World Champion Lando Norris secured the final pole position before the Formula 1 summer break at the Hungaroring, edging out Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton by just 0.012 seconds in a dramatic qualifying session for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Norris Snatches Pole in Budapest as Mercedes Streak Ends
Lando Norris captured the 17th pole position of his career, and his first since the Las Vegas Grand Prix last autumn.
Crucially, the result marks the first time this season that no Mercedes stood at the top of the grid. Neither championship leader Kimi Antonelli nor George Russell could extract the ultimate pace during the drying qualifying runs, leaving Mercedes off the front row of the grid for the first time all season.
Grid Shake-Up: Leclerc Capitalizes as Antonelli Settles for Fourth
Behind the front-row battle, Charles Leclerc claimed third on the grid for Ferrari. Leclerc’s final flying lap was complicated by a late yellow-flag phase on the circuit, yet the Monegasque driver managed to secure a spot on the second row directly ahead of championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli, piloting the Mercedes, slotted into fourth position after failing to match the ultimate one-lap speed of Norris and Hamilton. Despite losing the pole streak, Antonelli enters Sunday’s Grand Prix holding a comfortable 45-point advantage over Hamilton in the drivers’ world championship standings after ten of the season’s 22 scheduled rounds.
Midfield Shuffles: Hülkenberg Enters Top Ten While Aston Martin Progresses
Further down the pit lane, the sole German driver in the field delivered a solid performance for Audi. Nico Hülkenberg steered his car into the top ten, booking the tenth spot on the starting grid.
Meanwhile, Aston Martin experienced a breakthrough after a difficult development cycle. For the first time this season, an Aston Martin advanced into the second knockout qualifying phase (Q2). Fernando Alonso piloted his heavily updated car—featuring a package of 16 newly introduced components—to 16th place on the timing sheets as the team continues searching for sustained race pace.
What Comes Next at the Hungaroring
Drivers and teams return to the track on Sunday for the official running of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the final encounter before the sport breaks for the summer holidays.
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