Lando Norris delivered a promising signal that McLaren could contend for their inaugural pole position of the season in Hungary, showcasing the capabilities of their newly upgraded car by outpacing the Friday session leader Lewis Hamilton and the championship‑leading Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli during the final practice run. Although Ferrari appeared to be the dominant force heading into Saturday's qualifying after a strong showing in the earlier practice periods, the Italian squad remained in the leading pack but ultimately ceded the top spot in the final hour of practice to the reigning world champions. Initially, Norris was positioned second behind Hamilton after each driver completed a first flying lap on the soft compound toward the end of the session.
However, the McLaren driver quickly found additional pace on his second attempt, posting an impressive 1:17.939. This time was sufficient to edge his Ferrari rival by 0.117 seconds, propelling Norris to the top of the timing sheets. After a particularly challenging Friday, Antonelli re‑joined the front‑running group and recorded the third‑fastest lap, finishing just 0.129 seconds shy of Norris's best. In contrast, his teammate George Russell continued to struggle, ending the session only sixth overall and trailing Norris by 0.6 seconds.
Charles Leclerc, driving the second Ferrari, was 0.3 seconds slower than Norris and occupied fourth place, while McLaren’s other driver, Oscar Piastri, was a tenth of a second further back in fifth. Red Bull, traditionally a front‑running team, faced a tougher day; Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar posted the seventh‑ and eighth‑fastest times respectively.
Sky Sports F1 analyst Martin Brundle remarked, "It’s so close, as it always is here. It bodes incredibly well for this afternoon," underscoring the tight competition expected for the upcoming qualifying session.
The midfield battle appeared to be shaping around Racing Bulls and Audi, with Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls securing ninth place and Nico Hülkenberg of Audi following in tenth. Arvid Lindblad, also with Racing Bulls, managed only a 13th‑fastest time after completing just six laps; a power‑unit change in the garage limited his running to the final minutes of the session. Cadillac encountered its own difficulties when a brake fire forced Sergio Pérez to stop in the runoff area at Turn One on his out‑lap after the pit stop.
The Mexican driver was unable to re‑join the session, ending his practice early. Lance Stroll, meanwhile, returned to the track in a heavily upgraded Aston Martin after missing the second Friday session due to a rear‑suspension failure that caused a spin in opening practice. The new‑look AMR26, which has spent much of the season toward the back of the grid, showed encouraging signs by beating the Williams and Cadillac entries, with Fernando Alonso clocking 17th and Stroll 18th, the latter only 2.4 seconds off the session’s overall fastest time. The schedule for the weekend is packed with action: on Saturday, July 25, the F2 Sprint begins at 1:10 pm, followed by the Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying build‑up at 2:15 pm, the qualifying session itself at 3:00 pm, and Ted’s Qualifying Notebook 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, leading into the main race at 2:00 pm. Post‑race coverage includes the Hungarian GP reaction at 4:00 pm, the Chequered Flag ceremony, and Ted’s Notebook at 5:00 pm. All events are broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW without a contract and the option to cancel at any time. In summary, Norris’s performance in the final practice session not only highlighted the potential of McLaren’s upgraded package but also set the stage for an exciting qualifying showdown in Budapest.
The tight margins between the front‑running cars, the resurgence of Aston Martin, and the ongoing midfield rivalry suggest that the Hungarian Grand Prix could deliver unexpected results and perhaps a first‑season pole for McLaren. The weekend promises to be a showcase of strategic acumen, driver skill, and the ever‑evolving technical battle that defines modern Formula 1.