Lando Norris secured pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix with a 1:17.207 on Saturday, ending Mercedes' streak of qualifying on pole in every race of the 2026 season. The McLaren driver edged Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari by just 0.012 seconds, with Charles Leclerc completing the front two rows in third.
The result marked a shift after Friday's practice sessions showed Ferrari pace. Norris claimed his first pole since Las Vegas last year, while Mercedes failed to take the top spot for the first time in 2026 after dominating all ten previous qualifying sessions.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who holds a 45-point advantage over Hamilton, qualified fourth. Max Verstappen starts sixth after expressing dissatisfaction with his car, while George Russell qualified seventh and Nico Hülkenberg tenth for Audi.