Hungarian GP FP3 session concluded with Lando Norris securing the top spot with a 1m16.098s after topping the FP2 session yesterday.
Norris was followed closely by his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished just half a tenth behind.
Max Verstappen came in third, while George Russell and Carlos Sainz rounded up the top 5 in 4th and 5th respectively.
The session at the Hungaroring commenced with a notable but low-key start.
Verstappen was the first to take to the track, making the most of the clear circuit to clock a formidable 1m17.938s on hard tires.
This early lap time was impressive, especially considering it was only two-tenths slower than the fastest lap by Norris from the previous day, achieved on faster tires. The early part of the session was characterized by minimal action, as many drivers, including Hamilton, remained in the pits, waiting for optimal track conditions.
Gradually, more drivers began to join the fray, increasing the on-track activity. This would result in drivers from the midfield (Alpine, Williams and Sauber drivers) opting to set a lap time on the softest compound.
The challenging weekend for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc continued in the Hungarian GP FP3 session. Monegasque attempted his initial push laps but had to abort his first effort due to a lock-up at Turn 1, delaying his ability to set a competitive time.
Meanwhile, Lance Stroll split the Red Bulls by posting a 1m18.447s on medium tires, placing him half a second behind Verstappen. Bottas then managed to take the second spot on softs, two-tenths behind Verstappen, significantly outperforming Ocon’s initial lap on the same tires, which placed him fifth.
As the session progressed, Alonso emerged as Verstappen’s closest rival, setting a time less than a tenth behind the Red Bull’s driver on medium tires. However, this position was short-lived as Norris and Russell soon surpassed him. Norris, using soft tires, was four-tenths faster than his teammate Piastri, showing a strong candidacy for Sunday’s result.
The session took an exciting turn when Russell set a new benchmark, going top with a 1m16.826s, just a tenth quicker than Norris.
This marked an encouraging performance for the Mercedes driver. In stark contrast, Hamilton struggled during his lap, sliding around and appearing uncomfortable in the car. He ended up ninth, over six-tenths slower than his teammate Russell, highlighting the challenges he faced.
Throughout the session, the Red Bulls of Verstappen and Perez continued to run on hard tires, maintaining a steady pace.
Despite their consistent performance, there was anticipation that they would switch to softs to better understand the impact of the cooler conditions, especially with qualifying on the horizon.
This potential switch was eagerly awaited to see how they would shape up against the competition.
Hamilton, struggling earlier, found some pace and posted a 1m16.786s, closing the gap to Russell to just two-tenths. This brought three British drivers to the top of the leaderboard, creating a dynamic competitive environment.
Norris made a notable impact, setting an impressive 1m16.098s, which was almost half a second faster than Russell. His McLaren looked exceptionally strong, highlighting its potential for the upcoming qualifying.
Piastri, Norris’ teammate, also demonstrated impressive speed, securing second place and finishing just half a tenth behind Norris.
Verstappen, who had been leading earlier, fell to third, visibly struggling compared to the McLaren drivers. He was two-tenths off the leading McLaren times, indicating a possible advantage for McLaren going into qualifying.
Verstappenās discomfort with his car was evident as he shook his head while crossing the line, suggesting he was not fully comfortable with his setup.
Final moments of Hungarian GP FP3
Sainz showed competitive form with a fifth-place finish in his qualifying simulation, placing him half a second behind Norris.
Hamiltonās session took a turn for the worse when he spun at Turn 9. The replay revealed that Hamilton lost the rear of his car, which further underscored his discomfort and lack of confidence.
Despite avoiding any significant damage, the spin was a setback just hours before qualifying. Hamilton managed to return to the pits, but the incident highlighted ongoing issues with his setup.
As the Hungarian GP FP3 neared its end with the chequered flag out, late improvements were anticipated but did not materialize.
Verstappenās attempt to make a final push ended in disappointment as he went straight on at Turn 1.
This final mishap, coupled with earlier struggles, reinforced the perception that Red Bull might be on the back foot compared to McLaren.