Alonso, Stroll Shine Despite Injury During Hungarian Grand Prix Practice

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – AUGUST 01: Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll had a solid showing in Friday’s practice sessions for the Hungarian Grand Prix, finishing within the top five despite Alonso’s recent back injury.

Alonso, who was forced to sit out the first practice session due to a muscular injury in his lower back, returned for FP2 and finished fifth overall. “I have a small injury on my muscle on the back, in the lumbar area, and I needed some rest,” Alonso said. He acknowledged that managing his discomfort would be crucial throughout the weekend but expressed optimism about his performance. “I had no pain in FP2, which is positive,” he added.

To take extra care of his injury, Aston Martin opted to replace Alonso with reserve driver Felipe Drugovich for FP1. Drugovich managed a respectable performance, finishing 16th but admitted his last-minute inclusion brought a hectic day. “I just got given the targets and off we went, and I think it was a pretty good session,” Drugovich said.

Meanwhile, Lance Stroll, who finished fourth in FP2, noted the timesheets would not reflect the real competitive picture among teams. “The timesheets on Friday, it’s always hard to know what everyone is doing with fuel loads and all that, but the car felt good and we’ll see what we can do tomorrow,” Stroll said.

Alonso discussed the fine-tuning needed for the car, stating it still lacked the ideal balance. “The balance is still not in the window where I would probably like the car to be,” he said. He remained focused on making adjustments overnight to enhance performance for the rest of the weekend.

As the summer break looms, Alonso is hopeful that treatments and rest will help him recover fully while he continues to compete. “I think it is manageable. I don’t have pain in the car, which is the main thing,” he concluded.