm Dorliton Capital for £136million.
"When I left in Monza it felt like someone cut my heart out and it has never been returned," Williams told PA News.
"It is just one of those griefs that is really difficult to get over, or to come to terms with. Now we have lost Dad, it sometimes feels as though it was just a dream. Did that period in our lives really happen?"
Horner finds FIA loophole
Red Bull boss Christian Horner has been labelled 'very clever' for finding a way to minimise the impact of the FIA's cost cap punishment.
The team were hit with a hefty fine and a reduction in aerodynamic testing time after overshooting the spending limit in 2021.
But Red Bull have found a way to get a 'free upgrade' ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, where new-look side pods will be on Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez's cars.
"The side pod is completely different to what we've seen previously," F1 analyst Sam Collins told F1 TV. "They've gone for a very slit-type radiator duct and completely redesigned the cooling system.
"A lot of people are going, 'What about the wind tunnel time?' I think they've been very clever because radiator redesigns don't come out of the wind tunnel allocation, so they've actually got a bit of a free upgrade on that, I think."
Hamilton tells off Norris
Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris had a surreal moment ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, with the McLaren star seemingly taking a wrong turn into Mercedes' hospitality area.
The seven-time world champion's media session was briefly interrupted when Norris sauntered in, with Hamilton drawing laughter from those in attendance when he shouted 'wrong team'.
Norris will hope to take the fight to his compatriot once the action gets underway on Sunday afternoon, having pipped him at the British Grand Prix last time out.
Horner told he can sack Perez
Red Bull boss Christian Horner has been told that he would be within his rights to replace Sergio Perez if his performances do not pick up.
The Mexican is already miles behind team-mate Max Verstappen in the Drivers' Championship, and he has endured a sequence of miserable qualifying performances in recent weeks.
"You have to be closer otherwise they have the right to replace you," former Toro Rosso star Jaime Aluersuari told Sky Sports F1.
"There are many drivers on the grid that could definitely be much closer to Max."
Lewis Hamilton reignites Red Bull feud
Lewis Hamilton has pounced on an opportunity to fire shots at F1 rivals Red Bull amid rumours of a fresh cost cap saga. Reports indicate that up to three teams breaced the spending limit in 2022, although that has been denied by the FIA.
Red Bull were found to have overspent during the 2021 season, with Hamilton narrowly missing out on the world title. They were punished with a fine and a reduction in aerodynamic testing.
"[The rumours are] definitely a concern," Hamilton told Sky Sports ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
"It wasn't really a big punishment last time, so there will be people who will go for it again and know they will just get a slap on the wrist."
Good morning!
Happy Friday and welcome to Express Sport's rolling F1 news coverage!
Stories are filtering in from around the paddock at a rapid rate, with the Hungarian Grand Prix set to unfold over the weekend.
There are also two practice sessions for fans to sink their teeth into later this afternoon.
Stay tuned for updates...