Reigning Formula 1 champion Lando Norris captured his first pole of the 2026 season at the Hungarian Grand Prix, beating Lewis Hamilton by a razor‑thin 0.012 s. The McLaren driver out‑paced Hamilton in the final Q3 shoot‑out with a 1 m 17.207 s lap, marking the first qualifying loss for Mercedes since the season began.

Track temperatures climbed to around 50 °C, forcing teams to preserve the softest C5 tyres until the end of the lap. All front‑row contenders kept at least two fresh sets of C5s for Q3, with Hamilton leading the first run before Norris slipped into the lead on his second, sliding cleanly through the twisty final sector.

Mercedes struggled with car balance, while Kimi Antonelli took fourth, followed by Oscar Piastri and George Russell. Max Verstappen spun on his second run, dropping to sixth, and Anthony had to abort his final lap due to Hamilton’s impeding. The stewards will review the incident and potential penalties.

The grid will see Norris start from pole, Hamilton second, and Charles Leclerc third, with Antonelli fourth. Midfield sees Aston Martin’s Alonso in 16th, and the likes of Lindblad and Hulkenberg completing the top ten. The Hungaroring’s slippery circuit continues to shake up the field.