Norris claimed pole for the Hungarian Grand Prix, delivering McLaren’s first pole of 2026 and edging Lewis Hamilton by 0.012 seconds in a tight Q3 in which Verstappen spun late. Hamilton, originally on a potential pole, was penalized three places for impeding Oscar Piastri, moving him from second to fifth on the starting grid alongside Leclerc and Piastri on the front two rows. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured a front-row spot in third after Norris, with Kimi Antonelli and Piastri also moving up due to penalties, while Antonelli dropped to seventh for speeding under yellow flags. Piastri qualified strongly in third, Verstappen finished fourth after his spin, and George Russell inherited a compromised sixth as Mercedes’ qualifying window closed without a third consecutive pole. The grid reordering and penalties amplify the challenge for Mercedes and heighten McLaren’s optimism at a track where overtaking is tricky, as Norris seeks another victory following last season’s win. Teams will be watching the weather and track conditions at the Hungaroring, where upgrades and on-the-day decisions could influence the race outcome.