Piastri Tops Final Practice at Hungarian Grand Prix, Verstappen Struggles
Oscar Piastri narrowly outpaced teammate Lando Norris in the final practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix, clinching the top spot by just three hundredths of a second. This performance sets the stage for a crucial qualifying round as the McLaren drivers continue their intense battle for the drivers’ championship. Piastri, the current championship leader, holds a 16-point advantage over Norris as they approach the last race before the summer break.
Piastri clocked a time of 1:14.916, which is impressive considering it was more than three tenths quicker than Norris’ pole position effort in Budapest last year. This indicates the exceptional performance level that McLaren has maintained throughout the 2025 season, leading the Constructors’ Championship.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured third place, finishing four tenths behind Piastri. Lewis Hamilton, driving for Mercedes, took fourth but was three tenths slower than his teammate, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by the team this season.
The weekend has not been as fruitful for Max Verstappen, who is pursuing a fifth consecutive world championship. The Dutch driver finished in 12th place, while his teammate Yuki Tsunoda struggled even more, coming in at 19th. Verstappen, who confirmed on August 1 that he plans to remain at Red Bull for the 2026 season, currently trails Piastri by 81 points in the drivers’ standings.
Further down the grid, Kimi Antonelli finished fifth, outperforming his Mercedes teammate George Russell, who placed eighth. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll also had strong showings, finishing sixth and seventh, respectively.
Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the top ten, positioning their team well to extend a streak of five consecutive weekends with points finishes.
The Hungarian Grand Prix marks an important point in the season as teams prepare for the summer break. With qualifying set to take place later today, all eyes will be on the McLaren duo as they vie for pole position in front of their fans in Budapest.
As the excitement builds, fans can catch live coverage of the event on Sky Sports F1, with the race scheduled for August 3, 2025.
