Malaysian King, Sultan Ibrahim, set for groundbreaking state visit to Russia commencing August 5; first such visit by a Malaysian monarch since diplomatic ties were established in 1967.
In the Hungarian Grand Prix practice sessions, it was Oscar Piastri who claimed the top spot with a time of 1 minute 14.916 seconds, marking a significant lead over his closest title rival, Charles Leclerc, who finished 0.399 seconds behind.
Piastri, the McLaren driver, has been in impressive form this season, and his victory in Hungary last year and his record-breaking eighth win in the same venue further cemented his status as a force to be reckoned with.
Meanwhile, his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who leads Piastri by 16 points after 13 rounds of the season, had a less dominant run in the practice sessions. However, Norris had previously dominated the previous sessions of the Hungarian Grand Prix, suggesting that he could still be a strong contender come race day.
Mercedes' Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli achieved the fifth-best time in the practice session, while George Russell, driving for Mercedes, finished the session in eighth place. Lewis Hamilton, another Mercedes driver, was 0.768 seconds behind Piastri's fastest lap, finishing fourth in the practice session.
Elsewhere, Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen finished in 12th position, with Red Bull's driver Yuki Tsunoda finishing the session in 19th place. The Sauber pair, Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg, placed ninth and tenth respectively.
Aston Martin continued their strong Friday form with Fernando Alonso in sixth position and Lance Stroll in seventh.
It's important to note that practice sessions do not affect championship points or standings directly. The current standings relevant to the championship are those after the race, as detailed in the championship standings after the Hungarian Grand Prix race, which occurred on August 3, 2025:
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
In the constructors' championship, McLaren leads with 559 points, far ahead of Ferrari (260 points) and Mercedes (236 points).
Despite Piastri's impressive performance in the practice sessions, the Hungarian Grand Prix is far from over, and the race promises to be a thrilling spectacle.
The sports news indicates that Piastri, following his record-breaking wins, continues to make waves in auto-racing, putting him in a strong position for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Meanwhile, his teammate Norris, though falling behind in the practice sessions, has previously shown dominance at the Hungarian racetrack, suggesting he could still pose a challenge.
