Charles Leclerc set the pace in the opening practice session at the 2026 Formula 1® Hungarian Grand Prix, while Aston Martin faced technical difficulties with their upgraded AMR26 B-spec car. Leclerc's fastest lap of 1m19.075s put him comfortably ahead of his closest rivals, highlighting Ferrari's ongoing development efforts.
Leclerc's time was over four tenths quicker than Red Bull's Max Verstappen and his Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton, who finished second and third respectively. Ferrari ran a new ‘Macarena’ wing featuring a distinctive three-piece winglet designed to increase downforce on the tight and twisty Hungaroring circuit. Meanwhile, Aston Martin introduced a heavily revised car with a lighter chassis, new aerodynamic surfaces, and a redesigned rear suspension layout, but the session was disrupted when Lance Stroll suffered a suspected rear suspension failure, causing a spin and a red flag.
The session also saw George Russell of Mercedes being the first to test Pirelli’s soft tyres, briefly setting a faster time than Leclerc before Verstappen improved on it. Several drivers struggled with front tyre lock-ups at Turn 1, a corner recently resurfaced and known for its low grip. McLaren brought a significant floor update and experimented with an upside-down rear wing concept, with reserve driver Leonardo Fornaroli taking part in the running.
After the red flag caused by Stroll’s incident, Leclerc attempted to improve his time but appeared to encounter a power unit or gearbox issue, which forced him to coast back to the pits. Verstappen mentioned that his Red Bull felt like it had a handbrake applied, yet he still managed to secure second place, 0.484 seconds behind Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton followed closely in third, with Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar completing the top four.
Fernando Alonso, driving the upgraded Aston Martin, was 13th fastest, approximately 2.5 seconds off the leading pace. The session also included a stewards’ inquiry involving Carlos Sainz, who was called in for allegedly impeding Verstappen and erratic driving during FP1. Rookie and reserve drivers featured prominently, fulfilling mandatory rookie running requirements and gaining valuable track time.
This opening practice session underlined the technical challenges and ongoing development efforts across several teams. Ferrari’s new aerodynamic package showed promising pace, while Aston Martin’s ambitious upgrade package faced early setbacks. The session highlighted the fine margins and complexities teams must manage as they prepare for the weekend’s competitive sessions.