Ferrari delivered an extremely competitive Friday at the Hungaroring, with Lewis Hamilton leading Charles Leclerc in a commanding one-two during Hungarian Grand Prix FP2. Despite the encouraging speed of the SF-26 and positive early signs from the team’s updates, Frédéric Vasseur insisted that Ferrari’s priority is not to produce the strongest Friday, but to secure the best possible result on Sunday.
Lewis Hamilton topped the session with a 1:18.729, while Charles Leclerc completed the Ferrari FP2 one-two with a 1:18.877. Their advantage over the opposition was particularly notable: Lando Norris, the leading McLaren driver, finished third and around half a second behind, while Max Verstappen was almost seven tenths off the pace. George Russell, the quickest Mercedes driver, trailed by nine tenths.
A highly competitive Ferrari in Budapest
During his Thursday media appearances, Charles Leclerc had sounded particularly cautious. The Monegasque driver pointed out that even the smallest changes could produce major fluctuations in the car’s behaviour, an observation that has rarely been more relevant than under the 2026 Formula 1 regulations.
With that in mind, Charles Leclerc was unwilling to make bold predictions about Ferrari’s prospects in Hungary, instead emphasising the importance of executing every part of the weekend exceptionally well. Frédéric Vasseur had adopted a similarly cautious stance immediately after the Belgian Grand Prix, attempting to temper expectations ahead of Budapest.
Nevertheless, Ferrari’s Friday performance could hardly fail to inspire optimism within the team and among its supporters. Beyond the one-two at the top of the timesheets, the size of the advantage over McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes offered another encouraging indication of the SF-26’s potential around the Hungaroring. Ferrari also received positive feedback from its long runs, although the gaps between the leading teams were narrower over the race simulations.
Frédéric Vasseur: “We’re aiming for the best Sunday”
Frédéric Vasseur’s comments after Hungarian GP FP2 were predictably measured. When journalists asked whether the Hungaroring sessions represented Ferrari’s best Friday of the season, the team principal made it clear that Friday results were not the ultimate objective.
“We’re not aiming for the best Friday, but the best Sunday,” Frédéric Vasseur said.
However, the Ferrari team principal did not hide his satisfaction with the work completed by Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and the team.
“Today went quite well, the set-up is in the right place and the upgrades are working. But we are still a long way from qualifying. That means we must continue fine-tuning the car, extracting performance in every sector and doing an even better job. But so far, everything is going well.”
The comments provide an encouraging early assessment of the developments Ferrari brought to Budapest. The team used Friday practice to evaluate different solutions, including its Macarena rear-wing configurations, while the wider Hungarian GP upgrade list showed how teams are searching for additional performance at the Hungaroring.
Why the final race before the break matters
Frédéric Vasseur also addressed the significance of the Hungarian Grand Prix as the final race before Formula 1’s summer break. While acknowledging its psychological importance, he stressed that Ferrari must approach every round with the same level of focus.
“The final race before the break is important because it remains in your mind for three or four weeks. But there are no more points available in Budapest than at Silverstone or Spa. We try to approach every race at the same level. That is fundamental.”
Ferrari’s early advantage was particularly striking given that Mercedes had arrived in Budapest confident that the W17 could challenge the Scuderia at this circuit. The German team’s Hungarian Grand Prix expectations made the nine-tenth FP2 deficit between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton one of Friday’s most noteworthy margins, even if practice times cannot provide a definitive competitive order.
Frédéric Vasseur reassures Ferrari over Charles Leclerc’s FP1 problem
Frédéric Vasseur concluded by offering reassurance about the mechanical issue that affected Charles Leclerc during FP1. Ferrari had already established that the problem would not require a power unit change for Charles Leclerc, and the team principal described it simply as “nothing serious”.
However, when asked to provide a more detailed explanation of the issue, Frédéric Vasseur declined to comment. With both Ferrari drivers subsequently completing FP2 at the top of the timesheets, the team’s attention can now turn towards refining the SF-26 ahead of qualifying and converting its impressive Friday pace into the result that matters most on Sunday.
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