Lando Norris took his first pole of the year in Hungary but is cautious about whether he can follow it up with a win as world champion. He recalled Miami in early May, when he led towards the end of the first stint of the race, only for his team to make a strategic misstep and allow Kimi Antonelli to sneak a win.

The focus at the Hungarian Grand Prix has been on the massive upgrade made by Aston Martin on their recalcitrant car, which has provided the troubled team with a major step forward and allowed Fernando Alonso to escape the first qualifying session for the first time all season. McLaren’s own upgrade went under the radar but was effective; team principal Andrea Stella said Norris’ pole was an “overachievement”. Ferrari’s under‑performance and a Lewis Hamilton penalty—blocking Oscar Piastri and receiving a three‑place grid penalty—highlighted how fragile the weekend was.

McLaren has struggled to keep pace with the new Mercedes engine and has taken missteps on aerodynamics, but the recent upgrade package—their first since Miami—has delivered positive signs. Alonso’s improvement at Aston Martin and the team’s morale boost show that the season may still turn around.

The race will test whether Lando Norris can translate pole into victory when overtaking is expected to be especially difficult around the Hungaroring.