Lando Norris of McLaren has secured his first grand prix pole position of the 2026 season at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The British driver set the fastest lap during qualifying, with Lewis Hamilton initially appearing to take second place. However, both Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli were subsequently given grid penalties, impacting their starting positions for the race.
Norris's performance marks a significant achievement for McLaren, as he capitalized on the final laps of the session to claim the top spot. The track surface in Hungary presented challenges for all drivers, with significant breaking up, particularly in the final two corners, making grip levels difficult to judge.
Fernando Alonso achieved a notable breakthrough for Aston Martin, who debuted a significantly updated car. Alonso advanced out of the first qualifying session for the first time this season, securing 16th place on the grid. He expressed relief and optimism following the team's progress. "I feel relieved a little bit, feeling that the team understood the weaknesses of the car and this is the first step in the right direction," Alonso told BBC Radio 5 Live. He acknowledged the team's potential, particularly with technical partner Adrian Newey and the upcoming Honda engine, but expressed uncertainty about the timing of future successes.
Mercedes driver George Russell encountered issues during his final run, experiencing a water leak that sprayed onto his rear tires, prompting the team to instruct him to pull over to avoid engine damage. Antonelli noted that while the car felt more responsive in Q3, the yellow flags encountered during his session prevented him from challenging for pole position, though he believed third place was attainable.