Lando Norris secured pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix with a 1:17.207 lap time. The McLaren driver edged out Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton by just 0.012 seconds in 50°C track conditions.
This marks Norris’s first Grand Prix pole of the season. His last top grid spot came at the Las Vegas race. The narrow defeat also hands Mercedes its first grand prix qualifying loss of the campaign.
The final moments of the Q3 shootout fractured under yellow flags. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen spun out. The mistake prevented several drivers behind him from improving their lap times. Mercedes’ George Russell stopped on track shortly after crossing the finish line. He ultimately settled for P7.
Despite qualifying on the front row, Hamilton’s starting position isn’t secure yet. The Ferrari driver is currently under an official investigation for an impending incident during the session. That review could result in a retroactive grid penalty.
If you are tracking the midfield battle, look at the full qualifying order to see Aston Martin’s 19-part upgrade package in action. Fernando Alonso advanced to Q2 for the first time this year. Meanwhile, both Williams and Haas drivers were eliminated in Q1. They expressed frustration over their setups on the radio.