Ferrari continues to solidify its position as the second strongest team on the Formula 1 grid, showing that the most recent update package — which includes a revised floor and rear suspension — has made the SF-25 a more stable and predictable car for its drivers. Charles Leclerc ended the day in third place behind the untouchable McLaren duo, clearly distancing himself from the rest of the competition. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton has not yet managed to put everything together but remains confident he can make progress by tomorrow.
Charles Leclerc is building on the encouraging results from the Belgian Grand Prix. After securing third place at Spa-Francorchamps behind both McLaren drivers, the Monegasque repeated the same position at the conclusion of the opening day of track action at the Hungaroring. It is a promising start, as the evaluation work on the upgrades introduced in Belgium has continued to yield positive feedback — even on a circuit with a completely different layout. This suggests that the SF-25 has taken a genuine step forward across varying types of corners. The role of Ferrari as the second-best team now seems firmly established, especially considering that Red Bull Racing is currently facing major setup challenges, making a direct comparison with Max Verstappen less relevant for the moment.
Leclerc is also aiming to break a longstanding personal jinx at the Hungaroring, a circuit where he has never finished on the podium. However, based on what was seen today, this could be the weekend where that changes. McLaren remains in a league of its own in terms of outright pace, but the lowest step of the podium is undoubtedly a realistic target for the Ferrari driver.
Charles Leclerc stated that the team completed its full scheduled program during both free practice sessions. While he acknowledged McLaren’s current performance advantage, he stressed the importance of staying focused and capitalizing on opportunities. According to him, there may not be much more he can extract personally from the package, so replicating today’s performance tomorrow will be key.
Ferrari’s pace looked consistent throughout the day. The third place in the qualifying simulation was matched by a strong performance during the race run, which Leclerc completed using medium tyres. In contrast, Lewis Hamilton conducted his long run on the soft compound. For the British driver, it was a mixed Friday. Finishing sixth overall is not a poor result in the context of his season so far, and the gap to Leclerc — around three-tenths of a second — still leaves room for improvement.
Hamilton began the FP1 session with a higher-downforce rear wing compared to Charles Leclerc, but he aligned with his team-mate George Russell’s configuration for the afternoon session. This adjustment helped improve his feeling with the car. Historically, the Hungaroring has been one of Hamilton’s strongest circuits — often dubbed his personal hunting ground — and there are whispers in the paddock suggesting he could pull off a surprise in qualifying. While catching the McLaren drivers is not realistically within reach, a close battle with Leclerc for third place is certainly on the cards. However, should Leclerc maintain the margin shown today, that would not bode well for the Mercedes driver.
Hamilton commented that the team carried out its intended program, making several changes to improve the car’s balance. He admitted he is still looking for optimal grip, but progress is being made. According to him, there is definitely more potential to unlock ahead of qualifying. He also noted that tyre degradation during the long runs was more pronounced compared to recent races, meaning the team has plenty of overnight work to do. With a significant amount of data to analyze, Hamilton expressed eagerness to return to the track tomorrow.
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