Oscar Piastri tops timesheets in Hungary final practice

Oscar Piastri led the final practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix ahead of his teammate and a Ferrari driver.

Oscar Piastri secures top spot in Hungary final practice

In the final practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri showcased impressive speed by taking the top spot, edging out teammate Lando Norris and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Piastri finished with a time that was six-tenths slower than Norris's previous best in FP2. As the session progressed, Leclerc put in a strong effort but faced a setback at Turn 12, losing time after dipping into the gravel trap. Notably, rookie Gabriel Bortoleto finished sixth, continuing his upward trajectory. Meanwhile, Alex Albon struggled at the bottom of the timesheets, leading to concerns about his car's performance. The session concluded with teams balancing the need for qualifying simulations against long runs, creating traffic challenges on the track, notably for Norris, who faced criticism from fellow drivers.

Piastri's performance signals a growing confidence within McLaren as they push to close the gap to the front-runners. The session's dynamics highlighted ongoing challenges teams face with traffic during practice, emphasizing the fine line between optimizing performance and maintaining competitive pace. This final practice could influence team strategies for the qualifying rounds ahead, especially as rookie drivers like Bortoleto continue to impress. The mixed fortunes of established and younger drivers may set an intriguing tone for the race itself.

Highlights

The strategies developed here may set the stage for an exciting qualifying session ahead.