The 2025 Formula 1 season returned immediately to action at the Hungarian Grand Prix following the recent race weekend in Spa-Francorchamps, which was the last Grand Prix before the summer break. Here is a detailed summary and the official results of the first free practice session (FP1) at the Hungaroring.
First Half Hour
As soon as the green flag was waved, all teams quickly sent their cars out onto the track. During last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, many teams introduced significant technical upgrades, but they were unable to fully test these improvements due to the sprint race format, which reduced available track time by eliminating two of the three free practice sessions. As usual, the first practice session serves as an opportunity for all teams to get familiar with both their cars and the unique characteristics of the circuit.
Attention was once again focused on Scuderia Ferrari and their recently updated suspension package. The three free practice sessions provide the Maranello-based team with crucial track time to further refine this new specification, which is still in a learning phase.
After the first ten minutes, teams began setting their initial timed laps, all using medium compound tyres. Lando Norris set the earliest benchmark time, closely followed by Oscar Piastri, Max Verstappen, and the two Ferrari drivers.
Nothing particularly unusual happened during the first half-hour of FP1, although the session was temporarily interrupted by a Virtual Safety Car period due to a mechanical failure on Nico Hülkenberg’s car. Hülkenberg was running in place of Nico Aron, who was completing rookie test duties. During this interruption, Norris maintained his position at the top of the timesheets, improving his lap time further. Charles Leclerc also posted a strong time, while the two Williams drivers appeared competitive within the midfield group.
Second Half Hour
In the second half-hour of FP1, teams shifted their focus towards qualifying simulations, fitting their cars with the soft compound tyres, which are the fastest in the current tyre range. In these initial quick laps, Lando Norris once again led the times, followed closely by Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc, who managed to close the gap to just two-tenths of a second behind the McLaren driver. Théo Pourchaire appeared in fourth place, with Lewis Hamilton and Oliver Bearman following.
During the final ten minutes of the session, most teams conducted short runs simulating race pace on medium tyres, although the data collected was not yet fully indicative of race performance.
It is important to remember that results from the first practice session should always be taken with caution, but the pattern seen at the Hungaroring reflects the trends observed throughout the 2025 season so far.
No surprises emerged in FP1: McLaren once again showed strong performance, confirming its comfort on a circuit that suits the characteristics of the MCL39. The car’s high aerodynamic downforce combined with relatively low drag works well on a track with short straights like the Hungaroring, where drag is less of a limiting factor.
Ferrari positioned itself as the clear second force. However, the track does not perfectly suit the specific traits of the SF-25. While the Maranello team’s car boasts excellent aerodynamic efficiency, this advantage cannot be fully exploited here, and the car suffers somewhat in traction – a key element on the tight and twisty Hungarian layout. Nevertheless, the car maintains a strong level of downforce, and combined with the ongoing development and learning curve of the new suspension, this could represent a future advantage.
Red Bull Racing and Mercedes appeared further behind, indicating that both squads will need to work intensively on their setup ahead of the second free practice session (FP2).
Leave a Reply