Hello and welcome to this Total Motorsport live blog for Free Practice 1 at the F1 2025 Hungarian GP as we enter the final race weekend at the Hungaroring before the August summer shutdown.
As Formula 1 rolls into Budapest for the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix, teams and fans alike prepare for the final race before the traditional summer shutdown. The season has already delivered its fair share of drama, but the Hungaroring promises one more chapter before the paddock gets a breather. Celebrating its 40th grand prix this year, the track boasts extensive redevelopment, including a new pit complex and a sweeping grandstand overlooking the natural bowl on the city’s outskirts.
Total-Motorsport.com’s F1 2025 Hungarian GP live updates for Free Practice 1 will bring you real-time news, team developments, and the first on-track clues for the F1 weekend ahead. Stay with us as we bring you all the latest from Budapest.
F1 Hungarian GP 2025 Free Practice 1 LIVE: Latest Updates
Chequered Flag: Norris tops FP1 at the Hungaroring
Lando Norris wins the early bragging rights in his race against Oscar Piastri at this 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix as the Brit tops the times for McLaren in Free Practice 1 with a 1:16.052 on Friday.
It wasn’t a perfect session and he did have some wide moments and a lock-up but he has a slender advantage to take forwards into FP2 later on August 1.
His Australian colleague is just 0.019 back, however, so can he turn it around in the second session?
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TOP 10: Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Hadjar, Hamilton, Bearman, Antonelli, Russell, Verstappen, Stroll.
Two minutes to go: Issue for Bortoleto
Gabriel Bortoleto is now back in the pits for Sauber and that’s his afternoon over, with some sort of issue on the Brazilian’s car which is currently running 19th.
That’s not a good opening session for the team, who also had to retire Paul Aron’s car from the session earlier on, and consequently he is down in 20th.
Will they pick it up for FP2?
Seven minutes to go: Norris holds slender advantage
Lando Norris boasts a slender advantage over his McLaren teammate, with his 1:16.052 being enough to beat Oscar Piastri by a fractional 0.019 at the Hungaroring.
They then enjoy a semi-comfortable gap to Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari behind, who is 0.217 off the pace.
One man nobody has really heard from this FP1 session? Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who is down in ninth and is 0.888 behind the leaders. Is he hiding his hand?
13 minutes to go: Huge lock-up for Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton gets his Ferrari up to fifth behind Isack Hadjar, Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri and the time-topping Lando Norris but it’s not as good as the paper sheet looks.
He’s over four-and-a-half tenths back from his teammate and just had a huge lock-up into Turn 1, completely destroying a set of soft tyres. He’s now in the pits to reevaluate.
Can the Brit find his mojo again?
17 minutes to go: Russell improves for Mercedes
George Russell goes for a second lap on the soft tyres and manages to improve for Mercedes, although he’s still a long way off making an impression on the two McLaren pair, who lead the times.
He’s 0.873 back from Lando Norris’ benchmark time, so there is a lot of work to do for the Silver Arrows ahead of the rest of this 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix weekend.
Norris, meanwhile, has a considerable lock-up.
20 minutes to go: Piastri slots into second in Hungary
Oscar Piastri misses out on beating Lando Norris by 0.142 as the two McLaren cars find themselves poised to duel for pole position on Saturday at the Hungaroring.
However, Charles Leclerc goes for a second lap in the Ferrari and manages to get to within 0.217 back from the pair. Do both papaya drivers have to keep one eye looking back over their shoulders?
Alex Albon had also set a purple Sector 1 but then almost spun his car by losing the rear, backing off to get out of that jam. This track is evolving quickly and drivers are gaining more confidence.
25 minutes to go: Soft runs at the Hungaroring! Norris sets the bar
We’ve finally got the red-walled soft tyres on the F1 cars and they’re attacking the Hungaroring circuit with some good pace as Lando Norris sets a new benchmark time of 1:16.052 to lead Charles Leclerc and Lance Stroll in third for Aston Martin.
Then comes Alex Albon, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Esteban Ocon, Carlos Sainz, Liam Lawson and Felipe Drugovich in the Top 10 in FP1.
Oscar Piastri is yet to set a time.
30 minutes to go: VSC deployed – Aron out of session
Paul Aron pulls to the side of the track to retire from the session with a mechanical failure on his Sauber, which will be handed back to Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber.
The marshals are pushing the car away now and the green flag is back out on track. That’s a saddening end to the session for the prospect, who will finish this FP1 outing last on the timing board.
32 minutes to go: New pace to chase set by Norris
Lando Norris now leads the top of the times with a 1:16.837 on the medium tyre, which is the tyre of choice up and down the grid so far. The soft tyre is yet to be touched and there are only eight people running the hards.
Softs will no doubt come onto the cars later when the teams want to figure out how their quali pace is looking ahead of Saturday’s qualifying session – vital at this track.
Charles Leclerc is second, followed by a Williams third and fourth with Carlos Sainz ahead of Alex Albon, that’s an excellent start to the weekend by James Vowles’ team.
35 minutes to go: Frustrated Hamilton pits
Lewis Hamilton isn’t happy with his Ferrari SF-25 and heads into the pits to debrief with his engineers about what’s going wrong in FP1 at this 2025 Hungarian GP.
He’s currently running in 10th and is 1.558 seconds off the pace, which is an entire second behind his teammate in the other car, Charles Leclerc.
He’s got around half an hour to find some improvements.
40 minutes to go: Leclerc to the top
Lewis Hamilton might be wondering how to find the time on the McLaren cars but Charles Leclerc certainly isn’t as the Ferrari driver heads to the top of the charts with a 1:17.420.
The man from Monaco pips Lando Norris by 0.211 on the medium tyre.
Could Ferrari be in the mix for pole at a circuit where track position is absolutely crucial?
43 minutes to go: Hairy moment for Russell
George Russell has to catch a huge slide on his Mercedes, but the talented Brit manages to scoop it up and continues on his way around the Hungaroring this Friday afternoon.
He’s currently in 10th, in the pits and is over eight tenths behind Lando Norris’ early benchmark time.
45 minutes to go: Hamilton miffed by McLaren pace
Lewis Hamilton is currently running in eighth and is a second behind the pace of Lando Norris, something that leaves the seven-time world champion baffled at the Hungaroring – where he has taken pole eight times in the past.
His engineer tells him he’s losing time through Turns 5, 8 and 9. Fortunately, with Charles Leclerc a few tenths off in the other Ferrari, there is a lot of time out there too.
Can the 40-year-old bounce back?
50 minutes to go: Issue for Pierre Gasly
Pierre Gasly is told to box by his Alpine team and it seems as though the Frenchman has an issue on his car. Rotten luck, but at least it happened at the start of the weekend.
Remember last week, when he lost out at the Sprint Race due to an issue prior to the lights going out? He’ll be hoping to avoid a repeat of that.
Lando Norris now tops the times with a 1:17.631 on the mediums, 0.618 ahead of Oscar Piastri and 0.847 ahead of Max Verstappen, who is in third for Red Bull.
53 minutes to go: Russell to the top
George Russell’s Mercedes quickly jumps ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. His 1:19.111 clears the pair by 0.302 and 0.424 respectively.
The Silver Arrows have reverted to their old suspension following a challenging series of races, and that’s a promising start based on a sample of one.
Can the Brit get into the mix for pole?
New drivers for FP1: Two fresh faces
Felipe Drugovich is in the car for Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin, with the two-time champion sitting out the session through a small back injury.
Meanwhile Paul Aron is running in the Sauber in the place of Nico Hulkenberg. The 21-year-old Estonian finished third in 2024’s Formula 2, and is also affiliated with Alpine.
Let’s see how they get on out there.
GREEN FLAG: Haas hits the track
It’s a Haas car first out of the garage as this Free Practice 1 session begins at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Teams have one hour of running, which will predominately be used to tweak set ups and balance and to make sure everything is running okay.
FP2 is when the all-interesting long-runs will take place.
More on Fernando Alonso’s absence
Aston Martin confirm Fernando Alonso has been managing a muscular issue in his back and that his participation in FP2 and the remainder of the weekend is also at risk.
The exact origin of the injury is unclear, but everyone here at Total-Motorsport.com wishes the two-time Formula 1 world champion a speedy recovery at the Hungaroring.
BREAKING: Fernando Alonso to miss out on FP1
Fernando Alonso will not compete in FP1 at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix for Aston Martin, missing out due to an injury.
That means Felipe Drugovich will fill in for the 44-year-old Spaniard alongside Lance Stroll early on Friday.
Welcome to the blog!
It’s the final FP1 session of the season prior to the midseason break, and who will hit the ground running as they look to take momentum into the weekend ahead?
You’d naturally tip McLaren to hold an edge thanks to their awesome MCL39 package, but will it be Lando Norris getting the better of Oscar Piastri? Or the other way around?
What can Red Bull do through Max Verstappen? Likewise with Mercedes and Kimi Antonelli? And can Ferrari bounce back at one of Lewis Hamilton’s strongest tracks?
Where to Watch 2025 Hungarian GP FP1
For fans in the United States, Free Practice 1 from the Hungarian GP will be broadcast live on ESPNU, with streaming available via the ESPN app and ESPN+ for subscribers.
In the United Kingdom, every session from the Hungarian GP, including FP1, is shown live on Sky Sports F1. Australian viewers can watch FP1 on Fox Sports 506 (via Foxtel) and stream it on Kayo Sports.
Fans in other regions can also access live coverage through F1 TV Pro where available.
What time is FP1 at the 2025 Hungarian GP?
Free Practice 1 at the 2025 Hungarian GP is scheduled for Friday, August 1. The session begins at 13:30pm local time (CEST) in Budapest.
That means FP1 at the 2025 Hungarian GP begins at 12:30pm for fans in the UK, while those in the USA can catch Free Practice 1 at 7:30am ET and a very early 4:30am PT on the West Coast. Down Under, it’s a 9:30pm AEST start.
