Norris secures pole position in Hungary, Hamilton faces investigation

By Bilal Ahmed

By Bilal Ahmed — 25 July 2026 — 3 min read

Norris Claims Pole in Hungary

Lando Norris of McLaren secured his first grand prix pole position of the season at the Hungarian Grand Prix, outpacing Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton by a narrow margin of 0.012 seconds. Norris’s decisive lap came at the end of the session, capitalizing on an upgraded McLaren. Hamilton had initially led the first runs, holding an advantage of just over 0.1 seconds over Norris, but was unable to improve on his subsequent attempt.

The qualifying session concluded with a chaotic sequence, partly due to a spin by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at the final corner. This incident impacted Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, who were forced to slow down, ultimately finishing fourth and seventh, respectively. Verstappen, a four-time champion, managed to recover and secure sixth place.

Hamilton and Antonelli Under Investigation

Lewis Hamilton faces an investigation for allegedly impeding McLaren’s Oscar Piastri at Turn One after completing his final lap. Piastri, who qualified fifth, reportedly caught Hamilton as he began his final flying run, leading to Piastri backing off and gesturing at his rival. Hamilton acknowledged the incident with an apologetic wave.

The stewards have summoned both drivers to discuss the incident, with the hearing scheduled to begin at 6 PM local time. Hamilton admitted that his concern over the incident affected his final lap. Separately, Kimi Antonelli is also under investigation for a potential yellow-flag infringement.

Norris expressed his satisfaction with the pole position, noting the tight competition throughout the weekend. He highlighted the effectiveness of the recent upgrades to his McLaren, which he believes contributed significantly to his performance. Despite the challenges, Norris was pleasantly surprised by the outcome, stating his laps in Q3 were not his best.

Aston Martin’s Progress and Driver Decisions

Fernando Alonso achieved a notable breakthrough for Aston Martin, progressing out of the first session for the first time this season. This improvement coincides with the debut of their virtually new car. Alonso will start in 16th position, approximately 2.8 seconds off pole, but this represents a significant increase in relative pace.

Alonso, who will be 45 next week, conveyed optimism, suggesting the team has identified and addressed weaknesses in the car. He acknowledged previous disappointments with upgrades but noted a change in optimism within the factory. Alonso is currently facing a decision regarding his future career beyond the current season.

The veteran driver stated his confidence in technical partner Adrian Newey’s ability to lead the team to future success. However, he expressed uncertainty about whether this success would materialize soon enough for him. Alonso emphasized that the potential at Silverstone and with Honda’s engine development is a matter of time.

Drivers contended with a deteriorating track surface at the Hungaroring, particularly in the final two corners, where judging grip levels proved challenging. Russell’s final run was also affected by a water leak, which sprayed water onto his rear tyres, leading to him parking his car at Turn One to prevent engine damage.

The 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix is scheduled to commence at 1500 local time on Sunday.

Source: bbc.com