18 July 2020

Valtteri Bottas edges Lewis Hamilton in final practice for Hungarian Grand Prix

18 July 2020

Lewis Hamilton trailed Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in final practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Hamilton finished the last track action before qualifying just 0.042 seconds behind the Finnish driver.

Racing Point continued their impressive form this season, with Sergio Perez third, 0.161 seconds off Bottas’ best lap.

Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari ahead of Lance Stroll in the other Racing Point car.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen ended the session in sixth, 0.647 secs slower than Bottas.

Hamilton beat Bottas to top spot in yesterday’s dry running at the Hungaroring – but it was Bottas, who holds a six-point lead in the standings, with the advantage on Saturday morning.

The Mercedes package is again the one to beat, but Ferrari will be encouraged with their showing after a poor start to the new campaign. Leclerc finished a third-of-a-second down on Bottas.

However, team-mate Sebastian Vettel was only eighth, almost one second off the pace.

Elsewhere, Lando Norris – the McLaren driver who is third in the standings – finished seventh, four tenths and four places ahead of team-mate Carlos Sainz. British driver George Russell was an encouraging 14th for Williams.

The action took place in dry conditions, but rain could yet disrupt qualifying here later on Saturday.

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