Lewis Hamilton managed to edge out his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc for the quickest lap in the second practice session at the Hungarian Grand Prix, underscoring Ferrari's dominance on the first day of action at the Hungaroring. After Leclerc had comfortably outpaced Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Hamilton in the opening Friday session, the seven‑time world champion made significant progress later in the day, turning a half‑second shortfall into a 0.158‑second lead over his rival. The next closest challenger to Ferrari in the more representative second practice was the reigning world champion Lando Norris, who, in an upgraded McLaren, was just under half a second slower than Hamilton.
Norris' performance highlighted that while Ferrari appeared to have the edge, other top teams still possessed the pace to challenge. Hamilton commented on the day’s work, saying, "It was a solid day overall. The conditions were quite challenging, with the wind making things a bit tricky and the track feeling quite bumpy in some places.
The car felt better in FP2 and we made some good progress between the sessions, although there are still a few areas we need to improve. We'll go through all the data overnight, keep working on the balance and hopefully find a bit more performance for tomorrow." His remarks reflected the typical blend of optimism and caution that characterises a championship‑contending driver after a productive practice.
Ferrari’s strong showing at the Hungaroring was not entirely unexpected. Many analysts had predicted that the circuit’s tight, twisty layout would suit the Italian team’s aerodynamic package, and the results confirmed those expectations.
The team’s confidence was further bolstered by the surprising difficulties faced by championship leader Kimi Antonelli and his Mercedes crew. Antonelli, who missed the first practice session as Mercedes fulfilled a rookie‑driver requirement, struggled on his return to the track. He repeatedly ran off the racing line, suffering rear‑wheel lock‑ups that forced him to abort several laps. The 19‑year‑old Italian, who currently leads Hamilton by 45 points in the drivers' standings, could only manage a 13th‑place best time, nearly two seconds off the pace.
His teammate, George Russell, was even further back, posting a lap that placed him fifth but still almost a full second slower than Hamilton despite using fresh soft tyres. Max Verstappen, who had topped the opening session, was only seventh‑tenths off Hamilton’s time in fourth place. His Red Bull teammate, Isack Hadjar, followed closely behind Russell in sixth. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who also sat out the first practice, finished a disappointing eighth, being outpaced by Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson.
Piastri’s slower time could be attributed to the fact that his car did not receive the full upgrade package that Norris benefited from, illustrating how incremental technical updates can create noticeable gaps within the same team. Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull will all have the opportunity to extract more performance before the final practice session scheduled for 11:30 a.m.
on Saturday. Nevertheless, Ferrari has already positioned itself as the clear favourite heading into one of the season’s most pivotal qualifying sessions, set for 3 p.m. and broadcast live on Sky Sports F1.
The second practice session was briefly halted by a red flag that lasted almost ten minutes after Franco Colapinto crashed heavily on the entry to the final corner, damaging his Alpine and prompting the marshals to clear the track. Aston Martin also suffered a setback when Lance Stroll’s suspension broke during the first practice, preventing him from taking part in the second session. The team’s attempts to introduce a comprehensive 16‑part upgrade package were eclipsed by the mechanical failure, adding to an already difficult season for the British outfit. Fernando Alonso, driving for the struggling team, managed to show some signs of progress in the second practice despite finishing between the two 2026 newcomers from Cadillac in 19th place, nearly three seconds off the leaders.
Alonso had a faster lap deleted for exceeding track limits, but he noted after the session that the car felt "much better" and seemed to meet the team’s expectations, hinting at a possible turnaround in performance. Looking ahead, the weekend schedule is packed with supporting series and the main event. On Saturday, the F3 Sprint will kick off at 9 a.m., followed by the final practice session at 11:30 a.m., the F2 Sprint at 1:10 p.m., and the crucial qualifying session at 3 p.m. The Sunday program includes the F3 Feature Race, Porsche Supercup, F2 Feature Race, and the Hungarian Grand Prix itself, which starts at 2 p.m.
All sessions will be streamed live on Sky Sports F1, with the option to watch via NOW without a long‑term contract. In summary, Hamilton’s fastest lap in FP2 highlights a competitive battle at the front of the grid, while Ferrari’s overall dominance suggests they have found a strong setup for the Hungaroring. Meanwhile, Mercedes’ rookie Antonelli and Aston Martin’s mechanical woes illustrate the challenges that can arise even for top teams.
As teams head into the final practice and qualifying, the focus will be on fine‑tuning balance, extracting extra grip, and delivering the performance needed to secure a strong starting position for what promises to be an exciting race in Budapest.