Norris takes pole in Hungary as Hamilton penalty disrupt front row

McLaren’s Lando Norris took his first grand prix pole position of the season in Hungary, but Lewis Hamilton was denied the chance to make it an all-British front row by a three-place penalty for impeding. Norris beat Hamilton by just 0.012 seconds with the very last lap of the session, securing pole in the upgraded McLaren.

The seven-time champion had been fastest on the first runs, by just over 0.1 seconds from Norris, but neither he nor teammate Charles Leclerc could improve on their final attempts. However, Hamilton’s penalty for blocking Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri dropped him to fifth, promoting Leclerc to second on the grid. Piastri moves up to fourth, while Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli will start third, with George Russell seventh.

The chaotic end to the session was caused by a spin at the final corner by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, which affected Antonelli and Russell, forcing them to slow. Verstappen had got going again before Norris came around as the last driver on track to clinch pole. Norris said: “Very happy to be back on top, especially at a track where you certainly want to be on pole. I had confidence the whole of today. My laps were good.”

All the drivers were battling with a Hungaroring track surface that was breaking up, especially in the final two corners, where Norris said it was especially difficult to judge the grip level. Even before the incident with Verstappen, Russell was afflicted on his final run by a water leak, which was spraying water on to his rear tyres. Mercedes asked him to pull over immediately after crossing the line, and he parked at Turn One, in an attempt to avoid damaging the engine.

Antonelli said: “I think we were just slightly out of the window with tyres, then in Q3 we did a good step and the car just felt finally a bit more alive. For sure it was a shame with the yellow flags, but it happens. P3 was on the table today but still not good enough for pole.”

The Hungarian Grand Prix promises to be an exciting race, with Norris on pole and Leclerc alongside him on the front row. Hamilton’s penalty has disrupted the grid, but the seven-time champion will be looking to fight his way through the field. The race will be a test of strategy and tyre management, with the track surface likely to play a significant role in the outcome. Fans are eagerly anticipating the action, with the Hungaroring historically producing exciting races. The battle between Norris, Hamilton, and the rest of the field is set to be a thrilling contest, with the championship implications adding to the drama. As the race weekend unfolds, the focus will be on whether Norris can convert his pole position into a victory, or whether Hamilton and the others can challenge for the top step of the podium. The Hungarian Grand Prix promises to be a highlight of the Formula 1 season, with the drivers and teams ready to put on a show for the fans.