Lando Norris delivered a promising glimpse of McLaren's renewed competitiveness in Hungary, showcasing the potential of the team's upgraded package by outpacing both the Friday session leader Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes' championship‑contending Kimi Antonelli during the final practice run. The British driver’s performance injected fresh optimism that McLaren could vie for their first pole position of the season, a milestone that has thus far eluded them.
The narrative heading into Saturday’s qualifying had been dominated by Ferrari, which had set a blistering tempo in the earlier practice periods and appeared the clear favourite to lock out the front row. However, while the Scuderia remained firmly entrenched among the leading times, the final hour of practice saw the reigning world champions—Hamilton and Antonelli—mount a decisive challenge that reshaped the provisional order. Initially, Norris trailed Hamilton after each completed a quick lap on the soft compound toward the close of the session.
Yet the McLaren driver quickly found an extra gear on his second flying lap, delivering a lap time of 1:17.939. That effort was enough to edge past his Ferrari rival by 0.117 seconds, nudging Norris to the top of the timesheet and signalling that the upgraded McLaren was finally translating its development work into on‑track speed. Kimi Antonelli, who had endured a particularly demanding Friday, re‑joined the front‑running pack and posted the third‑fastest time, just 0.129 seconds shy of Norris’s benchmark. His resurgence underscored the competitive depth of the field and hinted that the Mercedes‑powered car could still be a factor despite earlier setbacks.
Unfortunately for Mercedes, teammate George Russell continued to struggle with pace, ultimately recording the sixth‑fastest time—approximately 0.6 seconds slower than Norris’s impressive lap. Russell’s relative underperformance highlighted the variability that can arise from differing set‑up choices and tyre management strategies in the closing stages of practice.
In the second Ferrari, Charles Leclerc was positioned fourth, trailing the leaders by roughly 0.3 seconds. McLaren’s other driver, Oscar Piastri, settled into fifth place, a mere tenth of a second behind Leclerc, confirming that the team’s overall package was competitive across both of its entries. Red Bull, traditionally a dominant force, experienced a more subdued session. Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar occupied the seventh and eighth slots respectively, indicating that the Austrian team may need to fine‑tune its aerodynamic balance for the Hungarian circuit’s unique blend of fast straights and technical corners.
Sky Sports F1 analyst Martin Brundle observed, "It's so close, as it always is here. It bodes incredibly well for this afternoon," emphasizing how tightly packed the field was and how the final practice results could foreshadow an exciting qualifying showdown.
Beyond the front‑row contenders, the midfield battle appeared set to be led by Racing Bulls and Audi. Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls claimed ninth place, while Audi’s Nico Hülkenberg secured tenth, suggesting that the tussle for midfield supremacy would be fiercely contested. Arvid Lindblad, representing Racing Bulls, managed only a thirteenth‑fastest time after completing six laps.
A power‑unit change in the garage limited his running, leaving him on the track for only the final minutes of the session. This incident highlighted the logistical challenges teams face when addressing mechanical issues under tight time constraints. Cadillac encountered its own difficulties when a brake fire forced Sergio Perez to abort his lap at Turn One, pulling into the runoff area. The Mexican driver was unable to resume his session, underscoring the importance of brake cooling and component reliability on a circuit known for heavy braking zones.
Lance Stroll, driving the heavily upgraded Aston Martin, returned to the track after missing the second Friday session due to a rear‑suspension failure that had caused a spin in the opening practice. The new‑look AMR26, which has spent much of the season languishing at the back of the grid, demonstrated marked improvement by outpacing both Williams and Cadillac. Stroll recorded a seventeenth‑fastest time, while teammate Fernando Alonso placed eighteenth, both roughly 2.4 seconds off the overall pace but showing clear progress. The schedule for the weekend is packed with supporting series and build‑up events.
On Saturday, July 25, the F2 sprint is slated for 1:10 pm, followed by the Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying build‑up at 2:15 pm, and the main qualifying session at 3:00 pm. Post‑qualifying analysis, including Ted’s Qualifying Notebook, will air at 5:00 pm. Sunday, July 26, features the F3 feature race at 7:35 am, the Porsche Supercup at 9:05 am, the F2 feature race at 10:20 am, and the Hungarian Grand Prix build‑up at 12:30 pm, culminating in the race itself at 2:00 pm.
The day will conclude with a reaction segment, the chequered‑flag ceremony, and Ted’s final notebook at 5:00 pm. All sessions are broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW without a long‑term contract. In summary, Norris’s blistering lap not only lifted McLaren to the top of the final practice leaderboard but also signalled a potential shift in the competitive hierarchy for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
With Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull all within striking distance, Saturday’s qualifying promises a tightly contested battle for pole position, while the midfield scramble among Racing Bulls, Audi, and the rejuvenated Aston Martin adds further intrigue to what could be one of the most exciting weekends of the season.