Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in second practice for the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix, edging Ferrari's Charles Leclerc by a fraction as the Scuderia showed the cornering speed everyone expected at the Hungaroring Formula 1. Hamilton's lap of 1:18.729 put him top of the timesheets in FP2, with Leclerc second to complete a Ferrari 1-2 behind the seven-time champion.

For Ferrari, this was the plan working. The Hungaroring is one of the least power-dependent circuits on the calendar — it rewards cornering performance over outright engine grunt, which suits a Ferrari car strong through the turns but down on straight-line speed BBC Sport. Leclerc had already topped the first practice session with a 1:19.075, ahead of Max Verstappen by 0.484 seconds, before a mechanical problem cut his running short Formula 1.

Leclerc called it "a relatively strong day," noting the performance was there straight away — unusual for a team that normally spends Fridays playing catch-up BBC Sport. But he tempered expectations quickly: he does not expect the gap to carry over to Saturday's qualifying, when rivals turn their engines up and the track rubber builds grip.

Hamilton did not speak to the media on Friday — under the pooled interview system, only one driver per team faces the press each Friday, and Leclerc drew that duty for Ferrari BBC Sport.

Further back, the numbers told a messier story. George Russell finished 0.933 seconds off the pace in practice, behind both Lando Norris and Verstappen. Russell was blunt about the track conditions: he said a third of the circuit had been resurfaced poorly, that it was very bumpy, and the surface was breaking up at the last corner BBC Sport.

Russell's Mercedes team-mate, championship leader Kimi Antonelli, had a Friday to forget. He leads Hamilton by 45 points and Russell by 50 in the standings BBC Sport, but he did not complete a single qualifying simulation lap in FP2. His first attempt was abandoned when Franco Colapinto crashed his Alpine at the last corner; his second ended with an error at the chicane. Antonelli also spent the session complaining about rear brake locking BBC Sport.

Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord said both drivers had to dial front wing out of the car — adjusting the aerodynamic balance to find more front-end grip — but added that the long-run pace, the simulation of race stints on heavier fuel, looked consistent and competitive compared to Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren BBC Sport.

Norris's McLaren carried a significant upgrade package BBC Sport, while the top ten in practice also featured Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Nico Hulkenberg (Audi), and Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) BBC Sport.

Aston Martin, meanwhile, arrived with updates to their Adrian Newey-designed AMR26 Formula 1. The early signs were not encouraging: Lance Stroll said the team had "a lot of work to do," and Formula 1's official site reported Aston Martin appeared to be on the back foot Formula 1.

Friday practice is a first read, not a verdict. But the shape of the weekend is already visible: Ferrari quick where they needed to be, Mercedes fast but scruffy, McLaren banking on new parts, and the championship leader searching for answers on a crumbling surface.