Lewis Hamilton managed to edge out his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc for the quickest time in the second practice session at the Hungarian Grand Prix, underscoring Ferrari's dominance on the opening day of the weekend. After Leclerc had comfortably topped the first practice session, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Hamilton himself, the seven‑time world champion made significant progress later in the day. He trimmed a half‑second deficit to post a lap that was 0.158 seconds faster than Leclerc, signalling that the Mercedes was finally finding its rhythm on the bumpy, windy Hungaroring.
The next‑closest competitor was the reigning champion Lando Norris, who, driving an upgraded McLaren, was just under half a second slower than Hamilton. Norris' performance highlighted the competitive gap that still existed between the front‑running Ferrari and the rest of the field, even after the British driver’s impressive improvement. Speaking after his lap, Hamilton said, "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 comments reflected a measured optimism: the team had made strides, but the work was far from finished. 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 practice times confirmed those expectations. The Scuderia, however, received an additional morale boost from the surprising difficulties faced by championship leader Kimi Antonelli and his Mercedes squad.
Antonelli, who had sat out the first practice session to fulfil Mercedes' rookie‑driver requirement, returned for the second session only to encounter repeated rear‑wheel lock‑ups that sent him off the track multiple times. The 19‑year‑old Italian, who currently leads Hamilton by 45 points in the drivers' standings, ultimately recorded a best lap that placed him 13th, almost two seconds off the pace. His teammate, George Russell, was also off the pace, finishing fifth but still nearly a full second slower than Hamilton despite running on fresh soft tyres.
Max Verstappen, who had topped the opening session, could only manage fourth place in the second practice, trailing Hamilton by about 0.7 seconds. His Red Bull teammate, Isack Hadjar, was sixth, indicating that Red Bull still had work to do to match Ferrari’s outright speed on this circuit.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who also missed the first practice, posted an eighth‑place time, being outpaced by Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson. The gap between Piastri and Norris may be explained by the fact that the Australian did not have the full upgrade package that his teammate enjoyed, suggesting that McLaren’s development path is still in progress.
Looking ahead, Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull will all be seeking to close the performance gap before the final practice session scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Nevertheless, Ferrari has established itself as the clear favourite heading into one of the season’s most crucial 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 lasting almost ten minutes after Franco Colapinto crashed heavily on his Alpine at the final corner. The incident underscored the unforgiving nature of the Hungaroring, where a small mistake can quickly end a lap. Aston Martin also faced setbacks. Lance Stroll was absent from the session after a suspension failure in the first practice, compounding a difficult season for the team.
Their ambitious 16‑part upgrade package, unveiled earlier in the weekend, was largely eclipsed by the mechanical issue. Fernando Alonso, driving for the struggling team, managed to show signs of progress in the second practice despite finishing 19th, sandwiched between the two 2026 newcomers from Cadillac.
His lap was later deleted for exceeding track limits, but the Spaniard noted after the session that the car felt "much better" and seemed to meet the team's expectations, offering a glimmer of hope for the remainder of the weekend. The schedule for the remainder of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend is packed with support races and key sessions.
On Saturday, the F3 Sprint will kick off at 9 a.m., followed by the final practice at 11:30 a.m., the F2 Sprint at 1:10 p.m., and the crucial qualifying session at 3 p.m. Sunday’s agenda includes the F3 Feature Race, Porsche Supercup, F2 Feature Race, and the Grand Prix itself, which starts at 2 p.m. on Sky Sports F1.
Viewers can stream the action via NOW without a contract, with the option to cancel at any time. In summary, Hamilton’s fastest lap in FP2 highlighted Mercedes’ resurgence, while Ferrari’s dominance continues to shape the narrative at the Hungaroring. The upcoming qualifying will be a decisive moment for the championship battle, with Hamilton, Leclerc, Norris, and Verstappen all vying to secure the best possible starting positions for the race on Sunday.