Lando Norris set the fastest time in qualifying for the Hungarian GP on Saturday afternoon. The McLaren world champion thus secured pole position. Max Verstappen was stuck on the sixth fastest time. He spun in the final phase of the session. The race starts on Sunday at 3:00 PM.
Read more Lando Norris dethrones Mercedes, takes pole in Hungary: ‘Back on top’
Relive the qualifying for the Hungarian GP below:
Q1: Alonso survives first cut
The sun is shining on the Hungaroring and the temperature is 26 degrees Celsius when the first part of qualifying begins. Valtteri Bottas is the first to take to the track in his Cadillac and Carlos Sainz immediately goes off track for a moment. Lewis Hamilton (on mediums) sets the first serious time in his Ferrari with 1:18.730. It doesn’t say much yet. Max Verstappen – on softs – also has a good start to the session and quickly replaces Hamilton: 1:18.656. Kimi Antonelli also doesn’t get close in his first fast run. A little later, world champion Lando Norris puts things in order, diving well below: 1:18.277.
Max Verstappen comes out for his second fast run at a time when it is relatively quiet on the short track, but he fails to improve, mainly due to a disappointing third sector. Fernando Alonso does improve and therefore manages to survive the first cut. This is for the first time since Abu Dhabi 2025. Norris finishes Q1 as the fastest, ahead of Verstappen and Antonelli respectively.
Eliminated in Q1: Bearman, Sainz, Albon, Stroll, Bottas, Pérez.
Q2: Verstappen sixth fastest, Alonso eliminated
Part two of qualifying is underway and Fernando Alonso, eager as he is, immediately takes to the Hungarian asphalt first again. Max Verstappen once again gets off to a strong start and drives 1:18.249. Isack Hadjar briefly goes off, a yellow flag is waved for a moment, but it remains without major consequences. Meanwhile, Lando Norris with 1:18.566 does not match Verstappen’s time. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli does, setting 1:18.178. But he is in turn outdone by Lewis Hamilton: 1:17.931. After the first series of fast runs in Q2, Alonso finishes with 1:19.808, good for ninth fastest. Would he manage to pull off a stunt with a spot in Q3?
Isack Hadjar shows himself. Verstappen’s French teammate spun just now, but now sets a sharp time. In fact, with his 1:17.872, he briefly places himself at the top. Max Verstappen fails to improve further with his second run on used softs. The fastest time is once again set by Lando Norris (1:17.456). Verstappen remains stuck on the sixth fastest time. Fernando Alonso meets his Waterloo in Q2 with the sixteenth fastest time.
Read more FP3 Hungarian GP: Norris ahead, Verstappen outside top six and another red flag
Eliminated in Q2: Lawson, Gasly, Colapinto, Bortoleto, Ocon, Alonso.
Q3: Max Verstappen spins in Q3
And Q3 is underway, with Nico Hülkenberg (Audi) and Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) still in contention. Max Verstappen on used softs manages 1:17.725, but the Ferraris and McLarens plus Antonelli’s Mercedes dive below that. After the first series of fast runs, Lewis Hamilton leads the field, ahead of Norris and Leclerc. Verstappen has the sixth fastest time to his name, Hadjar the eighth.
The top ten go out for today’s final fast laps. No one improves yet. Max Verstappen spins. The yellow flag prevents Kimi Antonelli from improving.
Lando Norris just manages to dip below Lewis Hamilton’s time at the last minute, with 1:17.207. George Russell has stopped with his Mercedes on the start/finish straight. He finishes with the seventh fastest time, one place behind Verstappen.
Top-10: Norris, Hamilton, Leclerc, Antonelli, Piastri, Verstappen, Russell, Hadjar, Lindblad, Hülkenberg.
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Read everything about the Hungarian GP here
