2026 Hungarian GP: Ferrari pace and Hamilton focus

Ferrari led both Friday practice sessions in Hungary, with Charles Leclerc fastest in FP1 and Lewis Hamilton on top in FP2 as Hamilton sat P2 on 159 points.

Ferrari set the pace through Friday at the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix. Formula1.com reported that Charles Leclerc led FP1 before Lewis Hamilton went fastest in FP2, while BBC Sport reported a Ferrari one-two in the second session with Hamilton ahead of Leclerc. Hamilton arrived in Budapest second in the drivers' championship on 159 points, with George Russell third on 154, while Leclerc was fourth on 126.

Hamilton came into the weekend after a mixed run with Ferrari. BBC Sport reported that his Barcelona win followed a difficult first season with the team, while Autosport and RaceFans reported that Hamilton believed his Belgian Grand Prix pace was compromised by his FP3 crash at Spa. Autosport also reported that Ferrari was fined after an unsafe release in Belgium in which a mechanic was hit and escaped injury.

Off track, Motorsport.com reported that Leclerc pranked Hamilton in a Ferrari social media video before running began in Hungary. The lighter moment came during a weekend where Ferrari's two drivers opened practice at the front.