The 2025 Formula 1 season arrives at the Hungaroring Circuit in Budapest on Friday, August 1, marking the start of the first and second practice sessions for the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. The F1 Hungarian Grand Prix practice schedule outlines when these sessions will occur and how fans can watch the action live.
This event follows the Belgian Grand Prix sprint weekend, where Max Verstappen of Red Bull secured Sunday’s victory, and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri won the Saturday sprint race. As the Hungarian round begins, Piastri leads the drivers‘ championship standings, ahead of his teammate Lando Norris by 16 points, while defending champion Verstappen trails third, sitting 81 points behind.
Timings for Each Practice Session at the Hungaroring This Weekend
The first practice session (FP1) opens on Friday, August 1, at 1:30 p.m. local time (CEST), which corresponds to 7:30 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) in the United States. The second session (FP2) will be held later the same day at 4 p.m. local time, or 11 a.m. ET. On Saturday morning, the third and final practice session (FP3) begins at 12:30 p.m. CEST, equivalent to 6:30 a.m. ET.
These practice runs will give teams and drivers critical track time to prepare for the qualifying rounds and the race itself, with the Hungarian Grand Prix expected to showcase intense competition among the leading drivers.
Practice Session Start Times Across Global Locations
For fans worldwide, here are the key start times of each practice session converted into multiple time zones for convenience.
Friday, August 1 – Free Practice 1
Local Time (CEST): 1:30 PM
New York, USA (ET): 7:30 AM
Chicago, USA (CT): 6:30 AM
Denver, USA (MT): 5:30 AM
Los Angeles, USA (PT): 4:30 AM
Sydney, Australia (AEST): 9:30 PM
Adelaide, Australia (ACST): 9:00 PM
Perth, Australia (AWST): 7:30 PM
Mexico City, Mexico (CT): 5:30 AM
Berlin, Germany (CEST): 1:30 PM
Tokyo, Japan (JST): 8:30 PM
Cape Town, South Africa (SAST): 1:30 PM
Cairo, Egypt (EEST): 2:30 PM
Beijing, China (CST): 7:30 PM
New Delhi, India (IST): 5:00 PM
São Paulo, Brazil (BRT): 8:30 AM
Singapore (SGT): 7:30 PM
Friday, August 1 – Free Practice 2
Local Time (CEST): 5:00 PM
New York, USA (ET): 11:00 AM
Chicago, USA (CT): 10:00 AM
Denver, USA (MT): 9:00 AM
Los Angeles, USA (PT): 8:00 AM
Sydney, Australia (AEST): 1:00 AM (Saturday)
Adelaide, Australia (ACST): 12:30 AM (Saturday)
Perth, Australia (AWST): 11:00 PM
Mexico City, Mexico (CT): 9:00 AM
Berlin, Germany (CEST): 5:00 PM
Tokyo, Japan (JST): 12:00 AM (Saturday)
Cape Town, South Africa (SAST): 5:00 PM
Cairo, Egypt (EEST): 6:00 PM
Beijing, China (CST): 11:00 PM
New Delhi, India (IST): 8:30 PM
São Paulo, Brazil (BRT): 12:00 PM
Singapore (SGT): 11:00 PM
Saturday, August 2 – Free Practice 3
Local Time (CEST): 12:30 PM
New York, USA (ET): 6:30 AM
Chicago, USA (CT): 5:30 AM
Denver, USA (MT): 4:30 AM
Los Angeles, USA (PT): 3:30 AM
Sydney, Australia (AEST): 8:30 PM
Adelaide, Australia (ACST): 8:00 PM
Perth, Australia (AWST): 6:30 PM
Mexico City, Mexico (CT): 4:30 AM
Berlin, Germany (CEST): 12:30 PM
Tokyo, Japan (JST): 7:30 PM
Cape Town, South Africa (SAST): 12:30 PM
Cairo, Egypt (EEST): 1:30 PM
Beijing, China (CST): 6:30 PM
New Delhi, India (IST): 4:00 PM
São Paulo, Brazil (BRT): 7:30 AM
Singapore (SGT): 6:30 PM
Guide to Watching the Hungarian Grand Prix Practice Sessions Live
Fans in the United States can catch all three Hungarian Grand Prix practice sessions live through ESPN U, with broadcast coverage tailored to the local time zones.
International viewers have various options depending on their region, ensuring wide access to the practice sessions:
Broadcast Partners by Country
United States: ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Mexico: Fox Sports Mexico, Televisa
Australia: Fox Sports, Foxtel, Kayo
Italy: Sky Italia
Belgium: RTBF, Play Sports
Netherlands: Viaplay, Viaplay Xtra
Spain: DAZN F1
Canada: RDS, RDS 2, TSN, Noovo
Germany: Sky Deutschland, RTL
France: Canal+
Singapore: beIN SPORTS
China: CCTV, Shanghai TV, Guangdong Television Channel, Tencent
Japan: Fuji TV, DAZN
Hungary: M4 (MTVA Sports Channel)
Brazil: Bandeirantes, Bandsports
Austria: Servus TV, ORF
Middle East & Turkey: beIN SPORTS
Africa: SuperSport
India: FanCode
Latin America: ESPN
Additionally, the F1TV Pro streaming service will offer live coverage in selected countries, providing added convenience for fans eager to follow every moment of the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix weekend.
Significance of Practice Sessions for the Championship Battle
These practice sessions are vital opportunities for teams and drivers to optimize their car setups and strategies ahead of qualifying and the race. With Oscar Piastri leading the drivers’ championship and Max Verstappen aiming to narrow the points gap, the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring Circuit promises to be a critical turning point in the 2025 F1 season.
Following the practice laps, attention will swiftly shift to qualifying sessions that determine the starting grid, setting the stage for intense competition across the race weekend in Budapest.