Saturday means it’s time for qualifying at the Hungaroring: 30 degrees of air temperature and raindrops approaching just as cars are about to come out of the pits for Q1.
With McLaren topping the last free practice session just this morning, let’s have a look at what turn things took for the qualifying of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Q1
Cars head out immediately in the hopes of making the most of the current conditions, as rain is expected to increase over the next few minutes.
First thing that it’s heard on the radio is Bottas’ “The track is ok for Slicks” and the McLarens waste no time in putting themselves up at the front.
It’s a tight battle for P1, that passes to Sainz only to be quickly beaten by Lewis Hamilton, Russell and Leclerc are P15 and P16.
A yellow flag comes out after Logan Sargeant touches the barriers after a lock-up at Turn 1 and is called back into the pits to substitute the front wing of his Williams.
Verstappen improves and goes up to P3, while Russell is dangerously close to the elimination zone in P14 and Leclerc improves to P9.
A mistake for Sergio Perez, who goes over the kerb on entry to Turn 8 and ends into the barriers with a lot of damage: it’s red flag.
The rain that was falling down during the red flag has now subsided and the track looks drier, last laps for this session that ends with Daniel Ricciardo in P1 and Lance Stroll in P4 while Russell is out and Norris across the line in P13.
❌ OUT IN Q1: Perez, Russell, Zhou, Ocon, Gasly
Q2
First to come out for Q2 is Carlos Sainz, soon Hamilton and Verstappen join in. Used tyres for the first two, a brand new compound for the Red Bull that sets a 1m15.770s.
Leclerc is in fifth, while Ricciardo is the only driver yet to come out of the pit lane and set a time.
Hamilton goes fastest and Piastri – on used tyres – shows quite a good rhythm closing his lap just 0.015s off Verstappen.
Sainz’s second attempt is worth a P3, just as we approach the final minutes of the session.
There is a lot of traffic in the pit lane and we hear drivers complaining worriedly about it as time is about to end.
Leclerc climbed up to P4, while Ricciardo pushes Sargeant out last minute when he goes 7th and Norris tops the session.
Hamilton makes it to Q3 just on the line in a close ending where Hulkenberg is out for only 0.010s.
❌ OUT IN Q2: Hulkenberg, Bottas, Albon, Sargeant, Magnussen
Q3
With rain broadcasted to return cars head out quickly and Max Verstappen is quick to set a good time: 1m15.555s.
Not too far behind is Oscar Piastri in his McLaren, followed by Hamilton and Sainz.
But as Leclerc closes his lap, he takes P3 almost matching Piastri’s time.
But the most stunning lap so far is pulled by Lando Norris: 1m15.227s that is currently worth the pole position.
As cars come back into the garage to get ready for a second attempt the rain begins to fall down.
Piastri is the first to come out and beats Verstappen for P2 just as a red flag is waved.
It’s Yuki Tsunoda’s RB that lost a wheel along the way, he ran wide and ended up on the kerb while exiting Turn 5, he ends up in the barriers with a huge impact, but we are relieved to see him come out of a destroyed car.
Time is up but the only driver on a PB is Ricciardo. Norris looks like he is on pole as he pits.
Action restarts with only 2 minutes of running left, everyone but Sainz make it to go for one last lap and ultimately it is Lando Norris taking Pole Position at the Hungaroring.
