Lando Norris denies Lewis Hamilton historic F1 pole at Hungarian Grand Prix

Reigning Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris denied Lewis Hamilton a historic pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix. 

Seven-time world champion Hamilton held provisional pole after the first runs of Q3, but Norris was the only driver to improve on the final flying laps to snatch first place by just 0.012 seconds. 

Hamilton is the most successful F1 driver around the Hungaroring with eight victories and was seeking to become the first driver to claim 10 poles at the same circuit. 

2026 F1 Hungarian GP: Full qualifying results

But Norris beat his countryman to pole with a spectacular final lap of Q3 to end Mercedes' unbeaten streak in qualifying this season. 

It ended up being a straight shoot-out for pole between Norris and Hamilton, with Charles Leclerc ending up 0.238s adrift in the second Ferrari as he took third. 

F1 championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who has been on pole times in 2026, was only fourth and 0.272s behind Norris as Mercedes unusually struggled for pace in Budapest. 

Oscar Piastri was fifth-quickest in the other McLaren, ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who dramatically spun at the final corner as the four-time world champion made a rare mistake. 

George Russell was only seventh fastest before his Mercedes stopped on track after the chequered flag. 

Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar was eighth, with Arvid Lindblad and Nico Hulkenberg rounding out the rest of the top-10 for Racing Bulls and Audi. 

Liam Lawson was 11th fastest ahead of the Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto in 12th and 13th. Gabriel Bortoleto was only 14th in the second Audi, ahead of Esteban Ocon’s Haas. 

Fernando Alonso snuck into Q2 for the first time this season as Aston Martin out-qualified a Haas, both Williams and both Cadillacs with its much-anticipated B-spec car.

Two-time world champion Alonso wound up 16th-fastest, representing a milestone result for Aston Martin in what has been a disastrous 2026 season so far. 

Ollie Bearman failed to advance from Q1 as he could only take 17th in his Haas, ahead of the struggling Williams pair of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon in 18th and 19th. 

Lance Stroll could not replicate his Aston Martin team-mate’s heroics as he wound up 20th, though he did at least outpace the two Cadillacs of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.