Ferrari Flying On Friday In Hungary

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton set the fastest times in the first and second free practice sessions respectively. Not only did the Ferrari drivers top the timesheets across the two hours of track action, they also proved to be the quickest on both the Soft and Medium compounds.

In FP1, the majority of drivers opted for the Medium (C4) tyre for their initial runs, while only the two Cadillacs and the Aston Martins took to the track on the Hard (C3). Towards the end of the session, Leclerc set the benchmark time on the Soft (C5), stopping the clocks at 1:19.075. The Monegasque also led the way on the C4 with a lap of 1:20.287.

In the second session, it was Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton who finished on top with a time of 1:18.729, again set on the Soft compound. He was followed by Leclerc and Lando Norris, both also running on the red-walled tyre. The seven-time World Champion was also the fastest driver on the Medium in the same session, posting a 1:19.585.

During the opening phase of FP2, the focus was largely on the Hard and Medium tyres. Alex Albon completed the highest number of laps on a set of C3s, covering 26 tours, while George Russell and Valtteri Bottas each managed 23 laps on the C4. Among those who ran the Soft, Leclerc was the most productive, completing 18 laps on the C5.

Ambient temperatures remained around 25°C, while track temperatures peaked at 46°C. Very similar conditions are expected for tomorrow’s qualifying session.

Charles Leclerc – Fastest in FP1

“Our overall performance seems to be quite good, which is a positive. There is still a long way to go this weekend, so we have to be on it and work hard to make sure we stay on top tomorrow. It’s going to be tight in qualifying. I don’t expect us to see the same gap that we saw to our competitors today, so we will have to do a perfect job. If the feeling in the car is there, I’m sure we will have a good one.”

Lewis Hamilton – Fastest in FP2

“It was a solid day overall. The conditions were quite challenging, with the wind making things a bit tricky and the track feeling quite bumpy in some places. The car felt better in FP2 and we made some good progress between the sessions, although there are still a few areas we need to improve. We’ll go through all the data overnight, keep working on the balance and hopefully find a bit more performance for tomorrow.”

Simone Berra – Pirelli Chief Engineer

“We will get a clearer picture tomorrow once the teams have completed their analysis of today’s data, but the indications from the opening two hours of free practice suggest there is still uncertainty over the number of pit stops we are likely to see in Sunday’s race. Six teams have retained two sets of Hard tyres, while all the others have already used at least one, a sign that there is not yet a unanimous view on the best way to tackle the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Given the higher level of degradation observed during the second session, when the drivers pushed harder, a two-stop strategy appears capable of offering an advantage over a one-stop race. However, the difficulty of overtaking at the Hungaroring must also be taken into account, as track position remains a decisive factor at this circuit.

Track grip was relatively low throughout the day, and the Soft proved to be the compound that best showcased the performance of the cars, thanks to the greater mechanical grip it delivered from the very first laps. By contrast, the Medium showed a degree of graining on the front-left tyre.

In general, protecting the rear axle is crucial at this circuit, while managing an inevitable level of front tyre degradation, which should nevertheless decrease as the track continues to evolve over the course of the weekend. The performance gap between the Soft and Medium compounds was around eight tenths of a second, in line with pre-event simulations. Attention now turns to the opening phase of qualifying tomorrow, where it will not be easy for the drivers to identify the optimal window for both the preparation lap and the flying lap on such a short circuit.”

More F1 Reading

• Lewis Hamilton Says He Is Worlds Away From Calling Himself Absolutely Useless a Year Ago
• Adrian Newey Explains How Aston Martin Fell Months Behind Before Their Big Hungary Upgrade Gamble
• George Russell Reveals Mercedes Have Fixed the Hidden Software Fault That Wrecked His Belgian Grand Prix
• How Does The F1 Points System Work?

Written by

Jack Renn

Jack Renn is an editor at F1 Chronicle and a veteran motorsport journalist with 25 years of experience covering Formula 1 and international motorsport. A member of the Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive (AIPS), the global body representing accredited sports journalists, Jack has spent his career reporting from paddocks and press rooms across the F1 calendar. His work spans race analysis, technical insight, and in-depth features, giving readers authoritative coverage grounded in decades of firsthand experience at the highest level of the sport.

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