FP3: Norris heads McLaren one-two in final practice

F1 Grand Prix, GP Hungary, Hungaroring

McLaren driver Lando Norris headed his team-mate Oscar Piastri in the third and final practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix with Max Verstappen finishing third. F1Technical’s trackside reporter Balazs Szabo reports on the final Budapest practice.

McLaren already looked quick yesterday which the Woking-based outfit could confirm in the final practice. Lando Norris set the benchmark with a time of 1m16.098s, fractionally beating his team-mate Oscar Piastri.

Having completed an eye-catching long run simulation on Pirelli's hards, reigning champion Max Verstappen set the third-quickest lap time on his soft-tyre run.

His team-mate Sergio Perez also focused on race preparation in the opening stages of the sixty-minute, and his qualifying simulation was only enough for a P13.

Ferrari endured a difficult session with both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc struggling for pace. The Spaniard finished down in P5 while the Monegasque took only 11th.

There were several surprises across the field. RB drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda ended the final session in an impressive P6 and P9 respectively.

Haas racer Nico Hulkenberg sat out the opening session yesterday, but he was in top form in the third practice, taking 8th for the American team.

Williams expected to struggle at the twisty Hungaroring, but Alexander Albon excelled in Free Practice 3, ending the session in P7.

Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were 14th and 15th respectively for Aston Martin, while Logan Sargeant in the Williams, Kick Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu, Pierre Gasly for Alpine, Haas’s Kevin Magnussen and the Alpine of Esteban Ocon rounded out the order.