PRACTICE: Iwasa leads the way from Vesti in Budapest

Ayumu Iwasa was quickly up and running around the Hungaroring, ending the first session of the weekend fastest of all for DAMS. The Japanese driver traded the top spot with Championship leader and PREMA Racing’s Frederik Vesti throughout Practice. He ended up top the times with a 1:28.882, 0.149s quicker than the Dane. Victor Martins rounded out the top three having gone quickest himself early in the session.

The ART Grand Prix driver set the initial pace with a 1:30.839 to lead the way from Roman Stanek and Jack Doohan in the opening 10 minutes.

Iwasa bettered the Frenchman’s effort before Vesti took the top spot, setting a 1:29.360 after losing a previous attempt for exceeding track limits. Martins immediately moved back up to P2, 0.060s down on the best time from the PREMA Racing driver. The trio exchanged the top three spots once more with Iwasa going second, displaced by Vesti at the top again on their next laps, and Martins closing to within 0.175s in third.

Kush Maini slotted into fourth with just over half the session remaining, with the Campos Racing rookie setting a 1:29.211, 0.190s down on the fastest effort. Compatriot and MP Motorsport driver Jehan Daruvala rounded out the top five at the halfway stage.

Doohan was looking set to challenge the top three, setting a purple middle sector but his efforts were undone with a lock-up and wide moment at Turn 12.

With 12 minutes to go, Iwasa retook P1 with a 1:28.882 to put a tenth and a half between himself and Vesti in second.

The medium compound Pirelli tyres began to slip away from their peak performance window with under 10 minutes to go and there were very few improvements in the remaining minutes. Stanek was one of those to set a personal best, moving up to fifth for Trident. Jak Crawford lifted himself up to P11 with his fastest time in the Hitech Pulse-Eight car, 0.7s down on the ultimate pace.

In the end, Iwasa remained on top with Vesti and Martins second and third respectively after their early efforts. Maini was fourth ahead of Théo Pourchaire, who was one of the few improvers in the final seconds of running. Stanek was sixth ahead of Daruvala, Enzo Fittipaldi, Isack Hadjar and Richard Verschoor, who completed the top 10.

Qualifying in Budapest is set to get underway at 16:00 local time.