Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc scored a one-two for Ferrari in the second free practice at the Hungaroring, while Mercedes and championship leader Kimi Antonelli faced serious issues.
On Friday, July 24, 2026, Ferrari dominated both free practice sessions ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring, with Lewis Hamilton ending the second practice fastest ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc. Hamilton was 0.148 seconds quicker than Leclerc in FP2 according to one source, or 0.158 seconds according to another Sky Sports report, while Lando Norris in the McLaren took third place, almost half a second behind the leading Ferrari.
In the first free practice, Leclerc was fastest with a 0.4-second advantage over the rest of the field, while Hamilton was only third. In the second, more representative practice, the roles reversed: Hamilton showed significant improvement and took the top spot. Max Verstappen in the Red Bull was fourth, almost seven-tenths behind, and his teammate Isack Hadjar was sixth. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished only 13th, while George Russell was fifth, nearly a full second behind Hamilton.
Nineteen-year-old Antonelli, who leads the drivers' standings with a 45-point advantage over Hamilton, missed the first practice because Mercedes had to fulfill the obligation to run a young driver, so Frederic Vesti drove in FP1. When Antonelli returned in FP2, he ran off the track multiple times with rear-wheel locking issues, which severely compromised his result. Russell told Sky Sports: "We have work to do as a team. Ferrari is a step ahead of everyone. I think for Kimi and me the car wasn't great, honestly, and I think there is room for improvement."
The Hungaroring is a narrow and twisty circuit that suits Ferrari's strengths in cornering, so the Italian team's dominance did not surprise experts. Ferrari has won two of the ten races so far in the 2026 season, while Mercedes leads with eight victories. Hamilton said in a Ferrari statement: "It was a solid day. Conditions were quite challenging, with wind making things difficult and a track that was bumpy in places. The car felt better in FP2 and we made good progress between sessions." Team principal Frederic Vasseur remained cautious: "So far so good, but pole position isn't won on Friday, let alone the race."
The second practice was interrupted by a red flag that lasted almost ten minutes after Franco Colapinto in the Alpine heavily crashed into the barriers at the final corner. Aston Martin had an even tougher day: Lance Stroll missed FP2 after his suspension broke in the first practice, and the team could not even utilize the introduction of a package of 16 upgrades. Fernando Alonso finished 19th in FP2, almost three seconds off the leading time, surrounded by drivers from the newly arrived Cadillac team.
Leclerc remained cautious despite the optimism: "Normally we are behind on Friday, so it's good to have a strong Friday, but we still need to work to improve. It will be tight in qualifying as always." Oscar Piastri from McLaren, who was eighth in FP2, added that Mercedes is "very difficult to read" and that there could be "a lot to gain" if McLaren has a good day. The third free practice is scheduled for Saturday at 11:30, and qualifying determining the starting grid begins at 15:00.
