Lando Norris set the pace in the final practice session of the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix, delivering a strong performance for McLaren ahead of the all-important qualifying session at the Hungaroring.

The British driver posted the fastest lap of 1:17.939, completing 20 laps and finishing at the top of the standings. However, the gap at the front was extremely close, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton ending the session only 0.117 seconds behind Norris in second place.

Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli continued his impressive run of form by securing third position. The young Italian driver was just 0.129 seconds away from the fastest time, confirming Mercedes’ strong pace around the technical Hungaroring circuit.

Ferrari remained competitive throughout the session, with Charles Leclerc finishing fourth, 0.352 seconds behind Norris. McLaren’s second driver, Oscar Piastri, completed the top five with a gap of 0.499 seconds.

Mercedes also showed strong potential as George Russell took sixth place, while reigning world champion Max Verstappen had a more challenging session. The Red Bull driver finished seventh, 0.717 seconds slower than Norris.

The midfield battle remained tight, with Isack Hadjar placing eighth for Racing Bulls, followed by teammate Liam Lawson in ninth. Audi’s Nico Hülkenberg rounded out the top ten after another solid showing.

Further down the order, several drivers struggled to match the pace of the leaders. Fernando Alonso finished 17th, while Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll ended the session in 18th place. Williams drivers Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon completed the lower part of the classification.

Sergio Perez was unable to record a lap time during the session, finishing 22nd after completing zero laps.

With only a small margin separating Norris, Hamilton, and Antonelli, the Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying session is expected to deliver a highly competitive battle for pole position. McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes appear ready to challenge Red Bull as the teams prepare for the next crucial stage of the weekend.

Final Practice 3 Classification – Hungarian Grand Prix 2026