Norris Cuts 1:18.939, Takes Lead at Hungarian FP3
Lando Norris of McLaren opened the track session with a 1:18.939 lap, a full ten‑thousandth of a second ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. The early pace saw the McLarens dominate the opening minutes while Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar matched their pace.
With the first hour reserved for tail‑sharpening runs, teams kept the softer compounds for qualifying. Oscar Piastri, also of McLaren, briefly eclipsed the 1:20s barrier before Norris secured his benchmark.
Top Four Collide as Red‑Flag Alters Momentum
At the 20‑minute mark, Sergio Perez halted with a smoking rear end, sparking a red‑flag that paused the track’s rhythm.
When racing resumed, Ferrari and Mercedes pushed his mark harder. George Russell trailed by two tenths, and Charles Leclerc followed a tenth behind. Hamilton slid into the top three, narrowly bettering Norris by 0.009s in the final cycle.
Leclerc’s second attempt produced a 1:18.668 lap, moving him clear of Mercedes. Kimi Antonelli responded with a 1:18.254, overtaking Hamilton for second place. Norris answered with a 1:18.206, then reclaimed the lead with a 1:17.939.
Midfield Scramble and Audi’s German Vanguard
Charles Leclerc dropped to fourth after a wide run at Turn 1 on his last lap. Piastri fell behind to fifth after cutting the Turn 6 chicane, while Russell sat sixth, comfortably behind the front‑row trio.
Verstappen and Hadjar hovered in the midpack, neither impressed by the RB22’s bump‑sensitive handling. Nico Hulkenberg topped Audi’s line, pushing veteran Gabriel Bortoleto up to tenth.
Arvid Lindblad missed most of the session, conducting a power‑unit change before ending the run in 13th place. The session concluded with a tightly clustered FP3 grid, setting the scene for a compelling qualifying showdown.
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