In a qualifying session that featured Pirelli's "Alternative Tyre Allocation," which mandated the use of hard tires in Q1, medium tires in Q2, and soft tires in Q3, Lewis Hamilton showcased his mastery of the Hungaroring circuit. The seven-time world champion navigated the challenging opening exchanges to secure a spot in the top 10 where he ultimately clinched pole position, ending a 34-race drought since his last pole in Saudi Arabia in 2021.
Hamilton's second run proved to be the difference-maker, as he edged out Max Verstappen by a mere 0.003 seconds. The Red Bull driver was unable to find any additional time on his final attempt, settling for second place. Meanwhile, Lando Norris continued his impressive form for McLaren, finishing just eight-hundredths of a second behind Verstappen in third place.
| Pos | Driver | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1:18.577 | 1:17.427 | 1:16.609 | |
| 2 | 1:18.318 | 1:17.547 | 1:16.612 | |
| 3 | 1:18.697 | 1:17.328 | 1:16.694 | |
| 4 | 1:18.464 | 1:17.571 | 1:16.905 | |
| 5 | 1:18.143 | 1:17.700 | 1:16.971 | |
| 6 | 1:18.440 | 1:17.580 | 1:16.992 | |
| 7 | 1:18.775 | 1:17.563 | 1:17.034 | |
| 8 | 1:18.580 | 1:17.701 | 1:17.035 | |
| 9 | 1:18.360 | 1:17.675 | 1:17.045 | |
| 10 | 1:18.695 | 1:17.652 | 1:17.186 | |
| 11 | 1:18.393 | 1:17.703 | ||
| 12 | 1:18.854 | 1:17.841 | ||
| 13 | 1:18.906 | 1:18.002 | ||
| 14 | 1:18.782 | 1:18.144 | ||
| 15 | 1:18.743 | 1:18.217 | ||
| 16 | 1:18.917 | |||
| 17 | 1:18.919 | |||
| 18 | 1:19.027 | |||
| 19 | 1:19.206 | |||
| 20 | 1:19.248 |
McLaren's rookie driver, Oscar Piastri, also impressed with a strong showing, providing valuable support to Norris and securing a fourth-place starting position. The young Australian driver's performance highlighted McLaren's resurgence as a competitive force in Formula 1.
Another standout performer in qualifying was Zhou Guanyu, who delivered an exceptional lap to secure fifth place on the grid. The Chinese driver's performance showcased his potential and further solidified his reputation as a rising star in the sport. Charles Leclerc, driving for Ferrari, finished in sixth place, followed closely by Valtteri Bottas, who demonstrated Alfa Romeo's strong pace at the Hungaroring (⚠️Valtteri Bottas is summoned to the stewards for allegedly impeding Lance Stroll, so he may get a penalty).
Fernando Alonso, secured eighth place, while Sergio Perez finally managed to break his qualifying struggles, albeit only managing ninth place in his Red Bull. Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the top 10, securing a spot in the final qualifying session.
Lewis Hamilton
Photo by: Formula1
Carlos Sainz narrowly missed out on a place in Q3, finishing in 11th place, followed by Esteban Ocon of Alpine and Daniel Ricciardo, who made his return to Formula 1 with AlphaTauri after a brief hiatus. Ricciardo's 13th-place finish was a respectable result considering his limited time in the car. It is worth mentioning that Daniel out-qualified his teammate on the first occasion.
Lance Stroll, driving for Aston Martin, could not match the pace of his teammate and settled for 14th place. Pierre Gasly of AlphaTauri initially qualified in 15th place but lost a lap time, dropping him to 15th on the grid.
The first qualifying session, Q1, provided plenty of drama, with George Russell suffering a dramatic elimination. Russell struggled to maintain tire temperature and was forced to slow down to find track position, resulting in a disappointing 18th-place starting position for the race. Alex Albon of Williams narrowly missed out on a spot in Q2, finishing in 16th place, while Yuki Tsunoda of AlphaTauri struggled to match the pace of his new teammate Ricciardo and settled for 17th place. Kevin Magnussen of Haas and rookie Logan Sargeant of Williams completed the grid in 19th and 20th place, respectively.
Hamilton's pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix sets the stage for an exciting battle between the Mercedes and Red Bull drivers. With Verstappen hot on his heels and Norris continuing to impress, the race promises to be a thrilling spectacle for Formula 1 fans.
