Lance Stroll spun out with a rear suspension failure on the new Aston Martin as Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the pace in first practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Aston Martin have brought a virtually new car to this race for their first major upgrade of the season, and the rear suspension is one of many revised designs on it.
The left rear suspension appeared to break as he rounded Turn Three with about 20 minutes left of the session.
His team-mate Fernando Alonso was sent out as soon as the session restarted and set an apparently encouraging 13th fastest time.
That is a long way from where Aston Martin want to be, but it is a significant step forward from where they have been so far this season, having slumped to the back of the field.
Alonso’s time was 2.475 seconds from Leclerc’s – but Aston Martin have been about four seconds off the pace in recent races.
Leclerc was 0.484secs ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton third ahead of the second Red Bull of Isack Hadjar.
Leclerc’s session ended early when his car suffered a failure and he ground to a halt in the pit lane before reaching the Ferrari garage.
Mercedes’ George Russell was only fifth fastest, ahead of Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto.
Mercedes reserve Frederik Vesti, driving the car of championship leader Kimi Antonelli, was seventh.
Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg and the Racing Bulls of Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson completed the top 10.