Lando Norris delivered a promising glimpse of McLaren's potential to vie for a season‑opening pole in Hungary, showcasing the benefits of the team's recent upgrades by outpacing both the Friday session leader Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes' championship‑leading driver Kimi Antonelli during the final practice run. While Ferrari had seemed the clear favorite for Saturday's qualifying after dominating the earlier practice sessions, the Italian squad could not maintain its advantage for the entire day. The Scuderia remained in contention near the front of the pack, yet the final hour of practice saw the reigning world champions briefly overtake them, underscoring the unpredictable nature of the Budapest circuit.
Initially, Norris posted the second‑quickest time, trailing Hamilton after each completed a soft‑tyre flying lap toward the session's close. However, on his second attempt Norris found an extra burst of speed, registering a lap of 1:17.939. That effort shaved 0.117 seconds off the time set by his Ferrari rival, propelling the McLaren driver to the top of the timesheet. Kimi Antonelli, who had endured a challenging Friday, re‑entered the front‑running mix and posted the third‑fastest lap, just 0.129 seconds behind Norris.
His resurgence highlighted the depth of talent on the Mercedes bench and suggested that the team could still be a factor despite earlier setbacks. George Russell, Antonelli's teammate, continued to wrestle with the car's balance and ultimately qualified only sixth, a full 0.6 seconds slower than Norris's standout lap. This disparity within the Mercedes camp illustrated the fine margins that separate the front‑row contenders from the rest of the field. In the second Ferrari, Charles Leclerc was a respectable 0.3 seconds off the pace, securing fourth place, while McLaren's own Oscar Piastri trailed slightly further back in fifth.
The Red Bull duo, however, faced a tougher day; Max Verstappen and newcomer Isack Hadjar could only manage seventh and eighth fastest times, respectively, indicating that the Hungarian circuit may not suit the Austrian team's usual dominance. Sky Sports F1 analyst Martin Brundle summed up the atmosphere, noting, "It's so close, as it always is here. It bodes incredibly well for this afternoon." His comment captured the excitement building toward the qualifying session, where a single hundredth of a second could determine the grid order.
Beyond the leading teams, the midfield battle appeared to be shaping around Racing Bulls and Audi. Liam Lawson, driving for Racing Bulls, claimed ninth place, while Audi's Nico Hulkenberg settled into tenth.
Their performances suggested a tightening contest for the coveted midfield slots. Arvid Lindblad, another Racing Bulls driver, managed only a thirteenth‑fastest time after completing six laps.
A power‑unit change in the garage forced him to sit out most of the session, limiting his ability to showcase the car's potential. Cadillac encountered its own difficulties when a brake fire forced Sergio Perez to abort his lap at Turn One, ending his participation for the remainder of the session.
The incident highlighted the importance of reliable cooling systems, especially on a circuit known for heavy braking zones. Lance Stroll, returning to the track after missing the second Friday session due to a rear‑suspension failure that spun him off in opening practice, drove a heavily upgraded Aston Martin. The new‑look AMR26, which had spent much of the season languishing at the back of the grid, demonstrated noticeable progress by outpacing both Williams and Cadillac. Stroll recorded a seventeenth‑fastest lap, while teammate Fernando Alonso placed eighteenth, both roughly 2.4 seconds off the overall pace but a marked improvement over previous outings.
The schedule for the weekend promises a packed itinerary. 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 main Grand Prix build‑up at 12:30 pm, leading into the Hungarian Grand Prix start at 2:00 pm. Post‑race coverage includes a reaction segment at 4:00 pm and Ted's Notebook at 5:00 pm.
All events will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW without a long‑term contract. Overall, the final practice session in Budapest painted a vivid picture of a highly competitive weekend. McLaren's upgraded package, as evidenced by Norris's swift lap, could challenge the traditional front‑runners, while Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull each face unique hurdles that may influence their qualifying strategies. The midfield scramble, highlighted by Racing Bulls, Audi, and a resurging Aston Martin, adds further intrigue.
As the teams fine‑tune their setups ahead of Saturday's qualifying, fans can anticipate a thrilling showdown that may reshape the early championship narrative.