Lando Norris joked that McLaren had entered "new man's land" as he prepared to line up on pole for the first time this season, while Lewis Hamilton remained determined to claw his way back after a qualifying infringement cost him a front‑row start at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The British world champion will start the race from the top spot on Sunday – his first pole since the Las Vegas showdown in November – after eclipsing Hamilton’s fastest lap on the final circuit of Q3.
Hamilton, who had been slated to occupy the second place on the grid alongside Norris in a Ferrari, was handed a three‑place grid drop for impeding fellow Brit Oscar Piastri during the qualifying session. Because of Hamilton’s penalty, third‑fastest Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was promoted to the front row, while McLaren’s own Oscar Piastri and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen filled the second row. A separate three‑place penalty for Kimi Antonelli, who was caught speeding under yellow‑flag conditions, shuffled the order further down the field.
The provisional top ten therefore reads as follows: 1) Lando Norris – McLaren 2) Charles Leclerc – Ferrari 3) Oscar Piastri – McLaren 4) Max Verstappen – Red Bull 5) Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari 6) George Russell – Mercedes 7) Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes 8) Isack Hadjar – Red Bull 9) Arvid Lindblad – Racing Bulls 10) Nico Hulkenberg – Audi McLaren have dominated the Hungarian event for the past two seasons, taking a 1‑2 finish on each occasion. This year, however, they entered the weekend as outsiders for a potential third consecutive victory. The team’s most significant upgrade to the MCL‑40 arrived just as the car began to click on the twisty, elevation‑rich layout of the Hungaroring, and Norris in particular seemed to thrive on the new package. Speaking to Sky Sports F1 ahead of the 70‑lap sprint, Norris outlined what he believes are the essential ingredients for a successful race weekend: "You need raw pace, you need to manage the tyres well, and you need a clean start – otherwise you learn on the fly." He added, "We have to be well prepared because the competition is fierce.
Mercedes and Ferrari have shown impressive race pace all season and they are strong contenders." Norris then reflected on his team’s current situation: "We are in new man's land. It’s the first time we’ve been at the very front, so we’ll see what we can learn as the race unfolds and how we can adapt. I expect a very tough race, but it’s certainly not impossible." McLaren’s last victory came eight months earlier when Norris won in Brazil, and the Woking outfit has managed only four podiums in the first ten races of the current hybrid era. Despite that modest record, Norris remains cautious after a strong qualifying performance at Spa‑Francorchamps last week was followed by a ten‑place grid penalty for exceeding his power‑unit component allocation.
He said, "Let’s just wait and see. Qualifying is only the start – there’s a long race ahead and it will be challenging, so we’ll find out then." Norris also recalled his Spa weekend, noting, "If we look back to Spa, I felt I had the pace to fight for a podium and maybe even a win, even if I didn’t end up on pole. That potential carried over to this weekend." He praised the upgrades his team introduced, stating, "We brought some good upgrades, and that potential turned into a result, which is fantastic for the whole team. It lifts motivation and improves the atmosphere.
It’s rewarding to see the work we put in translate into tangible success." Nevertheless, he warned that a single strong qualifying session does not guarantee victory: "You can’t rely on one good qualifying, I need a solid race on Sunday." Hamilton, for his part, has now faced a third penalty in as many weekends – a three‑place drop for impeding Piastri – and the prospect of fighting for the win looks considerably tougher. The Hungaroring is notorious for its limited overtaking opportunities because of the paucity of long straights, yet the circuit’s high tyre wear often forces teams into varied strategies, potentially giving Hamilton a chance to claw his way back into the points if Ferrari can convert short‑run speed into long‑run consistency.
After the stewards confirmed his penalty, Hamilton posted a lengthy Instagram message on Saturday night: "Sometimes you just can’t catch a break. Another weekend where I felt great in all the sessions, and then it falls apart. Going from being so close to pole to starting P5 is extremely frustrating." He continued, "I always try to stay positive – sport is about highs and lows, and it’s all in the margins.
Every point matters and you have to seize every opportunity. After three penalties in three weekends, it’s getting harder to stay upbeat.
Still, I won’t let the setbacks erase the progress we’ve made as a team. With the pace we have, I’m hopeful we can still get something out of the race tomorrow." He added, "The car has been feeling better and better, and we’ve been competitive all weekend.
Tonight we’ll keep working hard together to give ourselves the best possible chance on Sunday. I love this track, so keep the faith and send good vibes for the race." Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, who will start just behind his teammate George Russell in sixth place, also commented on his own penalty and the challenges ahead.
He noted that both he and Hamilton lead the Drivers’ Championship by 45 and 50 points respectively, but all three must contend with the risk of being caught in the midfield pack as the race progresses toward Turn One. Antonelli said, "The race won’t be easy. Overtaking will be difficult and we are starting farther back than we could have.
Our long‑run pace on Friday was good, so we’ll do everything we can to fight for the win." The Mercedes pair have not engaged in a direct on‑track battle since Canada, where they nearly collided on several occasions, so the dynamic between Russell and Antonelli will be closely watched in what is the final Grand Prix before the summer break. The full race weekend schedule is packed: a Formula 3 feature race at 7:35 am, the Porsche Supercup at 9:05 am, the Formula 2 feature at 10:20 am, followed by a build‑up to the Grand Prix at 12:30 pm, the Hungarian Grand Prix itself at 2:00 pm, post‑race reactions at 4:00 pm, and a final recap at 5:00 pm. All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event, with streaming available via NOW without a contract.