Lando Norris has secured his first grand prix pole position of the season, beating Lewis Hamilton by a mere 0.012 seconds with the final lap of the session.
The McLaren driver's impressive performance comes after a chaotic end to the session, caused by a spin at the final corner by Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Norris pulled out pole, following one in the sprint in Miami, and will start from the top spot on the grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Hamilton had been fastest on the first runs, by just over 0.1secs from Norris, but neither the seven-time champion nor team-mate Charles Leclerc could improve on their final attempts. The Ferrari duo finished second and third respectively, with Hamilton facing a potential investigation for impeding McLaren's Oscar Piastri at Turn One after he finished his final lap.
Fernando Alonso made a major breakthrough for Aston Martin on the weekend they debuted their virtually new car, breaking out of the first session for the first time this season. Alonso will start 16th, 2.8secs off pole, but his team is optimistic about the progress they have made. The veteran Spaniard said, "I feel relieved a little bit, feeling that the team understood the weaknesses of the car and this is the first step in the right direction."
Alonso's comments come as he faces a decision this summer as to whether to continue his career after this season. He said that while he had no doubts managing technical partner Adrian Newey would lead the team to success in the future, he was not sure whether it would happen soon enough for him.
The Hungarian Grand Prix is set to take place this weekend, with Norris looking to make a strong start from pole position. Meanwhile, Verstappen managed to take sixth, ahead of George Russell and the second Red Bull of Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad, and Audi's Nico Hulkenberg.
The session was marked by a spin at the final corner by Verstappen, which affected Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, who were forced to slow, ending up fourth and seventh respectively. The incident highlights the importance of precision and control in the high-speed world of Formula 1.
The Hungarian Grand Prix is one of the most iconic events on the Formula 1 calendar, and this year's event promises to be just as exciting. With Norris on pole and Alonso making progress with his team, it will be interesting to see how the rest of the season unfolds.
Malaysia is set to host a Formula 1 race in October, with the event expected to attract a large crowd. The news comes as the Formula 1 community continues to grow and expand its reach around the world.
The season is heating up, and the Hungarian Grand Prix is set to be one of the most closely contested events of the year. With Norris on pole and Alonso making progress with his team, it will be interesting to see how the rest of the season unfolds.
Source: Yahoo Sports
