Lando Norris took pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix for McLaren after edging Lewis Hamilton by one hundredth of a second in a tightly fought qualifying session on 18 July 2026. Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc was third, with the championship leader, , fourth for Mercedes.
Oscar Piastri was fifth for McLaren, Max Verstappen was sixth for Red Bull after spinning on his final lap, while could manage only seventh and was told to pull his car off track after his final lap because of a mechanical problem.
Hamilton, however, is under investigation for impeding Piastri during the Australian’s hot lap and may face a penalty.
Norris, , delivered a superb run to secure pole. Given that the team had opened the season off the pace of Mercedes and Ferrari, their upgrades at Miami and further developments introduced in Canada have proved impressive, and they are the first team to deny Mercedes the top spot this season.
It is Norris’s second pole at the Hungarian GP and the 17th of his career, while for McLaren it is another strong result at the circuit. With Norris and Piastri in 2024, they may well be in position to make it three in a row at a meeting where McLaren have a record 13 victories.
With the engine advantage Mercedes enjoy somewhat negated by the preponderance of cornering at the Hungaroring, McLaren and Norris made the most of their cars to take advantage and secure the team’s first pole this season in a tight fight with .
How did the final Q3 runs decide pole?
The final Q3 runs were decisive as the track rubbered in and grip improved throughout the session, bringing lap times down. On the opening laps in Q3, Verstappen opened the running but was surpassed by Norris, while Hamilton produced his first lap well enough to take provisional pole with a time of 1min 17.219sec, a tenth ahead of Norris in second.
Hamilton went early for the final runs but could not improve on his time. Norris, the last man on track, was on a quick lap and was immense through the middle sector; the margins were tiny and he edged out the seven-time world champion by one-hundredth of a second with a time of 1:17.207.
What happened with Hamilton and Piastri?
Hamilton is under investigation for impeding Piastri during the Australian’s hot lap and may face a penalty, which could alter the final order after qualifying.
How significant are McLaren’s upgrades?
McLaren’s upgrades have proved impressive after they started the season behind Mercedes and Ferrari. Developments at Miami and further changes introduced in Canada helped Norris take pole, and the team’s performance at the Hungaroring marks their first pole of the season.
How did Aston Martin’s upgrade perform?
Aston Martin brought their radically overhauled B-spec car in the hope of turning around what has been a disastrous opening to the season. The car was overweight and aerodynamically far from where they had expected to be, while their Honda engine is down on power and suffered from causing severe vibrations early in the season.
The team principal and designer, Adrian Newey, admitted it had been a difficult start.
“These first races have been a complete nightmare,”
he said.
“Hopefully, we can get at least to a point of respectability now, that is the immediate goal.”
In qualifying at least they had made a step forward, with Fernando Alonso putting an Aston into Q2 for the first time this season, no mean feat given they were two seconds slower than the Cadillacs in Belgium. Alonso ultimately finished in 16th place.
The success of the upgrade is considered to be key in persuading Alonso to stay for 2027, with a further development expected for Zandvoort when Honda will also bring their new engine.
Could Malaysia return to the F1 calendar?
The return of Malaysia to the F1 calendar this year could be confirmed as early as Sunday, with the meeting arranged after the and Saudi Arabia. It will take place between the rounds in Baku and Singapore on 4 October.
The race at the Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur is expected to branded as the Bahrain Grand Prix held in Malaysia, with Bahrain funding the event. The circuit last held an F1 meeting in 2017.
What else is F1 considering for the season finale?
F1 is also understood to be looking into the prospect of hosting the season finale at Imola, if the final two rounds of the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are unable to be held because of the conflict in the Middle East.
Key Facts
- Norris took pole for the Hungarian Grand Prix by 0.012sec over Hamilton.
- Hamilton is under investigation for impeding Piastri during his hot lap.
- McLaren earned their first pole of the season after upgrades in Miami and Canada.
- Alonso took Aston Martin into Q2 for the first time this season.
- Malaysia could return to the calendar on 4 October, with F1 also considering Imola for the finale.
