Norris secures pole in dramatic Hungarian GP Qualifying

Lando Norris claimed a stunning pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix, leading an all-McLaren front row with teammate Oscar Piastri in second.

Max Verstappen had to settle for third in a qualifying session marked by changing track conditions and dramatic incidents.

Q1: Perez Crashes Out as Russell Stunned

The opening session began on a damp track, with drivers opting for soft dry tires despite light rain.

As times improved, Sergio Perez's Red Bull slammed into the barrier at turn eight, bringing out the red flag.

After the delay, most drivers returned to the track, but Mercedes' George Russell found himself eliminated in 17th place for the second consecutive year in Hungary.

Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon also failed to progress as Alpine chose not to send their drivers out after the red flag period.

Q2: Hamilton Scrapes Through

As the track continued to dry, times tumbled rapidly. Verstappen set the early pace, closely matched by Piastri's McLaren.

The final minutes saw a flurry of improvements, with Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda securing top-ten positions at the expense of the Williams duo.

Lewis Hamilton narrowly avoided elimination, hanging on to tenth place by just one-hundredth of a second ahead of Nico Hulkenberg.

Q3: McLaren Dominates as Tsunoda Crashes

The final session began under the looming threat of rain, prompting teams to send their drivers out early.

Norris seized provisional pole with a lap over three-tenths quicker than Verstappen's initial effort.

As drivers prepared for their final attempts, Tsunoda crashed heavily at turn five, bringing out the red flag with just over two minutes remaining.

In a dramatic finish, teams scrambled to get their drivers out for one last attempt on used tires.

However, no one could improve their times, securing Norris's pole position and McLaren's first front-row lockout since 2012.

Verstappen, who opted not to attempt a final lap, had to settle for third, followed by Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton rounding out the top five.