Lando Norris Claims Pole as McLaren Dominates Hungarian Grand Prix Qualifying

Lando Norris secured pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix, marking McLaren's first front row lockout since 2012 alongside teammate Oscar Piastri. Max Verstappen, the championship leader, qualified third in a session paused by Yuki Tsunoda's crash. McLaren's performance stirs excitement ahead of the race.

Lando Norris clinched pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday, with teammate Oscar Piastri qualifying second, marking McLaren's first front row lockout since 2012. Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who leads the Formula One championship, secured third in a session interrupted by Yuki Tsunoda's crash.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz will start alongside Verstappen on the second row at a circuit notorious for its challenging overtaking opportunities. Norris is optimistic about their strong position, celebrating his third career pole and second in the last four races. 'We are in the best position for whatever the conditions throw at us,' he remarked.

As the session resumed post-Tsunoda's crash, Norris maintained the lead with a fastest lap time of one minute 15.227 seconds. Piastri narrowly missed out on pole, clocking a lap just 0.022 seconds slower than Norris. Piastri expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance, despite the slim margin.

Other notable qualifiers include Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in sixth and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, who secured fifth. The Aston Martin drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, will start seventh and eighth, respectively. Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo secured ninth position, and Yuki Tsunoda completed the top ten despite needing extensive car repairs.

(With inputs from agencies.)