Lando Norris, Hungarian GP 2026
© McLaren
Lando Norris claimed his first pole position of the 2026 Formula 1 season after edging Lewis Hamilton by 0.012 seconds in a tense Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying session.
The reigning world champion produced a 1m17.207s lap on his final Q3 run, ending Mercedes’ unbeaten grand prix pole streak this year and securing his first Saturday pole since Las Vegas last season.
Hamilton had led after the opening Q3 attempts with a 1m17.219s, while Norris lost time in a large slide at the final corner. But on the final run the McLaren driver improved through the middle sector and kept his tyres alive across the slippery closing sequence to secure top spot.
Charles Leclerc completed the top three for Ferrari with 1m17.445s, ahead of championship leader Kimi Antonelli, whose 1m17.479s left him fourth. Oscar Piastri qualified fifth in 1m17.684s after trailing team-mate Norris throughout the weekend.
Max Verstappen took sixth with 1m17.725s despite spinning on his last run and causing yellow flags at the final corner. George Russell recorded 1m17.760s for seventh, while Isack Hadjar recovered from an earlier Q2 spin to place eighth in 1m17.856s.
Arvid Lindblad in his Racing Bull-Ford finished ninth with 1m18.281s. Nico Hulkenberg completed the Q3 field for Audi in 1m18.686s.
Norris had set the early Q1 benchmark before Hamilton advanced comfortably on medium tyres. Norris then topped Q2 in 1m17.456s, ahead of Leclerc and Hamilton, as the leading teams preserved soft tyres for the shootout. Mercedes struggled with balance over the bumps, and Antonelli reported a lack of grip before securing his second-row starting place.
Liam Lawson narrowly missed the final session and finished 11th in 1m18.765s. Pierre Gasly clocked 1m18.844s for 12th, ahead of Alpine team-mate Franco Colapinto on 1m19.027s and Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto on 1m19.105s.
Esteban Ocon was 15th for Haas with 1m19.734s, beating Fernando Alonso, who could manage only 1m19.808s despite Aston Martin’s heavily updated car showing encouraging pace during practice.
Oliver Bearman exited in Q1 after setting 1m20.233s. Williams endured a difficult session, with Carlos Sainz 18th in 1m20.621s and Alex Albon 19th in 1m20.658s.
Lance Stroll qualified 20th on 1m20.659s, just one thousandth behind Albon. Cadillac filled the back row, Valtteri Bottas taking 21st with 1m20.886s and Sergio Perez ending 22nd after a 1m21.322s effort.
With track temperatures nearing 50C, tyre management proved decisive around the twisting Hungaroring. Norris mastered that challenge when it mattered, denying Hamilton and giving McLaren pole for Sunday’s race.
We are awaiting several stewards’ decisions, including an investigation into whether Hamilton impeded Piastri during the session, so penalties could still change the final starting grid.
