WATCH: Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen spin off track in separate incidents

The Final Practice Session of the Hungarian Grand Prix 2024 at Hungaroring turned out to be a rollercoaster ride for drivers and fans alike. The notoriously tricky Turns claimed several victims including Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Both of these drivers experienced dramatic off-track excursions that shook up the session.

The first major incident came when Lewis Hamilton spun at Turn 10. As the seven-time World Champion exited Turn 9, the rear of his Mercedes lost grip, resulting in a lazy spin into the grass. Although Hamilton was able to rejoin the session, his tyres were severely compromised, leading to what he described as a "finished" set of rubber. Hamilton's woes continued as he struggled to regain his rhythm, ultimately setting a time that left him no higher than P10.

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Shortly after Hamilton's spin, Max Verstappen's session took a turn for the worse. The reigning World Champion missed his braking point at Turn 1, causing his Red Bull to sail off track and effectively ending his lap. Verstappen's off-track excursion not only ruined his lap but also brought his session to a premature close.

Pierre Gasly also faced trouble at Turn 1

The incident left the Dutchman visibly frustrated, as he had been pushing hard to extract maximum performance ahead of the crucial qualifying session. Early in the session, Pierre Gasly encountered issues at Turn 1, locking up his brakes and running wide, effectively destroying his soft tyres.

Here are the pictures: 

A huge lock-up for Pierre Gasly into Turn 1! He runs off the track and reports something wrong with the brakes on team radio 📻#F1 #HungarianGP pic.twitter.com/ckWUT1oDVP

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 20, 2024

Max Verstappen joins the club of huge Turn 1 lock-ups - his Red Bull runs well off the track 😱#F1 #HungarianGP pic.twitter.com/b9OEW6JZwL

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 20, 2024

Gasly's subsequent radio complaint about a potential brake pedal problem raised concerns, though some speculated that he might have simply braked too late into the corner. Despite the setback, Gasly managed to keep his car on the track, setting the stage for what would become a tumultuous session.

Both incidents highlighted the challenges presented by the Hungaroring's technical layout, particularly the demanding Turn 1. With drivers pushing to the limit in search of crucial performance gains, the margin for error proved to be razor-thin.