The third free practice session of the Hungarian Grand Prix finally showed a McLaren closer to the expected potential with the new upgrades, but above all, it tightened the field ahead of a qualifying session that promises to be particularly uncertain. Norris, Antonelli, and the two Ferraris seem to have concrete arguments to aim for pole position, while Red Bull, at least from what has been seen so far, appears to be the only major team temporarily excluded from the fight. Verstappen and his teammate continue to struggle with a weak front end on entry, which is particularly penalizing on a track like the Hungaroring, where confidence on corner entry and continuity in changes of direction are fundamental. The situation could obviously change with the final adjustments before qualifying, but at the moment, the Milton Keynes car seems a step behind the leading group.
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McLaren grows, Antonelli stays close
Of Lando Norris’s entire lap, the central sector was certainly the most impressive reference of the session. McLaren confirms an excellent level of downforce, without particularly suffering from the lack of efficiency on a track that is on average so slow and still has 4 zones where active aerodynamics can be used, and short gear ratios are decidedly useful for traction, with Norris often managing to surge forward in traction on corner exit. However, it wasn’t just Norris who was fast, as Kimi Antonelli remained less than a tenth behind in the central sector, also very close on the final lap time, for a 3-team battle that seems to be increasingly materializing.
Ferrari: strong everywhere except at the chicane
Mercedes therefore confirms itself as extremely competitive, as was to be expected, and the problem in the second sector seems to concern Ferrari above all. The data comparison indeed shows a very precise point where both SF-26s lose a significant amount of time: the slow chicane of turns 6 and 7. Hamilton passes through that section with about 9 km/h less than Antonelli, while Leclerc loses as much as 13 km/h. In Lewis’s case, the overall loss exceeds three tenths, because the lower exit speed carries over through the entire subsequent acceleration up to the entry of turn 8. It is a localized but very costly weakness, which significantly alters the reading of the overall lap, considering that almost all of Hamilton’s half-second deficit in the central sector comes from there. The peculiarity of Ferrari’s performance is that Hamilton achieved the best time in both the first and third sectors. One wonders if Ferrari had more fuel on board the car, given the lack of agility in changes of direction, an answer that will come shortly. The SF-26 continues to show a very strong front end on entry and good traction effectiveness. In the second sector, the red car remains forced to perform a certain amount of harvesting on the straights, with the aim of conserving electrical energy to spend on accelerations in the last part of the lap. Hamilton’s management appeared particularly effective, better than Leclerc’s at this stage of the weekend.
The rear, however, continues to remain on the edge of grip. The feeling is that Ferrari has sought a balance in which the rear end must be handled with great precision, avoiding forcing it excessively. A mode that seems to adapt quite naturally to Hamilton, while for Leclerc it appears less instinctive. The Monegasque tends to seek more rotation and provoke the rear more. However, when he manages to control it without exceeding its limit, the potential shown is practically identical to that of his teammate.
Ferrari unique with two real contenders
Pole and the front row therefore seem within reach for Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren. Norris showed a remarkable central sector, Antonelli continues to be extremely competitive, and Hamilton produced the best references in the two extreme sectors. Ferrari currently seems to be the only team that truly has the weapon of two spearheads. Leclerc and Hamilton built their times differently, but the overall potential appears very similar, and both should be in the fight for pole. Qualifying therefore promises to be open and potentially very spectacular with 3 teams and at least 4 drivers battling for pole. We will see who comes out on top, also remembering that in Budapest a good start can make a big difference and therefore whoever qualifies in the first two rows has more than one chance of being first into turn 1 in the race.
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