F1 qualifying LIVE: Nicholas Latifi stuns Budapest by going fastest in FP3 in heavy rain at the Hungarian Grand Prix

All it took was a four-time world champion grasping at thin air in the twilight of his career to call it a day and, quicker than the Aston Martin he so knottily has grappled with this season, Formula 1’s “silly season” bounces into full swing. And from the off, the jury’s out.

Simply put, there is no No 1 contender to replace the irreplaceable Sebastian Vettel, such is the German’s star quality on and off the track. Yet while the current grid turns to Budapest this weekend, there is an option racing closer to home – at the London E-Prix – who has been waiting patiently in the wings for quite some time.

As so often is the way with cards covered in the corridors of power, the drivers in the cockpit are as short of knowledge as the rest of us. Yet few are quite as in the dark, or quite as unlucky, as Nyck de Vries. Now 27, having won Formula 2 in 2019 and Formula E last year, the question simply begs: what more could the Dutchman have done for a spot on the grandest table of them all?

“It’s really out of my control and, to that point, I won’t be able to influence the teams,” De Vries tells The Independent, outside the Mercedes-EQ garage at the ExCeL Centre in east London, ahead of the penultimate race in Formula E’s eighth season.

“The only way to continue your career successfully forwards is to perform and deliver on track and that’s what I’ll be trying to do in the remainder of the season.” More below:

Williams’ Nicholas Latifi finished a surprise fastest in final practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix after Sebastian Vettel crashed out.

Vettel, who earlier this week announced he is retiring from Formula One at the end of the year, lost control of his Aston Martin in the wet conditions at Turn 10 of the Hungaroring.

The four-time world champion slid backwards through the gravel and into the tyre barrier to leave his mechanics with a major repair job ahead of qualifying. Vettel was furious with his mistake, swearing over the radio before apologising to his Aston Martin team.

A downpour ahead of Saturday’s session contributed to a mixed-up order, with Latifi upsetting the odds to cross the line six tenths ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, with Williams team-mate Alex Albon third. World champion Max Verstappen finished fourth, 1.7 seconds off Latifi’s pace.

Given their troubles in the dry yesterday, both Lewis Hamilton and team-mate George Russell might have hoped for rain. But the Mercedes drivers appeared to struggle in the tricky conditions as they failed to get temperature into their wet rubber.

With pace lacking in the dry yesterday, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell fared no better in wet conditions in FP3.

Both complained of a complete lack of grip out on track, with generating temperature in the tyres proving a problem on both the wet and intermediate compound.

Russell went off track a couple of times, while Hamilton was exasperated over team radio. Worrying signs ahead of qualifying in 90 minutes time!

Well, well, well – who predicted this?!

The Williams of Nicholas Latifi manages to sneak another lap in and goes fastest of them all with the track drying in Budapest – he beats Charles Leclerc by six-tenths! And Latifi’s teammmate, Alex Albon, is third fastest! Needless to say, it’s the first time Latifi has been top in a practice session in his Formula 1 career!

“I was wondering if that clapping was for me!” Latifi beams over team radio! A sweet moment for the Canadian.

Verstappen fourth, Russell fifth.

Plenty of cars coming back out on track with Vettel’s Aston Martin cleared from the racetrack as the drivers attempt to get some temperature in the tyres ahead of what is set to be a wet day of running at the Hungaroring!

Nicholas Latifi leads them out – everyone out on track is on the intermediate tyre, with the racing line a bit drier now!

The session is stopped with the Aston Martin of Sebastian Vettel in the barriers at turn 10! The German loses the rear and spins aggressively into the wall!

Ironically, Vettel was one of the star performers in the rain – he’s currently third in the standings!

A good chance we won’t get any more laps in here…. the clock still runs with a red flag in practice…

The rain is slightly lighter now, but the Mercedes boys are still finding it tough – both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are complaining of a complete lack of grip. Peter Bonnington, Hamilton’s engineer, admits the tyres are struggling to generate temperature!

A few cars now trying the intermediates, including Max Verstappen who leaves the garage for the first time this afternoon. Vettel has gone off a few times at turn 11, but the four-time world champion is currently second in the standings behind Leclerc, eight-tenths off.

Norris is fourth, Magnussen fifth, and Alonso sixth.

Leclerc still out on his own though!

There’s a lot of standing water at the Hungaroring but most of the drivers are out on track to rehearse ahead of what is set to be a wet qualifying in Budapest this afternoon.

Well, I say most – Max Verstappen, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton don’t fancy it yet. They’re still in the pits having not set a time in this session.

Leclerc still nine-tenths ahead of Sainz, with Vettel and Stroll two seconds further back.

Alonso 5th, Ricciardo 6th, Tsunoda 7th, Norris 8th, Albon 9th, Bottas 10th.

The Ferrari boys on top once again – Charles Leclerc sets the fastest time early on ahead of teammate Carlos sainz, with the heavily upgraded Aston Martin of Sebastian Vettel in third, with teammate Lance Stroll in fourth!

The RedBulls and Mercedes’ – amid wet conditions in Hungary – are yet to set a time.