FP3 Highlights | 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix

Final practice ahead of qualifying for this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. And it was Lando Norris who laid down the quickest lap of the weekend so far. Timed at 1 minute 17, 9.39. And it had been coming. Of the McLarens, Norris had the best of it on Friday. Close to the leaders in both sessions. By contrast, Oskar Piastri skipped FP1. He's placed taken by a rookie driver and was playing catch-up in the final hour. In this session, he had to cut the 6.7 chicane. His best effort only good enough for P5. This circuit has been a happy hunting ground for the Woking team over the years. Claiming 27 podiums. Including 13 winner spots. More than any other team. The closest competitor to Norris was Lewis Hamilton. Just over a tenth back in P2. He went across the chicane whilst chasing the top time. The seven-time champ has had nine poles at the circuit. More than any other driver. Ferrari have been in fine form on Friday. With both Charles Leclerc and Hamilton topping a session. And with quite a margin back to the chasers. Leclerc finished P4 today. Locking up at Turn 1 at one point. Mercedes were off the pace yesterday. George Russell with a brace of P5s across the practice sessions. And Kimi Antonelli only managing P13 in a solitary hour of track time. Better from the Italian teenager today. P3 and only a few hundredths back from Hamilton. Russell was P6. Max Verstappen seemed happy with his two practice hours yesterday. In touch with the leaders across the sessions. With Red Bull teammate Isaac Hadjar not much further back. The Frenchman took a lot of kerb at Turn 4. Ouch! I was stuck on the floor. The four-time champ was again ahead of his colleague. P7 and P8 respectively. Very little track time for Arvid Linvlad in this session. The Racing Bulls team making a precautionary power unit change ahead of qualifying. He made it out for some shakedown laps. And a quick dash with a couple of minutes to go. The Racing Bulls drivers have been engaged in a little intra-team battle recently. Linvlad scoring in the last six race weekends. But still trailing teammate Liam Lawson in the Drivers' Championship. Due to the Kiwi's higher overall finishing positions. They were both comfortably in the top 10 yesterday. Lawson went a little wide at Turn 4 in FP3. He finished the session P9. Linvlad was P13. There were some impressive laps laid down by the Audi drivers on Friday. Gabriel Bortoletto taking P6 in FP1. With Nico Hülkenberg P9 in the second session. They were again comfortably ahead in the midfield battle. P10 for Nico. One better than Gabi. The German is still yet to score this season. With the Hungaroring seemingly playing to the team's strengths. One or both of their pilots should be in the mix. The Alpines finish P12 and P14. Pierre Gasly with the bragging rights over Franco Colopinto this time out. Haas have fallen back a little after their promising start to the season. Neither driver scoring in the last four rounds. Esteban Ocon will hope to change that narrative this weekend. The venue where he made, in his words, the most beautiful memories. Taking his sole Grand Prix win back in 2021. He was P15 in FP3. One better than Oliver Behrmann. A slight setback for Aston Martin yesterday. A suspension failure causing Lance Stroll to crash out of FP1. And miss the next session. While his AMR26 underwent the necessary repairs. But they had some good data from Fernando Alonso's two sessions. And it looks as though their raft of upgrades have had a positive effect. In FP3, Stroll appeared to not notice Alonso approaching at speed at Turn 12. The Canadian driver turning in on his Spanish colleague. Who later locked up at Turn 1. They were P17 and 18 today. Alonso ahead. The Williams drivers were a disappointing P20 and 21. Carlos Sainz won better than Alex Alba. There were problems for Sergio Perez. The Mexican driver forced to abandon his smoking Cadillac at Turn 2. Yeah, I think the rear brakes have just seized on, have they? And that's why he's just locked it. Oh, I lost the engine. I had a massive break. It looks like the brakes are on fire on the back. He finished bottom of the pile. Teammate Valtteri Bottas was P19. So the final table looks like this. Norris top from Hamilton and Antonelli. A tight three-team fight for pole looks in the offing. Then came Leclerc, Piastri, Russell, Verstappen, Hajar, Lawson and Hülkenberg. P11 for Bortoletto. And he was ahead of Gasly, Lindblad, Colapinto, Ocon, Behrmann. Alonso, Stroll, Bottas, Sainz, Albon and the unfortunate Perez.