Norris takes pole in Hungary ahead of Hamilton – Mercedes streak ends

For Hamilton, who holds the record with eight wins in Hungary, it was nevertheless a very strong performance. The Ferrari star, who knows the circuit on the outskirts of Budapest better than almost anyone else and has taken pole position there nine times, finished second with a gap of just 0.117 seconds. At the 40th anniversary of the race, the Briton had his tenth pole position at the gates of Budapest in his sights, but missed it by the narrowest of margins.

Hamilton narrowly misses tenth Hungary pole

Behind the two established front-runners, Leclerc lined up in the second Ferrari, with defending world champion and previous year's winner Lando Norris in the McLaren taking third (+0.499). Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, following two consecutive pole positions, could only manage fourth place (+0.272). It was the first time this season that the Italian did not start from the front row.

The disappointment at Mercedes was clearly palpable during final practice. "Das Auto fühlt sich fürchterlich an, es ist so aus der Balance," teammate George Russell said over the team radio. The Briton, who trails championship leader Antonelli by 45 points in the standings, could do no better than 13th place. In the afternoon, the Italian championship leader was a significant 1.964 seconds adrift.

Mercedes struggles with balance

Overall, the Silver Arrows had been struggling throughout all practice sessions at the Hungaroring with its slow, tight corners before Sunday's race (15:00 CEST/live ORF 1 and Sky). The circuit characteristics with its slow corners were expected to suit the Scuderia, it was said in the run-up. The 41-year-old Hamilton was the last driver to win in Hungary in a Mercedes, back in 2020.

Behind the top four, Verstappen in the Red Bull completed the second row of the grid in fifth. The Dutchman had caused a stir in between when he lost control of his car in turn 15 and spun – right in the middle of the flying laps of Antonelli and Russell. However, the excursion did not go without consequences for the Dutchman: he dropped back behind Leclerc in the final classification.

Verstappen's excursion in turn 15

Championship leader Antonelli had previously taken third place in final practice (+0.129 seconds) and carried over his good form from Belgium. Over the course of the season so far, Antonelli (six poles) and Russell (four poles) had shared the best starting positions between them. But on Saturday, Norris broke through the phalanx and secured McLaren's first pole of the season.

The order was unmistakable already in Q1 and Q2. In the first segment, Oliver Bearman, Carlos Sainz, Alexander Albon, Lance Stroll, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez were eliminated. In Q2, Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon, Gabriel Bortoleto, Franco Colapinto, Pierre Gasly and Liam Lawson followed. Alonso did at least celebrate a small success with the revamped Aston Martin: the Spanish veteran, who lines up with 16 upgrades on the car, qualified in 16th place.

Audi shows improving form

Nico Hülkenberg confirmed the positive impression of the Audi at the Hungaroring and will start the race from 10th place. His teammate Gabriel Bortoleto, the second Audi driver, starts from 14th on the grid. This shows that the German manufacturer continues to display an upward trend following its entry into Formula 1. The Brazilian missed out on the top 10 in Q2 by a good half a second.

In the eleventh Grand Prix of the season, no Mercedes will start from pole position for the first time. The disappointment at the Silver Arrows is all the greater because the Hungaroring, with its slow corners, was actually considered a Mercedes track. Yet Antonelli missed out on first place by a clear margin in final Hungarian practice, and Russell struggled with the balance of his car.

For the championship standings, qualifying means the situation has become more challenging. The third-placed driver already trails championship leader Antonelli by 50 points after his retirement caused by Hamilton last Sunday in Belgium, where Antonelli claimed his sixth victory in the tenth race of the season at Spa-Francorchamps. Antonelli leads the classification after ten of 22 races with a 45-point advantage over Hamilton.

On the Hungaroring, which is only moderately suited for overtaking, qualifying could already decide the battle for victory before the almost month-long summer break in Formula 1. After the four-week interruption, racing resumes for the drivers on August 21, when the season continues in Zandvoort.

Implications for the title fight

Hamilton, who had taken second place on Friday afternoon in the first free practice session in Mogyorod, 0.148 seconds behind Leclerc, underlined his exceptional Hungaroring record with his qualifying performance. Overall, it was his second front-row start of the season, and it comes at just the right time for the Briton to keep the pressure on championship leader Antonelli.

With his 17th pole position overall, Norris moves further up the all-time list. Hamilton, who is very close to his 105th pole, missed the record coup by a whisker. The setup for Sunday's race promises high drama: two Britons at the front, followed by Ferrari and a struggling Mercedes.

Outlook on the summer break

After the race in Budapest, Formula 1 bids farewell to its summer break. For McLaren and Norris, the pole at the Hungaroring is an important signal in the fight for the constructors' championship; for Ferrari and Hamilton, it is evidence of continued strength at this specialist circuit; and for Mercedes, it is another indication that the Silver Arrows are no longer the benchmark in this season.