Norris on top as McLaren dominate opening Hungary practice

Lando Norris topped the times ahead of series leader and team-mate Oscar Piastri as McLaren ruled Friday’s opening practice for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. 

Norris, who is 16 points adrift of Piastri in the drivers’ world championship, clocked a best lap in one minute and 16.052 seconds to outpace the Australian by 0.019 seconds on a dry and sunlit day at the Hungaroring.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was third ahead of Racing Bulls’ impressive rookie Isack Hadjar, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the second Ferrari and rookie Oliver Bearman of Haas. 

Leclerc was two-tenths adrift of the McLarens and four-tenths clear of Hadjar. 

Mercedes’ rookie Kimi Antonelli was seventh ahead of team-mate George Russell, four-time champion Max Verstappen, who on Thursday confirmed he will stay with Red Bull next year, and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin. 

The session began in bright and warm conditions, with rain threatening, at the Hungaroring, 20km north of the capital, with Felipe Drugovich among the early starters.

Drugovich was called in to replace Aston Martin’s two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who was nursing a muscle injury in his back. The Spaniard celebrated his 44th birthday last Tuesday.

Norris clocked an early fastest lap in 1:17.63 to prompt Hamilton to ask how he, in eighth place, was a full second adrift and where.

“Turns eight and nine”nswered race engineer Riccardo Adami.

Ten minutes later, Hamilton – a record eight-time winner in Hungary – complained his “car doesn’t feel good” as he dropped to 10th, unable to find a groove in his medium tyres stint. 

After half an hour, Paul Aron, in for Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber, stopped at Turn 13 having received a ‘systems critical alarm’. The team advised him to switch off and his car was pushed off through the barriers.

Having spent time on Thursday explaining that he felt the title race would be decided in favour of the driver who makes fewest mistakes, Norris’s quickest time of the session was a statement of intent.

And given his expertise at the tight and twisty track, Hamilton found a way to improve to climb inside the top five.