Ferrari Tops Practice in Hungary but Vasseur Urges Caution
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc delivered a dominant one-two for Ferrari in Friday practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix, but team principal Fred Vasseur quickly moved to temper expectations. The Frenchman warned that tyre data gaps, frequent red flags, and expected improvements from rivals could reshuffle the order by qualifying.
Hamilton set the fastest lap of the day at 1:18.729 on the resurfaced Hungaroring, edging Leclerc by 0.148 seconds. Lando Norris, the reigning world champion, finished third for McLaren but was half a second off the pace. Max Verstappen placed fourth for Red Bull, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli struggled to 13th after missing the first session.
Why Vasseur Is Playing Down Ferrari's Pace
Vasseur said the session was too messy to draw firm conclusions. Red flags in FP2 prevented Ferrari from completing a proper long-run stint, leaving the team uncertain about tyre degradation over a race distance. He expects all major rivals to improve significantly on Saturday.
“So far, so good,” Vasseur said. “But it is only Friday and it is a good start, but let's see tomorrow when it can be a different story. Everyone will improve.”
He added: “It was a messy afternoon with FP2.”
Hamilton Chasing History at the Hungaroring
Hamilton, 45 points behind Antonelli in the drivers' standings, is aiming to become the first driver in F1 history to take 10 poles at the same circuit. His last qualifying win came in Hungary in 2023, and a victory on Sunday would be his ninth at the track, matching his own record at Silverstone.
After last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, Hamilton said he wants to intensify Ferrari's push and still believes he can challenge for an eighth world title this season.
Track Resurfacing Creates Challenges
George Russell, who finished fifth for Mercedes, noted that half the Hungaroring has been resurfaced, creating unusual bumps and breaking up in the final corners. He said the track felt strange to drive but that Mercedes looked more competitive on longer runs.
“Our single lap didn't look great, but the long run looked more competitive,” Russell said. “We feared Ferrari potentially and it seemed to be the case — they looked very, very strong.”
Verstappen echoed the sentiment, calling it a difficult day and saying Red Bull needs to improve balance and consistency ahead of qualifying.
What to Watch This Weekend
With Ferrari showing strong single-lap speed but lacking long-run data, and rivals expected to close the gap, Saturday's qualifying session will be critical. Hamilton will aim for his 105th career pole, while Antonelli will look to recover from a low-key Friday. The race on Sunday marks the final round before F1's summer break.
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