BUDAPEST (AFP) – McLaren's Lando Norris said he had no intention of changing his "nice guy" behaviour after he outpaced world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull to top the times on Friday in a sweltering second free practice ahead of this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.
The 24-year-old Briton, who trails Red Bull's three-time champion by 84 points in the drivers' title race, reacted on and off the track after it was suggested he is not ruthless or aggressive enough to be a consistent winner.
In a closely-fought session, he clocked a best time of one minute and 17.788 seconds to beat his friend and rival Verstappen, a driver with a more rugged reputation, by 0.243 seconds.
Shrugging aside suggestions that he is "too nice" to be a consistent on-track winner, Norris showed once again that he and McLaren have the potential to win Sunday's race.
"I don't care what people say," he countered to those who believe his behaviour on track is too respectful.
"I'm a nice guy and I try to be respectful in every way I can, but that has zero relevance to what happens on the track. What happened 10 years, 15 or 20 years ago is completely different from today.
"If I wanted to, I could be a lot more of a jerk and act like an idiot, that kind of character, to make people think I'm ruthless, but I don't need to and I don't want to."
Recent ill-luck with team tactics and decision-making has deprived him of four potential victories following his maiden triumph in Miami, but Norris has avoided complaining or blaming his McLaren team.
"I still want to make jokes, have fun and laugh," he explained. I'm just enjoying my life and it is as simple as that. When I put the helmet on, I will do what I have to do to win. I know what works for me and I will stick to that."
As if to mark his polite demeanour, Norris was wearing a hand-painted helmet prepared for him by the manufacturers of the winners' trophies, Herend Porcelain, a choice he made so that he could apologise for breaking Verstappen's winner's trophy on the podium last year.
'MERCEDES STRUGGLE'
Carlos Sainz was third for Ferrari, one-tenth down, ahead of an improving Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull, George Russell of Mercedes and Haas's Kevin Magnussen, who is set to leave the team at the end of the year.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, hoping to claim a record-increasing ninth Hungarian victory and complete a Mercedes hat-trick, was seventh ahead of RB's Daniel Ricciardo, Alex Albon of Williams and two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin.
Eight different teams were represented in the top ten, signalling how close the field has become – only Red Bull and Mercedes providing both drivers – and how a tight race is in prospect on Sunday.
After a promising first session, Ferrari's fortunes dipped when the luckless Leclerc lost control and ran wide at Turn Four, ran over the kerbs and hit the barriers.
"I touched the wall," he reported, having damaged his car and the advertising hoardings.
The session was red-flagged for 14 minutes.
For Mercedes, it was also a troubled day following technology problems arising from partner Crowdstrike's global IT glitch. It resulted in Mercedes orking with blank screens on the pit-wall during opening practice. Hot weather did not help either.
After winning the Austrian and British Grands Prix, the Mercedes pair were hoping to extend their streak and claim a 'silver arrows' hat-trick. Both struggled to keep pace with Norris and Verstappen.
"It's not been a good day," said Hamilton, who in the last race ended a two-year wait for a victory by winning his home British Grand Prix. "The weather's been good and it's nice to be here, but we've not really been on form.
"The car doesn't feel good set-up-wise, but I think we have an idea why and we'll work on it overnight."