The Hungaroring was already baking at 54C track temperature when Lewis Hamilton squeezed into second place in final practice, just 0.117 seconds off surprise pacesetter Lando Norris. Hamilton, a seven-time winner in Hungary, is now Kimi Antonelli’s closest contender in the title race – but the Mercedes youngster leads by 45 points after claiming his sixth win of the season at Spa-Francorchamps.
Antonelli, who won from pole in Belgium while teammate George Russell crashed out on the opening lap, struggled through the session. He set a competitive lap within three tenths of Norris to go third before his final push lap. Norris then went top again, 0.048 secs clear of Antonelli in P2. “Close, as it always is here,” a team radio voice noted. “Three different chassis right up at the front, pushing hard. Bodes well for this afternoon.”
“Kimi Antonelli leads title race by 45 points as Hungarian GP qualifying looms”
McLaren ended the session on top, just over a tenth quicker than Hamilton and Antonelli, who made up the top three. Behind them, Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, George Russell, Max Verstappen, Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson and Nico Hulkenberg completed the top ten. Hadjar complained over team radio: “The downshifts are horrific. Disgusting in Turn One and Two. Turn 12 as well.”
Qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix begins at 3pm (BST). It is the final race before the summer break. Reigning world champion Lando Norris won last year’s race in Budapest ahead of McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri. With the championship tightening, every tenth of a second counts under the scorching Hungarian sun.
