If you ever needed a reminder that Formula 1’s scriptwriters are a mischievous bunch, look no further than the opening act of the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix. The first practice session at the Hungaroring has always been a playground for the unpredictable—dusty tarmac, experimental setups, and the occasional rookie with nothing to lose. But today, on a sweltering August afternoon, the sport delivered a session that will be remembered not for its predictability, but for its delightful chaos.
Papaya at the Top: McLaren’s Statement of Intent
Let’s start with the headline: Lando Norris led a McLaren 1-2, clocking a blistering 1:16.052, with Oscar Piastri a mere 0.019 seconds adrift. For those who’ve been dozing through the last decade of FP1s at the Hungaroring, let me clarify: this is not normal. In fact, Norris’s time is one of the fastest ever recorded in an FP1 session at this circuit—second only to Lewis Hamilton’s 1:16.003 in the rain-affected 2020 session, and faster than most qualifying laps from the hybrid era.
The McLaren garage, once a place of existential dread and PowerPoint presentations about “rebuilding phases,” now hums with the quiet confidence of a team that knows it belongs at the sharp end. Norris himself, ever the understated Brit, summed up his journey with the MCL39:
I’ve had my tricky moments with the car and understanding how to drive it; yes, it’s a McLaren and it’s still got papaya on it, but it handles pretty differently to how it’s done in previous years. I’ve had to, to just adapt to that, and it’s not suited me as well. It’s tough and I’ve had to do and I’ve needed to do a better job to get back to to being as quick as I need to be – which I feel like I’ve done and I’ve improved on.
Lando Norris
For a team that once considered a top-10 finish in FP1 a minor miracle, today’s result is a statement of intent. The papaya is ripe, and the rest of the grid is on notice.
The Frenchman Who Stole the Show: Isack Hadjar’s Sensational Fourth
But if McLaren’s dominance was expected by the more attentive among us, the real surprise came in the form of Isack Hadjar. The Racing Bulls driver—yes, the team formerly known as Toro Rosso, then AlphaTauri, now Racing Bulls, because F1 loves a good rebrand—put his car fourth on the timesheets, ahead of both Mercedes and, more importantly, Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.
Hadjar’s 1:16.681 was not just a personal best; it was a shot across the bow for every established name in the paddock. For context, Racing Bulls have spent most of their existence as the sport’s plucky underdogs, occasionally nipping at the heels of the big boys but rarely threatening to upstage them. Today, Hadjar did just that.
The Frenchman’s performance was so unexpected that even the usually unflappable Verstappen was left, as one headline put it, “red-faced.” Read more here.
Ferrari: Close, But No Papaya
Charles Leclerc was the only non-McLaren driver to get within sniffing distance of the front, finishing third, 0.217 seconds off Norris. His teammate, Lewis Hamilton—now in the scarlet overalls of Maranello—was fifth, over six tenths adrift. Hamilton, never one to mince words, offered a typically candid assessment of Ferrari’s prospects:
I think that we’ve got the upgrade I think is a real positive, and we’re still trying to extract. I think there’s more opportunities to extract more from it, so we’re still fine tuning it, but Charles did a great job last weekend and got a podium. We’re not currently at the pace of the McLaren still, whether or not we will, I have no idea. I hope so.
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari’s revised rear suspension package, brought to Spa and now fine-tuned for the Hungaroring, has yet to deliver the knockout punch. But if there’s one thing history teaches us, it’s never to count out the Prancing Horse—especially on a circuit where strategy and tyre management can turn the tables in an instant.
Mercedes: The Antonelli Era Begins in Earnest
Behind the Ferraris, the Mercedes duo of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell slotted into seventh and eighth, separated by less than a tenth. Antonelli, the much-hyped Italian prodigy, is still finding his feet in the big leagues, but his pace today suggests that the Silver Arrows may have finally found a worthy successor to Hamilton.
Mercedes, ever the tinkerers, reverted to their old rear suspension in a bid to halt their recent slide. Antonelli was refreshingly honest about the challenges:
We’re going back to the old suspension, and that hopefully will bring the feeling back because since we moved to that suspension apart from Canada, I’ve been struggling to drive the car and getting the confidence.
Kimi Antonelli
It’s a reminder that in F1, progress is rarely linear. Sometimes, the fastest way forward is a step back.
Verstappen and Red Bull: A Day to Forget
And then there’s Max Verstappen. The reigning world champion, fresh off quashing rumors of a Mercedes switch for 2026, could manage only ninth in FP1—nearly nine tenths off Norris’s benchmark. For a man who has made a habit of bending the sport to his will, today was a humbling experience.
Red Bull’s struggles were compounded by Yuki Tsunoda’s 17th-place finish, while Liam Lawson, deputizing for the Racing Bulls, managed 14th. The team’s technical brain trust will no doubt burn the midnight oil searching for answers, but for now, the aura of invincibility has been punctured.
The Rookie Carousel: Drugovich and Aron’s Eventful Outings
FP1 at the Hungarian Grand Prix has long been a showcase for rookies and reserve drivers, and today was no exception. Felipe Drugovich stepped in for an injured Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin, finishing 16th—a respectable showing for a last-minute substitute.
Paul Aron, making his second FP1 appearance for Sauber, endured a session to forget. A technical issue curtailed his running after just nine laps, leaving him rooted to the bottom of the timesheets, nearly four seconds off the pace. It was a harsh lesson in the unforgiving nature of Formula 1, where opportunity and disaster are separated by the thinnest of margins.
Table: 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix FP1 Results
| Position | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:16.052 | — |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:16.071 | +0.019 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:16.269 | +0.217 |
| 4 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:16.681 | +0.629 |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:16.734 | +0.682 |
| 6 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:16.878 | +0.826 |
| 7 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:16.880 | +0.828 |
| 8 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:16.925 | +0.873 |
| 9 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:16.940 | +0.888 |
| 10 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:16.958 | +0.906 |
| 11 | Alex Albon | Williams | 1:16.984 | +0.932 |
| 12 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:17.004 | +0.952 |
| 13 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:17.123 | +1.071 |
| 14 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:17.184 | +1.132 |
| 15 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:17.195 | +1.143 |
| 16 | Felipe Drugovich | Aston Martin | 1:17.269 | +1.217 |
| 17 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | 1:17.393 | +1.341 |
| 18 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:17.464 | +1.412 |
| 19 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | 1:17.652 | +1.600 |
| 20 | Paul Aron | Sauber | 1:19.788 | +3.736 |
History Repeats, But Never in the Same Way
If you’re tempted to dismiss FP1 as a meaningless exercise, remember George Russell’s shock P1 for Williams in 2021, or Robert Kubica’s emotional return in 2017. The Hungaroring has a habit of serving up surprises in the opening session—be it rain, rookies, or the occasional underdog stealing the limelight. Today’s session fits neatly into that tradition.
The lap times themselves tell a story. Norris’s 1:16.052 is not just fast—it’s historically significant, eclipsing all but one FP1 time in the last decade. For reference, the average FP1 fastest lap at the Hungaroring since 2014 has hovered between 1:17.5 and 1:19.5, with only Hamilton’s 2020 lap (1:16.003) going quicker. See the full historical context here.
The Human Element: Pressure, Opportunity, and the Weight of Expectation
What makes today’s FP1 so compelling isn’t just the numbers—it’s the human stories behind them. Norris, once the plucky underdog, now carries the weight of expectation. Hadjar, the rookie, seizes his moment in the sun. Verstappen, the champion, is reminded that even the mighty can stumble.
And then there are the engineers, strategists, and mechanics—those unseen hands who turn wrenches and crunch data, knowing that every tenth gained or lost in FP1 could be the difference between glory and ignominy come Sunday.
Waste a Bit More Time
If you’re hungry for more, here are some links to keep you occupied until FP2:
- Hungarian Grand Prix F1 practice results 2025 – The Race
- 2025 F1 Hungarian Grand Prix – Friday Practice Results | Crash.net
- F1 Results Today: Max Verstappen left red-faced as SURPRISE star …
- Hungarian Grand Prix Free Practice 1 – Results – F1i.com
- Norris leads Piastri, Leclerc in FP1 – 2025 Hungarian GP practice …
- LIVE: F1 Hungarian GP updates – Verstappen confirms Red Bull stay …
And for those who prefer their analysis with a side of moving pictures, here’s a YouTube video breaking down the session’s key moments.
