Lando Norris secured the fastest time in Free Practice 3 for the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix, ending Ferrari’s dominance of the earlier practice sessions. The McLaren driver posted a lap of 1:17.939 at the Hungaroring circuit.
Norris’s performance positioned him 0.117 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who finished second for Ferrari with a time of 1:18.056. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes claimed third, just 0.129 seconds off Norris’s benchmark, recording a 1:18.068.
Ferrari had led both Friday practice sessions, but encountered difficulties optimising their one-lap performance in the hotter Saturday conditions. Both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc appeared less comfortable with their SF-26 cars.
Leclerc, in the second Ferrari, finished fourth with a time of 1:18.291. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri secured fifth position, clocking a 1:18.438. This placed two McLarens within the top five.
Mercedes showed improved form in FP3 after a challenging Friday. George Russell, however, continued to seek a better balance in his Mercedes, finishing sixth with a 1:18.541.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was seventh, recording a 1:18.656. His teammate Isack Hadjar followed in eighth with a time of 1:18.943. Red Bull appeared to be the fourth-fastest package during the session.
Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls secured ninth place with a 1:19.088. Nico Hulkenberg completed the top ten for Audi, setting a lap time of 1:19.160. Gabriel Bortoleto, also for Audi, was eleventh.
The session was briefly red-flagged when Sergio Perez’s Cadillac stopped on track due to an apparent engine issue and smoking rear end. Franco Colapinto of Alpine was the first driver out, aiming to recover lost track time after a crash on Friday.
Aston Martin continued to evaluate their upgraded AMR26. Fernando Alonso finished 17th, with Lance Stroll 18th. Stroll had missed significant running on Friday due to a suspension problem. Carlos Sainz reported plank damage in his Williams.
Track temperatures reached 51 degrees Celsius under clear, dry conditions. The high temperatures and dusty surface contributed to challenging grip levels for the drivers. This sets the stage for a competitive qualifying session later today.
