Hamilton snatches pole position in thrilling Hungarian grand prix qualifying

Lewis Hamilton secured his first Formula One pole position since Abu Dhabi in 2021 | Photo Credit: Formula One

FORMULA ONE Hamilton snatches pole position in thrilling Hungarian grand prix qualifying

Shafic Kiyaga • 22:46 - 22.07.2023

Verstappen, denied a sixth consecutive pole by the slimmest of margins, will line up in the second position.

Lewis Hamilton seized the pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix, narrowly edging out rival Max Verstappen by a mere 0.003 seconds.

This victory marks Hamilton's record ninth pole position at the Hungarian GP and his first since the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP - a span of 33 races.

"It's been a crazy year and a half. I've lost my voice from shouting so much in the car!" exclaimed an excited Hamilton.

"It's amazing that feeling. I feel so grateful to be up here because the team have worked so hard. We have been pushing so hard over this time to get pole. It feels like the first time."

Verstappen, denied a sixth consecutive pole by the slimmest of margins, will line up in the second position.

Behind him, the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri locked out the second row, with Norris just 0.085 seconds behind Hamilton's pole time.

The Alfa Romeo of Zhou Guanyu secured an impressive fifth place on the grid.

Contrasting with Hamilton's success was Mercedes teammate George Russell's lackluster performance, who will start 18th, having been the big-name exit of Q1.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, who lined up alongside Russell on the front row last year, will start 11th after narrowly missing a place in Q3.

Despite earning a top 10 position for the first time in six races, Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez couldn't escape pressure, finishing ninth and 0.433 seconds slower than Verstappen.

Zhou's teammate Valtteri Bottas secured seventh, while Haas' Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the top 10.

Daniel Ricciardo marked his Formula 1 return by outqualifying AlphaTauri team-mate Yuki Tsunoda and managing 13th place on the grid.

Verstappen admitted, "We haven't nailed it this weekend," but still praised Red Bull's new upgrades.

Norris too, despite his strong finish, expressed disappointment, claiming there was more time to be found.

The excitement around the Hungarian Grand Prix is sure to continue, as Formula 1 announced a contract extension that will keep the race at the Hungaroring until at least 2032.

As for Hamilton, it remains to be seen whether his stunning pole victory will set the tone for the main race, in what is turning out to to be an exhilarating season.