Marc Priestley saw something ‘very strange’ from Lewis Hamilton in Hungary

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Marc Priestley saw Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton do something ‘very strange’ in the third and final free practice session for the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix this Saturday.

The 39-year-old finished the session only 10th in the timesheet after struggling to produce a quick qualifying simulation run. Hamilton could only set a 1:16.786 around the Hungaroring with a 0.688-second deficit to the pace that Lando Norris of McLaren set to claim first place.

Mercedes teammate George Russell also ran 0.466s slower than Norris’ time to allow Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen to slot in between. While even Daniel Ricciardo, Alex Albon and Nico Hulkenberg all posted faster lap times than Hamilton, who also only completed 13 laps.

Marc Priestley found Lewis Hamilton’s FP3 spin at the Hungarian GP ‘strange’

No driver completed fewer laps in FP3 than Hamilton, while Verstappen registered 26 tours for Red Bull. The seven-time Formula 1 drivers’ champion may have attempted more laps in FP3 if the Mercedes star did not spin at Turn 9 with just over five minutes left of the session.

Hamilton lost the rear end of his W15 mid-corner at T9 and drifted off the racing line in the right-hander in the middle sector. He caught the initial slide but would not prevent the spin once on the outside of the circuit. Applying the throttle on the dust ensured he had no grip.

READ MORE: Five unforgettable Hungarian Grand Prix including Alonso and Hamilton’s spat

Mercedes called Hamilton back into the pits straight after the spin having locked up all four tyres. But Priestley found it particularly odd that Hamilton spun despite already backing off. The Briton scrubbed a lot of speed after the initial snap but would not wrestle back control.

“That was very strange,” Priestley said on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra. “Hamilton wasn’t going that fast – it looked like he had backed off, and still lost grip! There’s dirt all over the circuit.”

George Russell led Lewis Hamilton in each practice session

Spinning near the end of FP3 would have been one of the last things Hamilton wanted after trailing Mercedes teammate Russell in every practice session for the 2024 Hungarian GP. He was only the 10th quickest driver in FP1, seventh best in FP2 and the 10th best again in FP3.

Russell, meanwhile, has led Mercedes’ efforts at the Hungaroring with P4 in FP1, P5 in FP2 and P4 in FP3. But the 26-year-old has not managed to be inside of four-tenths of a second to the top time in any session. Instead, the margin has regularly sat closer to half a second.