McLaren Shines in Final Practice Ahead of the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix
The Formula 1 circuit reached a pivotal moment on Saturday, August 2, as teams wrapped up the last practice session for the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix. McLaren once again asserted its dominance, with Oscar Piastri clocking an impressive fastest lap of 1:14.916 at the Hungaroring. Piastri’s time edged out his teammate Lando Norris by a narrow margin of just 0.032 seconds, solidifying the team’s position as a frontrunner for the weekend’s race.
McLaren’s Dominance
This final practice session demonstrated McLaren’s superior performance, as the team has been consistently strong throughout the weekend. Piastri’s top time in the third practice not only showcased his skills but also highlighted the car’s exceptional capabilities. Both Piastri and Norris have been working diligently to extract the most out of their vehicles, preparing for the all-important qualifying session. The close timing between the two teammates underlines a fierce internal competition, as well as McLaren’s overall advantage against their rivals.
Noteworthy Performances
Amid the excitement, Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto from Sauber also made headlines by finishing ninth in the session. His best lap time of 1:15.978 indicates significant improvement from the pace observed during Friday’s longer runs. The team had previously focused on endurance, but Bortoleto’s performance now positions him well to contend for a spot in the top 10 during qualifying.
In the contest for the top times, Charles Leclerc of Ferrari emerged as the closest competitor to the McLaren duo, securing third place on the time sheets. However, he still trailed Piastri by four tenths of a second. Lewis Hamilton, also representing Ferrari, completed the session in fourth, 0.684 seconds off the leading pace. Despite their promising performances, the Italian team will need to discover additional speed to challenge McLaren effectively.
Surprises and Challenges
The practice session revealed some surprising performances as well. Kimi Antonelli managed to place the Mercedes team in fifth position, showcasing a marked improvement following the previous challenges the team faced in earlier races. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll followed closely behind, finishing in sixth and seventh, respectively. George Russell rounded out the top eight in his Mercedes.
Bortoleto’s performance was particularly encouraging for Brazilian fans, as he not only outpaced his teammate Nico Hülkenberg, who finished in tenth, but also demonstrated a clear trajectory of growth in performance. His ability to clock a lap time within a second of the leaders shows that he is ready to compete at a higher level during the qualifying rounds.
On the contrary, reigning champion Max Verstappen faced difficulties with his Red Bull car, finishing the session in a disappointing 12th place. The Dutch driver reported handling issues on Friday and was unable to capitalize on the car’s potential during this practice. His teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, struggled even further, ending the session in 19th position.
Challenging Conditions
The track conditions added another layer of complexity to the session, with temperatures soaring close to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). These extreme conditions posed a challenge for drivers, but they also created opportunities for quick lap times as the session progressed. Piastri’s impressive final lap in the closing minutes of the session solidified McLaren’s stronghold as the team to beat in both qualifying and the race on Sunday.
The concluding results of the final practice session for the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix were as follows:
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren/Mercedes) – 1:14.916
- Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes) – 1:14.948
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:15.315
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 1:15.684
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1:15.745
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin/Mercedes) – 1:15.794
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin/Mercedes) – 1:15.828
- George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:15.840
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber/Ferrari) – 1:15.978
- Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber/Ferrari) – 1:16.025
- Oliver Bearman (Haas/Ferrari) – 1:16.127
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) – 1:16.162
- Franco Colapinto (Alpine/Renault) – 1:16.247
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) – 1:16.371
- Carlos Sainz (Williams/Mercedes) – 1:16.442
- Alexander Albon (Williams/Mercedes) – 1:16.530
- Esteban Ocon (Haas/Ferrari) – 1:16.531
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine/Renault) – 1:16.570
- Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) – 1:16.878
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) – 1:16.956
Upcoming Qualifying Session
As the teams prepare for the critical qualifying session, set to begin today at 11 AM (GMT -3), all eyes are on McLaren to see if they can maintain their momentum. Fans can expect live and real-time coverage of the qualifying event, which is pivotal for determining the starting grid for the 14th round of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
With the stage set for an exciting qualifying session, the competitive landscape promises to be thrilling as drivers put their skills and strategies to the test. The Hungarian Grand Prix is known for its unique challenges and unpredictable outcomes, which makes this qualifying session all the more crucial for every team involved.
The anticipation builds as teams finalize their setups and strategies ahead of qualifying. Will McLaren continue their reign at the top, or will Ferrari, Mercedes, or another team find a way to disrupt their plans? As always in Formula 1, the drama is just beginning.
