BUDAPEST.- Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the couple of McLaren, finished first and second in the third practice session on Saturday at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
While Max Verstappen, leader of the overall drivers’ standings, was third followed by George Russell of Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton slipped up when his Mercedes spun in the middle of the track. He only managed to set the 10th fastest time.
The Hungarian GP marks the start of the second half of the season. Qualifying takes place later in the day before Sunday’s race.
Verstappen is attempting to win his fourth consecutive Formula 1 title. The Dutchman leads the standings with 255 points, followed by Norris on 171.
But McLaren and Mercedes have closed the gap to Red Bull in recent races. Hamilton and Russell won the latest awards, while Norris has shown he has the speed to catch Verstappen.
Norris also had the fastest car on Friday in extreme track conditions that reached 50 degrees Celsius. The forecast was for cloudy conditions on Saturday and the season dropped to 40 degrees.
Ferrari is also trying to overcome its recent slump after Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz won races at the start of the year.
Hamilton took pole last year, Russell did the same in 2022. But Verstappen ended up winning both races and even overcame starting tenth two years ago.
Marlins defeat Mets:
Jake Burger homered and doubled Friday to help the Miami Marlins defeat the New York Mets 6-4.
Nick Fortes had two hits and drove in a run and Jazz Chisholm Jr. had two singles and stole a base for Miami as the Marlins overcame a two-homer game by Jeff McNeil.
Trailing 5-4, the Mets threatened with one out against Miami reliever Calvin Faucher in the eighth inning when Jose Iglesias walked and McNeil reached safety on an infield single. Faucher’s wild pitch got the runners ahead before Iglesias was thrown out at home trying to score on Harrison Bader’s grounder to shortstop Xavier Edwards.
Tanner Scott relieved Faucher and ended New York’s threat by retiring Francisco Lindor on a foul ball to second. Scott, the Marlins’ representative in the All-Star Game, worked a perfect ninth to reach 15 saves.
Miami reliever Anthony Bender (4-2) got the final out of the fifth to pick up the win.
For the Mets, Cuban Jose Iglesias went 1-for-3 with one run scored. Venezuelan Francisco Alvarez went 1-for-4. Puerto Rican Francisco Lindor went 1-for-3 with one run scored.
For the Marlins, Dominicans Otto Lopez 1-for-3 with two runs scored, Jesus Sanchez 1-for-4 with one run scored. Puerto Rican Emmanuel Rivera 0-for-1 with one RBI.
Source: AP
