Lando Norris back on pole for Mercedes at Hungarian Grand Prix

BUDAPEST: World champion Lando Norris of McLaren narrowly outpaced Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton to seize his first pole position of the year on Saturday with a flawless lap in the final seconds of qualifying for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

The 26-year-old Briton clocked a best lap of one minute and 17.207 seconds to wreck Hamilton’s bid for an unprecedented 10th pole at the same track by just 0.012 seconds with Charles Leclerc qualifying third in the second Ferrari before Sunday’s race in Budapest.

World championship leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes was fourth, 0.260 seconds adrift, ahead of Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren and four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull.

“I am very happy to be back on top,” said a beaming Norris.

“It was a tough session and these guys (Ferrari) were very quick. It’s been tough all weekend, but we have been quick and our upgrades have helped — it’s so nice to be on pole especially at this track.”

Hamilton, 41, had been within reach of becoming the oldest pole-sitter since Mario Andretti at the 1982 Italian Grand Prix while for Norris it was a second Budapest pole and the 17th of his career, his most recent coming in Las Vegas in November.

“Congratulations to Lando,” said Hamilton. “I think we did a great job all weekend and we were solid in qualifying, but going out first was not the right call. On top of that, the grip just wasn’t there for Charles and I at the end.

“We were quickest, but it got away from us ultimately.”

Leclerc said: “There was quite a bit of wind change today and I didn’t anticipate it well. It was all a bit messy.”

The session began in hot conditions with a track temperature of 52C as Valtteri Bottas led the way in his Cadillac followed by his