George Russell topped the times for Mercedes ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in Friday’s rain-hit opening practice for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix

For Red Bull, this comprehensive victory was their eighth this year and 10th in succession – statistics that make the prospect of an invincible season appear ever more likely.

Max Verstappen led from lights to flag to come home 24 seconds ahead of revitalised seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, in their much-improved Mercedes cars.

Despite brushes with the track walls, the Dutch Red Bull driver finished comfortably ahead of Spanish veteran Fernando Alonso in an Aston Martin with Frenchman Esteban Ocon third for Alpine

George Russell said his Mercedes car was the “best” he had raced and the team took “huge” confidence from qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix regardless of what happens in the race

Seven-time world champion Hamilton was a surprise second, 0.433secs adrift, clocking his fastest lap just before the hour-long session was red flagged for a second time, sneaking past Red Bull’s third-placed Sergio Perez.

The sanction was meted out by Formula One’s rulers the FIA after Ferrari were forced to change the power unit twice in Charles Leclerc’s car at the season-opening race in Bahrain.

The longest season in Formula 1 history starts this weekend with the Bahrain Grand Prix

Ravin Jain will begin the high-pressure job at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix next weekend.