LANDO NORRIS completed an impressive practice double over championship rival Oscar Piastri at the Hungarian Grand Prix today.

Norris trails McLaren team-mate Piastri by 16 points heading into Sunday’s round at the Hungaroring — the final race before the summer break.

But the British driver laid down an early marker in the first running of the weekend when he beat Piastri to top spot by just 0.019 seconds. He then extended his advantage to 0.291 seconds in the day’s concluding session.

Norris’s world championship bid suffered a setback at last weekend’s rain-hit Belgian Grand Prix when Piastri overtook him on the first racing lap and went on to claim a comfortable win.

However, it was Norris — never previously outqualified by a team-mate in six visits to the Hungaroring — who stole an early advantage with an impressive performance today at a circuit he has declared among his favourites on the calendar.

There was one moment of concern for Norris when he ran wide at the final turn. But he managed to retake control of his McLaren, and survived without ending up in the wall.

Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, four tenths off the pace, but three places clear of team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

The seven-time world champion, who has a record eight wins and nine pole positions in Hungary, was three tenths adrift of Leclerc.

In the first session, Hamilton complained his car didn’t “feel good,” and ran off the road at the first corner following a major lock-up. He was then beaten by both Aston Martin drivers in the second running.

Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso were fourth and fifth respectively — the latter returning to his cockpit after he missed the opening session with a back injury — while George Russell ended the running in seventh.

On Thursday, Max Verstappen ended speculation he could leave Red Bull at the end of the year by committing his future there for at least another season. However, he finished a distant 14th in practice, over 1.1 seconds slower than Norris.

“I don’t know what is going on,” said Verstappen. “It is just undriveable.”

Verstappen is also facing a stewards’ investigation after he threw a towel — seemingly left in the Dutchman’s cockpit by accident — out of his car. Verstappen was called to see the stewards at 6.20pm local time (5.20pm BST).