Lando Norris Takes Hungarian GP Pole After Hamilton Penalty
Lando Norris secured his first pole position of the season at the Hungarian Grand Prix, while Lewis Hamilton missed the chance to share the front row after receiving a grid penalty for blocking Oscar Piastri.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Lando Norris claimed his first pole position of the 2026 season in Hungary by a margin of just 0.012 seconds over Lewis Hamilton.
- Lewis Hamilton was handed a 3-place grid penalty, dropping him down to 5th on the grid following an incident where he blocked Oscar Piastri.
- Max Verstappen suffered a spin late in qualifying, ruining the flying laps of several drivers.
- Fernando Alonso pulled off a surprise by driving Aston Martin into Q2 for the first time this year.
The qualifying session for the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 25, 2026, was filled with excitement and chaos as McLaren driver Lando Norris edged out Lewis Hamilton by a razor-thin margin of just 0.012 seconds on his final timed lap, capturing his first pole position of the season in the upgraded McLaren.
However, the dream of an all-British front row was shattered as Lewis Hamilton was handed a 3-place grid penalty by the stewards for impeding Oscar Piastri, Norris's teammate. The penalty drops Hamilton down to 5th place on the starting grid, promoting Charles Leclerc to 2nd.
Chaos erupted in the closing stages of Q3 after four-time world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull spun out at the final corner. This forced Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell to back off for safety, leaving them 4th and 7th respectively. Verstappen managed to limp his car back to finish 6th, though he complained over the team radio about unpredictable handling issues.
"Very happy to be back on top, especially at a track where you certainly want to be on pole. I had confidence the whole of today. My laps in Q3 were not the best, even the one at the end, so pleasantly surprised to be on top."
Lando Norris
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