Title: Hamilton Clinches Pole Position from Verstappen by a Hair’s Breadth at F1 Hungarian GP
Lewis Hamilton managed to snatch pole position from Max Verstappen by a mere 0.003 seconds during a thrilling qualifying session at the Hungaroring, making it his first pole position of the season for Mercedes.
In an experimental qualifying format featuring an ‘alternative tyre allocation’ trial, drivers were limited to using hard, medium, and soft tires in Q1, Q2, and Q3, respectively. This change resulted in a highly competitive qualifying session.
The battle for pole started with Lando Norris setting an impressive time of 1m16.904s, putting him at the top of the leaderboard. However, Verstappen responded with a blistering lap of 1m16.612s, taking the provisional pole position.
Hamilton then showcased Mercedes’ potential by splitting the Verstappen-Norris duo with a lap time of 1m16.738s.
As the session progressed to its climax, Verstappen’s first sector in his final run was not as strong as his previous effort. Although he improved in the middle part of the lap, he failed to match his earlier time, leaving him vulnerable to attacks from other drivers.
Norris came close but fell short with a time of 1m16.694s. Meanwhile, Hamilton was on a pace to surpass Verstappen’s time by the second sector. Despite a slight wobble in the final corners, the seven-time champion held on to secure his first pole position since 2021.
Behind the front row, the McLarens secured the second row with Oscar Piastri shining in the middle sector, and Zhou Guanyu impressed by claiming fifth for Alfa Romeo on the starting grid.
Charles Leclerc took the sixth spot, followed by Valtteri Bottas in seventh, just a fraction ahead of his teammate Fernando Alonso in eighth.
Sergio Perez broke a five-race Q3 appearance drought and claimed ninth, while Nico Hulkenberg, once again standing in for Haas, completed the top 10.
Carlos Sainz missed out on Q3 when Leclerc managed to get through at the end of the session, with the Spanish driver trailing Alonso by a mere 0.002 seconds.
Verstappen encountered a tense moment when his initial Q2-topping effort got deleted due to exceeding track limits at Turn 5. However, he managed to re-enter the top 10, securing his spot with ease.
Q1 proved to be a surprise with George Russell failing to improve his time due to traffic and ending up in 18th place. Meanwhile, Zhou Guanyu led the session on hard tires.
Alex Albon initially looked safe from the elimination zone but fell down the order when Daniel Ricciardo managed to outqualify Yuki Tsunoda in his first attempt.
In the end, the final times were remarkably close, with all drivers within a second of each other.
The stage was set for an exciting Hungarian Grand Prix, with Hamilton and Verstappen locked in a fierce battle for supremacy at the front of the grid.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Pole position
Q: What was the result of the F1 Hungarian GP qualifying session?
A: Lewis Hamilton secured pole position by a margin of 0.003 seconds, beating Max Verstappen to claim the top spot on the starting grid.
Q: How was the qualifying format tweaked for the Hungarian GP?
A: The qualifying format was modified with an ‘alternative tyre allocation’ trial. In Q1, only hard tires could be used, medium tires in Q2, and softs in Q3, creating a competitive session.
Q: Which drivers locked out the front row at Silverstone, and how did Hamilton perform there?
A: Max Verstappen and Lando Norris locked out the front row at Silverstone. At the Hungarian GP, Lewis Hamilton split the pair by securing the second spot on the grid.
Q: Who completed the second row on the starting grid?
A: The McLarens, represented by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, locked out the second row on the starting grid.
Q: What were the positions of the other top drivers in the qualifying session?
A: Charles Leclerc took the sixth spot, Valtteri Bottas secured the seventh position, while Sergio Perez claimed the ninth spot on the starting grid.
Q: How did George Russell perform in the qualifying session?
A: George Russell faced challenges with traffic and could not improve his time, ending up in 18th place on the starting grid.
Q: Who missed out on the final part of qualifying, and who managed to get through?
A: Carlos Sainz missed out on Q3, while his teammate Charles Leclerc managed to progress to the final part of qualifying.
Q: How close were the lap times among the drivers?
A: The final times were incredibly close, with all drivers within a second of each other, making for a highly competitive qualifying session.
Q: Which drivers completed the top 10 on the starting grid?
A: The top 10 on the starting grid included Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Zhou Guanyu, Charles Leclerc, Valtteri Bottas, Fernando Alonso, Sergio Perez, and Nico Hulkenberg.
Q: Which drivers faced elimination in Q1 and Q2?
A: In Q1, George Russell, Alex Albon, Yuki Tsunoda, Kevin Magnussen, and Logan Sargeant faced elimination. In Q2, Esteban Ocon, Daniel Ricciardo, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, and Yuki Tsunoda were eliminated.
Q: What is the significance of Hamilton’s pole position since 2021?
A: The Hungarian GP pole position marked Lewis Hamilton’s first pole position since 2021, highlighting a significant achievement in the season for the seven-time champion.
More about Pole position
- F1: Official Formula 1 website.
- Hungarian Grand Prix: Information about the Hungarian Grand Prix.
- Lewis Hamilton: Profile of Lewis Hamilton on the official F1 website.
- Max Verstappen: Profile of Max Verstappen on the official F1 website.
- Pole Position: Information about pole position in Formula 1.
- Mercedes: Official Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team website.
- McLaren: Official McLaren Racing website.
- Alfa Romeo: Official Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN website.
- Ferrari: Official Scuderia Ferrari website.
- Red Bull Racing: Official Red Bull Racing website.
- Motorsport: Motorsport news and updates.
5 comments
whoa, russell got caught in traffik, tough luck for him. and did ya see albon? almost made it, so close. it’s gonna be a battle on sunday! #russell #albon #f1racing
hamilton vs. verstappn, man, it’s like a movie! these guys are pushing it to da limit. can’t believe how close their lap times were. #hamiltonvsverstappen #hungarygp #edgeofmyseat
McLarens lookin’ sharp with norris and piastri on the second row! woohoo! and ferraris, what happnd there? they gotta step up their game. let’s go racing! #mclaren #ferrari #hungariangp
verstaapen was so fast, almost had pole! but hamiton was like “nah, im takin’ dis one!” that q3 session was insane with the tyre changes, luv it! #f1quali #verstappen #excitingstuff
omg! lewis hamilton is a beast on da track! he just grabd pole position by 0.003s, so close man! can’t wait for da hungarian gp, gunna be an epic race!! #hamilton #poleposition #f1hungary