Lando Norris delivered a sensational final lap to secure pole position for the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix, denying Lewis Hamilton a place in Formula 1 history after an intense qualifying battle at the Hungaroring.
Hamilton appeared on course to claim a record-breaking 10th pole position at the Hungarian circuit after setting the pace for much of the session. The Ferrari driver, who had also topped the timesheets in Q2, looked destined to start from the front of the grid before Norris produced a stunning last-gasp lap of 1:17.207 to edge the seven-time world champion by just 0.012 seconds.
The result marks another impressive performance for McLaren, with Norris once again demonstrating his qualifying speed in one of the closest sessions of the season.
Ferrari still enjoyed a strong afternoon, with Charles Leclerc securing third place to give the Italian team two cars inside the top three. Hamilton’s front-row start and Leclerc’s solid performance leave Ferrari well placed to challenge for victory when the lights go out on Sunday.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli had to settle for fourth after Mercedes endured a more difficult qualifying session than expected. The young Italian showed promising pace during his final Q3 run and looked capable of challenging for the front row before yellow flags disrupted his lap.
The caution was triggered after Max Verstappen spun at the final corner, forcing Antonelli to back off and abandon what could have been an even quicker effort. Verstappen recovered to finish sixth for Red Bull, while Oscar Piastri claimed fifth for McLaren, giving the Woking-based team both drivers inside the top five.
Mercedes struggled throughout qualifying with grip issues that prevented the team from matching Ferrari and McLaren’s pace. George Russell could only manage seventh, finishing more than half a second behind pole position despite entering the weekend as one of the favourites.
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar impressed with eighth place, while Racing Bulls youngster Arvid Lindblad continued his encouraging form by qualifying ninth. Audi also celebrated another Q3 appearance thanks to Nico Hulkenberg, who completed the top 10.
Several notable names failed to reach the final qualifying shootout. Liam Lawson, Pierre Gasly, Franco Colapinto, Gabriel Bortoleto, Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso were all eliminated in Q2. Alonso’s result nevertheless represented a small step forward for Aston Martin, whose extensive package of 16 upgrades helped the team reach Q2 for the first time this season.
However, Aston Martin’s overall performance remained mixed after Lance Stroll was knocked out in Q1 and qualified only 20th, highlighting that the team’s latest developments still require further refinement.
Williams also suffered a disappointing session, with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon both failing to progress beyond Q1. Haas’ Oliver Bearman joined them in the opening elimination phase, while Cadillac locked out the back row after Valtteri Bottas qualified 21st and Sergio Perez finished 22nd.
With Norris starting from pole and Hamilton alongside him on the front row, Sunday promises an exciting battle at the Hungaroring as McLaren and Ferrari prepare to fight for victory, while Antonelli looks to protect his championship lead from fourth on the grid.
