Ricciardo fastest, Wehrlein and Palmer crash
Hamilton struggles for grip - is fifth
Ricciardo fastest in first practice, Giovinazzi and Palmer crash
Final practice Saturday at 10:00 BST
Image source, Getty ImagesRight then, it's almost first practice time.
Lewis Hamilton, who has his dogs with him this weekend, is strolling around the Mercedes garage, shaking hands with his team.
He's looking relaxed and in a good mood with first practice getting under way in a couple of minutes.
What are your thoughts on the 'halo' head protection system?
Let us know via #bbcf1, text in on 81111 (UK only) and you can also vote on the subject on this page.
The vote is open from now until 14:00 BST. Check terms and conditions here.
A couple of drivers, including Romain Grosjean and Jolyon Palmer, have been quite strong in their opposition of the halo.
"It’s a sad day, a mistake, and there’s no coming back from it," said Palmer. , external
"This will be the end of Formula One as we know it, with an open cockpit. Since 1994 there’s been one fatality in F1, Jules Bianchi, which is tragic, but the halo would not have stopped that.
"The halo would not have prevented any deaths in F1 in the 23 years since Ayrton Senna died. But because of incidents in IndyCar (Justin Wilson) and Formula Two (Henry Surtees), where there were different tracks and different safety measures, we’re introducing something into F1 that goes against the whole tradition and history of the sport."
Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Hungary
Image source, Getty ImagesRight, let’s bite the bullet. We have to talk about the ‘halo’ - the head protection system that is to be introduced in 2018. It’s obviously a contentious issue, which generates plenty of angst and opinion, so let’s stick to the facts.
The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association as a body is in favour of it. The majority of the drivers - more than 60% by my calculations - are in favour, including Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and Felipe Massa, the only person in F1 actually to have suffered a head injury himself, if you don't count concussion.
And the halo has been proven to either have a positive or neutral effect in terms of driver safety in the vast majority of accidents modeled. It is the only device proven to work and have no significant negative effects in terms of safety or drivers’ vision.
Objections are based on aesthetics and philosophy, not safety. After that, people have to make up their own minds.
Summer holiday destinations has not been the only topic of discussion in the paddock this week, oh no. The other thing on everyone's lips is what Beyonce once mentioned 93 times in a song.
Yep, it's the halo. More specifically the 'halo' protection device that will be brought in next season and it's fair to say views on its introduction has been mixed...
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Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Hungary
Image source, Getty ImagesLewis Hamilton has come to effectively own this track, a deceptively challenging series of sweepers punctuated by a handful of long, long hairpins, overlooked by a waterpark in a natural amphitheatre 12 miles outside Budapest.
Unlike the glorious city down the road, glamorous it is not, but a true challenge of a driver it certainly is. Hamilton has won here in exactly half his 10 appearances and clearly fancies his chances again.
“Just need to drive like I always drive here,” he said on Thursday. “It is a track that lines are everything. You can be aggressive, it bodes well for an aggressive driving style. This year more so with this car it has come more in my direction; even at Silverstone was able to very aggressive particularly with these very hard tyres we have. so balance, it is the same as any other track, having a good balance, the confidence, knowing where to put it, the experience helps and then it is about being closest to the edge.”
Image source, Getty ImagesHello!
Welcome along to our coverage of practice day for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
It's the final race before drivers and team personnel forget about Formula 1 for a couple of weeks and enjoy a well-earned break but, knowing Lewis Hamilton, he won't be able to rest easy unless he knows he is in control of the championship.
A fourth world title has, at times, looked out of reach for him this season but victory at his home race last-time out means the gap between himself and championship leader Sebastian Vettel is down to a solitary point.
Hamilton will leapfrog his rival with a win this weekend and he'll fancy his chances of doing just that on a circuit he pretty much owns.
Everyone has a different idea of what makes for a perfect summer holiday.
It may simply be lounging on a beach somewhere with an icecream...
Image source, Getty Images... or, it may be riding a horse through the mountains bare-chested, a one-time holiday choice for the president of Russia...
Image source, Getty Images... but for Lewis Hamilton, the perfect summer holiday will probably be simply relaxing in the knowledge that he is the Formula 1 championship leader heading into the second half of the season.
He has the chance to make that dream a reality this weekend.