FP2: Hamilton leads Ferrari one-two in second Hungaroring practice

Lewis Hamilton set the pace during the second free practice session for the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix, heading a dominant Ferrari one-two ahead of team-mate Charles Leclerc at the Hungaroring.

The seven-time world champion, who has enjoyed remarkable success at the Budapest circuit with eight victories and nine pole positions, posted the fastest lap of the session to finish 0.148 seconds clear of Leclerc. Ferrari continued its impressive form after Leclerc had topped the opening practice session earlier in the day.

Hamilton's benchmark came after completing one additional flying lap on the soft Pirelli tyres compared to his team-mate, but Ferrari's overall pace suggested the Italian team currently holds a comfortable advantage over its rivals heading into qualifying preparations.

Lando Norris emerged as Ferrari's closest challenger for McLaren. Despite running the team's heavily-upgraded MCL40, the reigning world champion finished around half a second adrift of Hamilton's best time.

Max Verstappen placed fourth for Red Bull, a further two tenths behind Norris, while George Russell completed the top five. Mercedes endured a surprisingly difficult afternoon, with Russell finishing almost one second off the pace.

Championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli also struggled throughout the session. After missing the opening practice due to Mercedes' mandatory rookie driver programme, which saw reserve driver Fred Vesti take over his car, the Italian found it difficult to put together a clean lap. Multiple aborted attempts on the soft compound left Antonelli down in 13th position as he battled rear instability in the W17.

Isack Hadjar continued his strong recent form by finishing sixth for Red Bull, ahead of Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson. Oscar Piastri could manage only eighth, well behind McLaren team-mate Norris, while Nico Hülkenberg and Arvid Lindblad completed the top ten for Audi and Racing Bulls respectively.

The session was briefly halted after Franco Colapinto crashed at the final corner. The Alpine driver lost control of the rear of his car before spinning into the barriers, causing substantial damage and bringing out the red flags.

Drivers also had to contend with difficult track conditions throughout the hour, with gusting winds and low grip levels leading to several off-track moments across the field.

Fernando Alonso finished only 19th despite Aston Martin introducing its long-awaited B-spec car in Hungary. The Spaniard ended the session more than three seconds behind Hamilton's pace, while the Silverstone-based team was reduced to a single-car operation after Lance Stroll was unable to participate following a suspected rear suspension failure discovered earlier in the day.