McLaren Dominates Final Practice Ahead of Qualifying at Hungaroring
In a pivotal final practice session at the Hungaroring, Oscar Piastri of McLaren outpaced teammate Lando Norris, setting the fastest time of 1m 14.916s, marked by three purple sectors. Piastri’s performance, characterized by a commanding final lap on fresh tires, showcased McLaren’s continued dominance ahead of qualifying.
Norris closely trailed Piastri, finishing just 0.032s behind after a strong last sector. This sets the stage for an intriguing battle for pole position later today, as McLaren once again proved to be the frontrunner among all teams.
Charles Leclerc persisted in third place, maintaining a consistent 0.399s gap to Piastri. Lewis Hamilton made significant strides from his earlier performances, placing fourth but still 0.369s off Leclerc’s pace.
Meanwhile, rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli placed fifth in the lead Mercedes, though lagging by 0.829s, reflecting the team’s limited overnight improvement. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll for Aston Martin followed in sixth and seventh, indicating the team’s competitive stance at this qualifying-sensitive track.
George Russell secured eighth for Mercedes, while Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the top ten, both around 1.1s slower than Piastri. Max Verstappen faced difficulties, finishing 12th and 1.246s off the pace. After struggling with his Red Bull’s handling, he expressed frustration, stating, "You try to fix the rear, and then it ploughs into understeer."
Teammate Yuki Tsunoda was even further adrift, landing 19th and expressing disappointment towards his engineer after a session filled with challenges. Franco Colapinto and Alpine’s Liam Lawson, followed by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, filled positions 13 through 16. Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly, and Isack Hadjar finished the session near the bottom of the order, with Hadjar spinning out during his fast lap attempt.
Session Summary:
- Fastest Time: Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 1m 14.916s
- Top 5:
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
- Notable Performances:
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 12th, 1.246s off
- Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) – 19th
The session underscores McLaren’s strength and sets an exciting tone for the upcoming qualifying rounds.
