Budapest qualifying sees Norris claim pole ahead of Hamilton
Lando Norris of McLaren secured his first pole position of the season at the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest, narrowly beating Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton by 0.012 seconds. The dramatic conclusion to qualifying saw Norris deliver an improved final lap, while several rivals faced challenges.
Hamilton had initially set the fastest time during the first runs in Q3, holding a lead of just over 0.1 seconds ahead of Norris. However, neither Hamilton nor his teammate Charles Leclerc could improve their times on their subsequent attempts.
Dramatic End to Qualifying
The session concluded with a chaotic sequence of events, notably a spin by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at the final corner. Verstappen’s error impacted Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, who were compelled to slow down. Antonelli ultimately finished fourth, with Russell in seventh place.
Despite the disruption, Verstappen managed to get his car moving again before Norris completed his final lap. Norris capitalized on the opportunity, clinching pole position with his upgraded McLaren. Hamilton’s second run was notably slower than his first, and he is also under potential investigation for impeding Oscar Piastri of McLaren at Turn One after completing his final lap.
Leclerc, who will start third on the grid, reflected on his qualifying performance, stating that he felt “a little bit off” from the morning session. He attributed some of the difficulties to a significant wind change and acknowledged that he did not anticipate it well with the car set-up. Leclerc also mentioned being “a little bit unlucky in Q2 with yellow flag in the final sector,” which forced him to play catch-up. He concluded that the pace was never at the level of Hamilton, but he felt he maximized his performance.
Aston Martin’s Progress and Alonso’s Future
Aston Martin experienced a significant breakthrough during qualifying, with Fernando Alonso progressing out of the first session for the first time this season. This achievement comes as the team debuted a virtually new car. Alonso will start the race in 16th position, 2.8 seconds off pole, which represents a two-second improvement in relative pace compared to recent performances.
Alonso expressed optimism regarding the team’s direction, stating that he felt relieved that the team understood the car’s weaknesses. He noted that previous updates earlier in the season had not yielded significant improvements and that the team had faced two years of disappointments with upgrades. The veteran driver, who will be 45 next week, indicated a change in optimism within the factory and shared his own positive outlook.
Alonso faces a decision this summer regarding his future in the sport beyond the current season. He conveyed confidence in technical partner Adrian Newey’s ability to lead the team to future success. However, he expressed uncertainty about whether this success would materialize soon enough for him. Alonso emphasized that no one should doubt Newey or the potential at Silverstone, believing it is only a matter of time before the team has the best chassis and Honda develops the best engine in F1.
Other notable results from qualifying include Piastri in fifth, Verstappen in sixth, Isack Hadjar of Red Bull in eighth, Arvid Lindblad of Racing Bulls in ninth, and Nico Hulkenberg of Audi in tenth. Both Hamilton and Antonelli are at risk of grid penalties due to post-session investigations; Hamilton for potentially impeding Piastri, and Antonelli for possibly not slowing sufficiently for yellow flags related to Verstappen’s spin.
The race is scheduled for Sunday, July 26, with build-up beginning at 12:30 BST.
Source: bbc.com
As News GB's Senior Football Correspondent, Lewis Hartnell reports on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side for readers across the country. He reported on south-coast football for a regional title. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Solent University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Lewis lives in Southampton, where he watches youth football and follows the transfer market. “The week's training ground decides the weekend's headlines.”
