Lando Norris edged out McLaren teammate and championship leader Oscar Piastri by just 0.019 seconds to lead a McLaren one-two in the first free practice session of the Hungarian Grand Prix on Friday afternoon.
Under clear skies at the Hungaroring, Norris clocked a best time of 1:16.052 on soft tyres, sending a strong statement as he looks to close the 16-point gap to Piastri heading into Formula One’s final weekend before the summer break.
The British driver, who took pole at the same circuit last year, is hunting for redemption after finishing second in the 2024 race to Piastri, who claimed his maiden Grand Prix victory that day. The Australian was again sharp on track, pushing Norris all the way.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was third fastest, 0.217 seconds off the McLaren pace, while Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar impressed with a fourth-place finish in his debut Hungarian GP session.
Lewis Hamilton, an eight-time winner in Hungary, was fifth in the Ferrari but struggled with grip and suffered a big lock-up midway through the session.
Haas continued their recent upward momentum with Oliver Bearman placing sixth, ahead of the Mercedes duo of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. Russell reported issues over team radio, describing the car as “hard to turn” and complaining about poor balance throughout the session.
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen could only manage ninth for Red Bull, continuing a challenging run of form, while Lance Stroll rounded out the top 10 for Aston Martin.
With track temperatures expected to rise and teams still refining their race strategies, Friday’s second session will be key ahead of Saturday’s qualifying.
The Hungarian Grand Prix promises another chapter in the increasingly fierce intra-McLaren title battle.
