Hungaroring: Norris fastest in final practice ahead of Hamilton and Antonelli
Lando Norris of McLaren secured the fastest time in the final practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix, outpacing Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli at the Hungaroring. This performance offers McLaren optimism for challenging for their first pole position of the season with their upgraded car.
Initially, Ferrari had been considered strong contenders for Saturday’s qualifying, having shown dominance during the initial practice day. However, in the final hour of practice, McLaren and Mercedes drivers moved to the forefront of the timesheet.
Practice Session Highlights
Norris’s fastest lap was a 1:17.939, which placed him 0.117s ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Antonelli, who had a challenging Friday, finished third, just 0.129s behind Norris. Despite Antonelli’s improved performance, his teammate George Russell encountered difficulties, finishing sixth and 0.6s slower than Norris’s leading time.
Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari was fourth, 0.3s off the pace, followed by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in fifth. The session proved more challenging for Red Bull, with Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar finishing seventh and eighth respectively. The close competition suggests an intense qualifying session ahead.
Martin Brundle noted the tight competition, stating that it bodes well for the afternoon’s qualifying. The battle for the midfield positions appears to be led by Racing Bulls and Audi. Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls secured ninth place, with Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg taking tenth.
However, Arvid Lindblad of Racing Bulls completed only six laps due to a power-unit change, which kept him sidelined for most of the session. Cadillac also faced issues when a brake fire forced Sergio Perez to stop at Turn One, preventing him from returning to the track for the remainder of the practice.
Aston Martin’s Upgrades and Upcoming Schedule
Aston Martin saw Lance Stroll return to the track after missing Friday’s second session due to a rear-suspension failure. The team’s upgraded AMR26, which has often been at the back of the grid this season, showed some improvement. Fernando Alonso finished 17th, and Stroll 18th, with their best times being 2.4s off the ultimate pace, ahead of Williams and Cadillac cars.
The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend continues with qualifying scheduled for 3pm on Saturday, 25 July 2026. The main race is set to begin at 2pm on Sunday, 26 July 2026.
The schedule for Saturday, 25 July, includes the F2 Sprint at 1.10pm, followed by the Hungarian GP Qualifying build-up at 2.15pm, and the HUNGARIAN GP QUALIFYING at 3pm. Sunday, 26 July, will feature the F3 Feature Race at 7.35am, the Porsche Supercup at 9.05am, and the F2 Feature Race at 10.20am, leading up to the Hungarian GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday at 12.30pm and THE HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX at 2pm.
The Ferrari team had displayed significant pace on Friday, with their cars, driven by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, performing strongly throughout the day. This led to speculation about whether Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull could challenge their early advantage. The Italian team had anticipated a good performance given the track’s characteristics, but their half-a-second lead over competitors at the end of the first day was unexpected.
The final practice session has set the stage for a closely contested qualifying round, with several teams showing the potential to vie for pole position at the Hungaroring.
Source: skysports.com
Isla Hartley is a Sports Reporter at NewsUK. She covered the British summer of sport from Wimbledon to the Test grounds. She focuses on tennis, cricket and athletics and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. She holds a degree in Sports Studies from the University of Stirling and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Glasgow, she runs half-marathons and follows Scottish athletics. “The overlooked athlete usually has the better story.”
