FP2: Norris heads another McLaren one-two, Alonso returns with strong performance

Repeating the results from the opening practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix, McLaren driver Lando Norris headed his team-mate Oscar Piastri and Ferrari racer Charles Leclerc in the late afternoon’s one-hour session. F1Technical’s senior writer Balazs Szabo report from trackside.

McLaren driver Lando Norris continued where he left off in FP1, setting the benchmark in the second one-hour session at the Hungaroring. The British driver, who is currently second in the drivers standings, 16 points behind his team-mate Oscar Piastri, stopped the clock at 1m15.624s.

Ferrari delivered another encouraging performance, with Charles Leclerc having ended up third, four tenths behind the field-leading McLaren of Norris. His team-mate Lewis Hamilton slightly struggled to put together alap, but his best effort was still enough for the seven-time F1 champion to take sixth.

Aston Martin drivers Lance Stroll and Alonso pulled out impressive-looking laps to end the session in fourth and fifth respectively. It was a particularly tough day for the two-time champion as he was forced to miss the opening session duo to back muscles injury, but he got his act together to return and deliver a strong performance in FP2.

George Russell endured a challenging opening practice at the Hungaroring, but he had a smoother afternoon, ending up in seventh position, followed by Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar and Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda.

Running with an older-specification suspension in his Mercedes W16, Andrea Kimi Antonelli was tenth fastest, over Haas pair Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon and Nico Sauber.

On the back of a tough day, reigning champion Max Verstappen finished the session all the way back in 14th position amid further balance complaints – the stewards also summoning him after a peculiar incident at Turn 3, where the Dutchman slowed his Red Bull to a crawling pace and appeared to throw a towel out of the cockpit.

Having collected vital points for Racing Bulls at Spa, Liam Lawson took 15th over Williams duo Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon and Sauber man Gabriel Bortoleto, with Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Colapinto bringing up the rear of a field covered by 1.5 seconds.