If you ever needed proof that Formula 1 is a sport where the script is written in pencil, not ink, look no further than the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix Free Practice 2. On a sun-baked Friday at the Hungaroring, the world’s fastest drivers delivered a session that was equal parts drama, farce, and redemption. McLaren soared, Red Bull stumbled, Aston Martin remembered how to smile, and the rookies—well, they reminded us that youth is wasted on the young, but sometimes, just sometimes, it’s also wasted on the old.
Papaya Ascendant: Norris and Piastri Set the Pace
Let’s start with the headline: Lando Norris, with a lap of 1:15.624, led a McLaren one-two, Oscar Piastri just 0.291s behind. The papaya cars looked glued to the tarmac, their drivers trading fastest times with the kind of mutual trust that only occasionally ends in carbon fiber confetti. But today, it was nearly a disaster: Norris, in a moment of over-exuberance, locked up exiting the pits and almost collected his teammate at Turn 1. The McLaren pit wall must have aged a decade in that instant.
As FP2 came to a close Norris hurtled out of the pit lane and locked up, nearly collecting his team-mate Oscar Piastri in the process. Thankfully, the pair did not collide, but it was certainly a tense moment for the McLaren pit wall.GPFans.com
The McLaren resurgence at Hungary is not without precedent. In the late 1980s, Senna and Prost made the Hungaroring their playground, and in 2008, Heikki Kovalainen took a surprise win. But in the hybrid era, McLaren have been more likely to be found in the midfield wilderness than at the sharp end. Today, they looked every inch the team to beat—at least on a Friday.
Table: 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix FP2 Results
| Position | Driver | Team | Time/Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:15.624 | 23 |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.291 | 28 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.399 | 19 |
| 4 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +0.495 | 25 |
| 5 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +0.609 | 19 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.705 | 21 |
| 7 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.793 | 20 |
| 8 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +0.803 | 17 |
| 9 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | +0.861 | 21 |
| 10 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.896 | 21 |
| 11 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +0.943 | 21 |
| 12 | Nico Hülkenberg | Sauber | +1.056 | 26 |
| 13 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.080 | 26 |
| 14 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +1.167 | 27 |
| 15 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +1.188 | 26 |
| 16 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +1.250 | 21 |
| 17 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | +1.322 | 26 |
| 18 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +1.397 | 18 |
| 19 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +1.419 | 21 |
| 20 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +1.535 | 13 |
For the full session report and analysis, see PlanetF1’s FP2 coverage.
Aston Martin: The Green Shoots of Recovery
If you’d told me last year that Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso would be fourth and fifth in FP2 at Hungary, I’d have asked if you’d been drinking from the same bottle as the 1997 Arrows pit crew. Yet here we are: Stroll, often the butt of paddock jokes, was just half a second off Norris, and Alonso—back in the car after a muscular injury—looked as sharp as ever.
Aston Martin’s upturn is a reminder that the Hungaroring has always been a circuit where the unexpected can happen. Damon Hill nearly won here in an Arrows in 1997, and Jenson Button’s Honda topped practice in 2006. The technical, twisty layout rewards confidence and a well-balanced car, not just horsepower. For Aston Martin, this was a much-needed morale boost after a season spent mostly in the shadows.
Both Aston Martin cars were in P4 and P5, a great result considering the outcome of their season so far.Pit Debrief
Red Bull’s Ice Age: Verstappen’s Struggles and a Bizarre Towel Incident
And then there’s Max Verstappen. The reigning four-time world champion finished a lowly 14th, over a second off the pace, and was outpaced by his own teammate Yuki Tsunoda. If you’re looking for historical parallels, you’ll have to dig deep: reigning champions rarely look this lost in FP2 at Hungary. Even in the chaos of 2009 or the rain of 2014, the top dogs usually find a way to bark.
But Verstappen’s woes didn’t end with a lack of grip. In a moment that will surely make the season highlight reel, he was seen throwing a towel out of his cockpit on the straight between Turns 3 and 4—a move that earned him a summons from the stewards and a thousand memes on X.com.
Max Verstappen was noted by the FIA stewards for throwing a white material out of his cockpit, taking both hands off the wheel to do so, potentially a towel.PlanetF1.com
For a full breakdown of the incident and Verstappen’s struggles, see The Race’s analysis.
Rookies and Redemption: Hadjar, Antonelli, and Bearman Shine
Hungary has a reputation for being tough on rookies—just ask Lewis Hamilton, who only made it look easy in 2007 because he’s, well, Lewis Hamilton. Today, Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) was the standout, finishing eighth and outpacing both Red Bulls. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) and Oliver Bearman (Haas) also made the top 11, showing that the new generation is not here to make up the numbers.
Historically, rookies at Hungary use FP2 to learn the ropes, rarely troubling the established order. But every so often, a fresh face breaks through—Hamilton in 2007, Norris in 2019, and now Hadjar in 2025. It’s a reminder that the future is always closer than you think.
Ferrari: Leclerc the Lone Wolf, Hamilton Steady
Charles Leclerc was the only driver to get within half a second of the McLarens, his Ferrari looking nimble if not quite as planted as the papaya cars. Lewis Hamilton, now in red, was sixth—a solid if unspectacular showing. Ferrari’s history at Hungary is a mixed bag: from Schumacher’s dominance to years of anonymous midfield running. Today, they looked like the only team with a realistic shot at breaking McLaren’s stranglehold.
The Rest: Mercedes, Williams, and Alpine in the Shadows
George Russell (Mercedes) was seventh, while rookie Antonelli rounded out the top ten. Williams and Alpine, meanwhile, were left scratching their heads. Carlos Sainz suffered a telemetry glitch, and Pierre Gasly spent much of the session in the garage as Alpine made major suspension changes. Franco Colapinto, in his first FP2 at Hungary, was last—a baptism of fire if ever there was one.
Historical Parallels: When Hungary Surprises
The Hungarian Grand Prix has a long history of upsets and surprises in FP2. In 1997, Damon Hill’s Arrows shocked the paddock with its pace. In 2006, Jenson Button’s Honda topped the timesheets. In 2021, Alpine and Aston Martin both ran near the top. And in 2024, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri led a 1-2 in FP2, foreshadowing today’s result.
The common thread? The Hungaroring rewards those who can find rhythm and confidence, not just raw power. It’s a circuit where the unexpected is always lurking, and where Friday form can sometimes—just sometimes—translate into Sunday glory.
Waste a bit more time
If you’ve made it this far, you’re clearly as obsessed as I am. Here are some links to keep you entertained until FP3:
- Hungarian Grand Prix Free Practice 2 – Results – F1i.com
- 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix – Free Practice 2 F1 results (Hungaroring) – PlanetF1
- F1 Results Today: Norris makes major error as SHOCK comeback launched at Hungarian GP – GPFans
- F1 | FP2 | Hungarian GP | Norris beats Piastri and Leclerc again as Verstappen struggles to P14 – Pit Debrief
- Verstappen’s bizarre rag incident + pace struggles in Hungary FP2 – The Race
