Norris beats Hamilton to take first 2026 grand prix pole in Hungary
Norris snatched pole with his final lap, beating Hamilton by 0.117 seconds and giving McLaren a front-row lockout in Budapest.
Lando Norris delivered McLaren’s first pole of 2026 by beating Lewis Hamilton with his final lap in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying at the Hungaroring. The result on July 25 in Budapest ended Mercedes’s recent streak at the circuit and gave McLaren a clear statement that its pace could survive the pressure of a decisive session.
Norris had already shown the speed in final practice, setting a 1 minute 17.939 second lap that was 0.117 seconds quicker than Ferrari’s Hamilton. He then carried that margin into qualifying, where the last lap mattered most and Norris found enough at the end to take pole ahead of one of Formula 1’s most accomplished drivers.
The shape of the session mattered as much as the result. Sky Sports said McLaren secured a front-row lockout ahead of Max Verstappen, turning a fast car into a result that held through the final exchanges rather than slipping away in traffic, tire management or timing. For McLaren, that distinction is critical: raw pace has not been the problem as much as turning it into a clean, decisive outcome when a pole is on the line.
The pole also changed the tone of the weekend at the Hungaroring, which hosted the Hungarian Grand Prix from July 24 to 26. Reuters had previewed the weekend by noting Hamilton’s strong form heading toward Formula 1’s August break, but Norris’s final run rewrote the script and put McLaren in control of the front of the grid.
The contrast with 2025 at the same track sharpened the significance. Charles Leclerc took pole there last year, with Oscar Piastri second and Norris third, while Hamilton was out in the second qualifying session. This time, Norris moved from chasing the front row to owning it, and McLaren backed that up with both cars at the sharp end.
The result did more than break a run at one race. It suggested McLaren had arrived in Hungary with a weekend that was not just quick, but composed enough to convert speed into a credible challenge against the established names ahead of the August break.
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