F1: Lando Norris Leads Hungarian GP Practice, Max Verstappen Struggles In 14th
Lando Norris dominated Friday's practice sessions at the Hungarian Grand Prix, setting the fastest times ahead of his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri. The 25-year-old Briton, currently 16 points behind Piastri in the drivers' championship, achieved a best lap of 1:15.624, outpacing the Australian by 0.291 seconds in a closely contested second session at the Hungaroring circuit.
Charles Leclerc secured third place for Ferrari, trailing nearly four-tenths behind, while the Aston Martins of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso followed. Lewis Hamilton took sixth in the second Ferrari. George Russell finished seventh for Mercedes, ahead of Racing Bulls' rookie Isack Hadjar, Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda, and Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes.
Four-time champion Max Verstappen struggled throughout the session, complaining about his car's poor balance and performance, ultimately finishing in 14th place, 1.167 seconds off the pace and three-tenths behind his teammate. Verstappen's frustrations were compounded by a potential investigation into his disposal of a cloth towel from his cockpit during the session.
What Happened At Hungarian Grand Prix Practice Sessions?
From the outset, Norris and Piastri showed they were not taking the session lightly, exchanging best laps and nearly making contact in a late incident when Norris locked up and Piastri passed him at Turn One. On a bright, dry afternoon, Nico Hulkenberg, having missed the first session to allow reserve driver Paul Aron to drive for Sauber, was the first on track and quickly ran wide, scattering gravel across the track.
Norris and Piastri's dominance suggested a McLaren intra-team battle was looming for Sunday's race. Verstappen, down in 10th early on and trailing by a second, described his car's balance as 'driving on ice". Teammate Tsunoda was a tenth faster in ninth. Verstappen's session also featured an unusual incident when he was filmed throwing a cloth from his cockpit, likely leading to a stewards' investigation.
Norris had a moment of pressure when he slid wide onto the grass at the final corner but recovered with 15 minutes remaining on used soft tyres. Both he and Piastri switched back to mediums, signalling the end of their quest for the fastest lap.
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August 01, 2025, 22:58 IST
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