Lando Norris finished fastest in the final practice session ahead of qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, edging out Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes youngster Kimi Antonelli in a closely fought hour at the Hungaroring.
The McLaren driver produced the quickest lap of 1:17.939, beating Hamilton by just 0.117 seconds, while Antonelli was only 0.129 seconds behind in third. The result highlighted McLaren’s improved pace after Ferrari had appeared to hold the advantage throughout Friday’s running.
Ferrari remained highly competitive, with Charles Leclerc securing fourth place, while Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri completed the top five. Mercedes also looked strong, as George Russell claimed sixth, ensuring all three leading teams head into qualifying with genuine hopes of fighting for pole position.
Max Verstappen finished seventh for Red Bull, over seven-tenths off the fastest time, while teammate Isack Hadjar took eighth. Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson continued his encouraging weekend in ninth, with Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg rounding out the top ten.
Gabriel Bortoleto narrowly missed the top ten in 11th for Audi, followed by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in 12th. Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad impressed with 13th place, while Franco Colapinto finished 14th for Alpine. Haas drivers Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman ended the session in 15th and 16th respectively.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso had briefly climbed into the top 11 during the session while evaluating the team’s latest upgrades, but he failed to improve as conditions changed and eventually dropped to 17th. Lance Stroll finished 18th in the second Aston Martin.
The session was interrupted by a red flag after Cadillac driver Sergio Perez suffered a brake fire around 20 minutes into the running. Perez safely pulled off at Turn 2 before marshals brought the situation under control, allowing the action to resume after a short delay.
Valtteri Bottas finished 19th for Cadillac, while Williams struggled, with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon ending the session in 20th and 21st respectively. Perez was unable to complete a competitive lap after his mechanical issue and finished last in the standings.
With final practice now complete, Norris heads into qualifying with momentum, but Hamilton, Antonelli, Leclerc and Piastri remain firmly in contention as an intense battle for pole position awaits at the Hungaroring.
