Hungarian Grand Prix sees Alpine substitute Colapinto with Paul Aron for opening practice

The 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring is the 11th round of the Formula 1 season and the final race before the summer break. Alpine will not field Argentine driver Franco Colapinto in the first free‑practice session (FP1); reserve driver Paul Aron will drive the A526 to meet the FIA rookie‑session requirement. Colapinto returns for FP2 and the remainder of the weekend. The weekend also features several other storylines: Ferrari arrives as a favourite on a circuit that favours aerodynamic grip, while Mercedes’ George Russell seeks redemption after a crash in Belgium. Aston Martin will debut a radical B‑spec AMR26 package, aiming to close the performance gap to the leading teams. Weather forecasts predict high temperatures with a low chance of rain affecting the race, though rain may impact post‑race logistics. The event is a pivotal point in the championship as teams look to consolidate or improve their positions before the August hiatus.