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 first day of action at the Hungaroring. After Leclerc had comfortably outpaced Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Hamilton in the opening practice on Friday, the seven‑time world champion made significant strides later in the day, turning a half‑second deficit into a 0.158‑second lead over the Italian driver. The closest challenger to the Scuderia in the more representative second practice was the reigning champion Lando Norris, who, driving an upgraded McLaren, was just under half a second slower than Hamilton. Norris’s performance highlighted that while Ferrari appeared to have the upper hand, other teams were still within striking distance.
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.” Ferrari’s strong showing at the Hungaroring— a circuit many analysts had predicted would suit the team’s aerodynamic package—was hardly a surprise.
However, the Italian squad will be further encouraged by the unexpected difficulties faced by championship leader Kimi Antonelli and his Mercedes outfit. Antonelli, who missed the first practice to fulfil a mandatory rookie driver slot, returned for the second session only to struggle repeatedly, running off the track several times due to rear‑wheel lock‑ups. The 19‑year‑old, who currently leads Hamilton by 45 points in the drivers’ standings, could only manage a 13th‑place lap that was nearly two seconds off the pace.
His teammate, George Russell, was also off the pace, posting a time that placed him fifth but still about a full second slower than Hamilton despite using fresh soft tyres for his flying lap. Max Verstappen, who had been the benchmark in the opening session, found himself about 0.7 seconds off Hamilton’s best time, slotting into fourth place. His Red Bull teammate, Isack Hadjar, trailed Russell in sixth.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who also sat out the first session, delivered a disappointing eighth‑place effort, being out‑qualified by Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson. Piastri’s relative slowness could be explained by the fact that he was not running the full upgrade package that his teammate Norris enjoyed. While Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull still have time to extract further performance before the final practice session scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Ferrari has already positioned itself as the clear favourite heading into what is expected to be a pivotal qualifying session at 3 p.m.
The stakes are high, as the Hungarian Grand Prix is one of the few races where a strong qualifying position can dramatically influence the race outcome. The second practice session was briefly halted by a red flag that lasted nearly ten minutes after Franco Colapinto crashed heavily at the entry to the final corner, bringing his Alpine to a stop. The incident underscored the narrow margins and the demanding nature of the track’s layout. Aston Martin also faced setbacks.
Lance Stroll was unable to take part after his suspension broke during the first practice, compounding the team’s already difficult season. Their ambitious 16‑part upgrade package, unveiled earlier in the weekend, was largely eclipsed by the mechanical failure. Fernando Alonso, driving for the team that fielded a single working car in the second practice, showed some encouraging signs of progress. Although he finished behind the two 2026 newcomers from Cadillac, who occupied 19th place and were almost three seconds slower, Alonso managed to set a lap that was later deleted for exceeding track limits.
After the session, he commented that the car felt “much better” and seemed to meet the team’s expectations, hinting at a possible upward trajectory for the Spanish veteran. The weekend schedule continues with a packed lineup of support series. On Saturday, the F3 sprint will kick off at 9 a.m., followed by the final Hungarian GP practice at 11:30 a.m., the F2 sprint at 1:10 p.m., and the crucial qualifying session at 3 p.m. The day will conclude with a “Ted’s Qualifying Notebook” segment at 5 p.m.
Sunday’s agenda includes the F3 feature race, Porsche Supercup, F2 feature race, and the Grand Prix itself, which is slated to start at 2 p.m. on Sky Sports F1. Viewers can stream the action via NOW without a long‑term contract, with the flexibility to cancel at any time. Overall, the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend is shaping up to be a decisive chapter in the 2026 Formula 1 campaign.
Ferrari’s early dominance, Hamilton’s resurgence, and the challenges faced by Mercedes and other rivals set the stage for an exciting showdown in qualifying and the race that follows. The combination of technical development, driver skill, and the unique characteristics of the Hungaroring will likely produce a memorable contest for fans worldwide.