Lewis Hamilton leads Ferrari one-two in Hungarian Grand Prix practice

Lewis Hamilton led a commanding Ferrari one-two finish in Friday’s practice sessions for the Hungarian Grand Prix, signaling a potential shift in momentum as the Formula 1 season approaches its summer break. Setting a best time of 1:18.729 on soft compound tires during the second practice session on July 24, 2026, Hamilton surged ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc, who trailed by 0.148 seconds. The performance marked a stark contrast to Hamilton’s difficult experience at the Hungaroring one year ago, where he had publicly questioned his own performance.

For Ferrari, the result suggests the team has successfully optimized its car for the tight, twisty nature of the circuit. While Mercedes has dominated the season with eight wins and all pole positions, Ferrari has clawed back ground by securing victories in two of the last four rounds. The Scuderia’s current form has allowed Hamilton to narrow the gap in the standings, where he currently sits second, 45 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

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Mercedes endured a challenging Friday. Antonelli, currently balancing a 45-point lead over Hamilton, struggled to find pace. The Italian driver, who missed the first practice session as Frederik Vesti took his seat, finished 13th in the second session. His run was hampered by a brake issue and gusting winds that caused him to miss the chicane at turns six and seven. His teammate, George Russell, finished fifth, nearly a second behind Hamilton’s leading pace, though the team noted that their race-trim performance appeared more competitive than their single-lap speed.

Meanwhile, the midfield and backmarkers sought to reset their seasons. Aston Martin debuted a significant upgrade package — totaling 16 new parts for the AMR26. Despite a difficult day that saw Lance Stroll sidelined for the entire second session due to a left-rear suspension failure in FP1, team principal Adrian Newey described the car’s initial output as "promising." Fernando Alonso finished 19th, noting the car represents a step forward despite trailing the leaders by nearly three seconds.

The session also saw scrutiny from the FIA race stewards. Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz were summoned following an incident at turn 12 during the opening practice. Verstappen reported that Sainz, who had lost radio communication due to a disconnected cable, braked unpredictably while warming his brakes on the racing line. The stewards issued a warning to Sainz for the maneuver while taking no further action against Verstappen, who had nearly come to a halt to express his displeasure. In a separate incident, Sainz was investigated for erratic driving after crowding Alpine’s Paul Aron, but stewards cleared him of wrongdoing after reviewing video evidence.

Mclaren utilized the day to gather data on experimental components, including a rotational rear wing tested by reserve driver Leonardo Fornaroli during FP1. Lando Norris, who finished third in the second session, tested a new floor design that the team indicated performed as expected. Despite the windy, low-grip conditions that plagued the entire grid, McLaren finished the day encouraged by the data gathered for both immediate and future development.

Weekend Outlook: What to Watch

• Final Preparations: The third and final practice session is scheduled for Saturday, July 25, at 12:30 p.m. Local time, providing teams with one last opportunity to refine setups before the critical qualifying hour.
• Qualifying Dynamics: With Ferrari showing strong one-lap pace and Mercedes working to solve balance and software issues, the fight for pole position on Saturday at 4 p.m. Remains fluid.
• Aston Martin’s Evolution: As the team attempts to climb out of a winless season, the focus remains on whether the new aerodynamic package can translate into consistent race pace once the mechanical gremlins — specifically the suspension issues encountered by Stroll, are resolved.

As the final session before the annual summer shutdown begins, the performance at the Hungaroring remains a critical benchmark for the teams. While Ferrari has emerged as the early favorite, the combination of unpredictable wind, track evolution, and the ongoing technical experiments by teams like McLaren suggests that the order could shift again when the lights go out on Sunday.