Norris cautious despite pole as it 'falls apart' for Hamilton

McLaren driver Lando Norris claimed his maiden pole position of the season at the Hungaroring, yet he remains cautious regarding his prospects of turning it into his first victory as a world champion. The British driver may well be recalling the race in Miami back in early May, where he led during the opening stint only for a strategic misstep by his team to let Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli sneak past for the win.

Much of the attention throughout the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend has centered on the massive upgrade introduced by Aston Martin for their previously struggling car, providing a major step forward and allowing Fernando Alonso to escape the first qualifying session for the first time all season. Although McLaren's own upgrade flew somewhat under the radar, it proved to be effective. Norris pointed out that clean execution in qualifying was a key factor, alongside under-performances from Ferrari and perhaps even Antonelli and Mercedes.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Ferrari arrived in Hungary as the widespread favorites, backed by McLaren, given that their car possesses the fastest cornering speeds and this track is among the least power-sensitive on the calendar. Lewis Hamilton set the pace after the initial runs in Q3 but failed to improve on his final flying lap. Shortly after completing it, he impeded Norris' teammate Oscar Piastri, prompting the stewards to hand down a three-place grid penalty. Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur admitted the team took full responsibility as they failed to warn Hamilton in time.