F1 Hungarian GP: McLaren 1-2 again as Piastri tops FP3 over Norris

Oscar Piastri pipped Lando Norris to top spot in the Hungarian Grand Prix's final practice session, as McLaren delivered a devastating blow to the Formula 1 field in the prelude to qualifying.

With 15 minutes remaining, Piastri took new softs and embarked on a second soft-tyre run of the session; the championship leader pulled the pin and posted a 1m14.916s, at that point almost 0.8s clear of the next fastest time from Lewis Hamilton.

He was joined at the top by Lando Norris, who trailed by just over a tenth after the opening two sectors, before the Briton drew closer with a stronger final sector.

Charles Leclerc dropped into the chasm-like gap between the McLarens and the rest of the field, setting a lap 0.4s off the pace meaning he’s finished third in every practice session this weekend.

It took almost 10 minutes before a driver logged a full lap time in a slow start to the session, as Franco Colapinto got the session underway with a 1m18.006s. 

After a handful of takers turned their first laps around the circuit, Yuki Tsunoda's 1m17.022s on mediums prompted more activity as teams began to feel that the circuit was ready for their FP3 run plans.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Max Verstappen gathered a 1m16.547s on softs shortly after Lance Stroll went to the top of the times, before the world champion’s lap was then overcome by Leclerc's 1m16.406s.

The Ferrari driver’s spell at the top was short as George Russell went 0.094s faster, but Piastri then rounded his first soft-tyre lap with a 1m16.240s.

Verstappen came back for seconds and posted a 1m16.202s, finding over 0.3s on his first effort; Leclerc looked set to put another three-tenths over the Red Bull driver with a rapid lap, but dipped a wheel at the exit of Turn 12. Regardless, he went top by 0.065s. Piastri then thrust his way into the 1m15s, setting a 1m15.871s.

But the best was yet to come; as the track quietened down ahead of the final quarter-of-an-hour of running, Piastri took a fresh set of softs and posted his 1m14.916s - beating his previous effort by over 0.9s - and was then followed by Norris.

Leclerc and Hamilton ensured the Ferraris were third and fourth, as Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli broke into the top five with his own final soft-tyre effort.

The Mercedes duo was separated by the Aston Martins; Fernando Alonso and Stroll were sixth and seventh, while Russell finished eighth and a tenth down on his team-mate, having lost time at the start of sector two and through sector three.

Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg completed the top 10 as Sauber continued to show strong pace, with Oliver Bearman 11th and Verstappen only 12th as Red Bull, whose other driver Yuki Tsunoda finished 19th, continued to struggle with finding overall balance in the car.

F1 Hungarian GP results - FP3

Main Information Additional Data Driver Info Driver Info

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Main Information Additional Data 1  -  2
Cla	Driver	#		Chassis	Engine	Laps	Time	Interval	Tyres	km/h
1	O. Piastri McLaren	81		McLaren	Mercedes	17	1'14.916		S	210.523
2	L. Norris McLaren	4		McLaren	Mercedes	20	+0.032 1'14.948	0.032	S	210.433
3	C. Leclerc Ferrari	16		Ferrari	Ferrari	17	+0.399 1'15.315	0.367	S	209.408
4	L. Hamilton Ferrari	44		Ferrari	Ferrari	18	+0.768 1'15.684	0.369	S	208.387
5	A. Antonelli Mercedes	12		Mercedes	Mercedes	18	+0.829 1'15.745	0.061	S	208.219
6	F. Alonso Aston Martin Racing	14		Aston Martin	Mercedes	18	+0.878 1'15.794	0.049	S	208.085
7	L. Stroll Aston Martin Racing	18		Aston Martin	Mercedes	21	+0.912 1'15.828	0.034	S	207.991
8	G. Russell Mercedes	63		Mercedes	Mercedes	17	+0.924 1'15.840	0.012	S	207.958
9	G. Bortoleto Sauber	5		Sauber	Ferrari	19	+1.062 1'15.978	0.138	S	207.581
10	N. Hulkenberg Sauber	27		Sauber	Ferrari	21	+1.109 1'16.025	0.047	S	207.452
11	O. Bearman Haas F1 Team	87		Haas	Ferrari	17	+1.211 1'16.127	0.102	S	207.174
12	M. Verstappen Red Bull Racing	1		Red Bull	Red Bull	19	+1.246 1'16.162	0.035	S	207.079
13	F. Colapinto Alpine	43		Alpine	Renault	21	+1.331 1'16.247	0.085	S	206.848
14	L. Lawson RB	30		RB	Honda	21	+1.455 1'16.371	0.124	S	206.512
15	C. Sainz Williams	55		Williams	Mercedes	19	+1.526 1'16.442	0.071	S	206.321
16	A. Albon Williams	23		Williams	Mercedes	20	+1.614 1'16.530	0.088	S	206.083
17	E. Ocon Haas F1 Team	31		Haas	Ferrari	18	+1.615 1'16.531	0.001	S	206.081
18	P. Gasly Alpine	10		Alpine	Renault	22	+1.654 1'16.570	0.039	S	205.976
19	Y. Tsunoda Red Bull Racing	22		Red Bull	Red Bull	19	+1.962 1'16.878	0.308	M	205.151
20	I. Hadjar RB	6		RB	Honda	18	+2.040 1'16.956	0.078	M	204.943
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