McLaren, Hamilton and Button competitive at the Hungaroring

McLaren got off to a good start to the Hungarian Formula 1 GP weekend. Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in both free practice sessions on Friday.

“It's a fantastic feeling to start the weekend at the top of the standings. We had a more normal Friday here than at the Nurburgring, so I'm very happy. The car seems reasonably competitive, considering the fuel load we had,” commented Hamilton.

“It's important not to put too much emphasis on Fridays, however. The track could be different tomorrow, as could the temperatures. Having said that, I think we will probably have the same pace as Germany, which is encouraging. The guys are pushing really hard in the factory. We have some updates for this weekend and it's great to have them in such a short space of time,” added Hamilton.

His teammate, Jenson Button, finished Friday third fastest: “A trouble-free day. We managed to get good runs and do a lot of work on the set-up, so it was a good day. I am very happy with the direction taken with the car. We are strong in the first and last sectors. I'm the fastest in the first sector and Lewis is the fastest in the last. If we put it all together, we'll be in really good shape. I like driving at the Hungaroring. With other set-up changes, I think we can be competitive. I hope to fight for the victory, but I'm not the only one thinking about it. Ferrari and Red Bull seem in good shape, but this is fantastic for Formula 1."