Norris tops Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying as Mercedes face challenges

Lando Norris recorded the fastest lap in qualifying for Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, putting McLaren on pole with a time of 1:17.939. Lewis Hamilton, who had been quickest in practice, qualified second, 0.117 seconds slower, while Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli completed the top three, 0.129 seconds off Norris's pace. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished fourth and George Russell was sixth after reporting that his team had resolved the battery-calibration problem that hampered his performance in Belgium.

Mercedes' qualifying results showed a noticeable gap between its drivers, with Russell six tenths slower than Norris and nearly half a second behind teammate Antonelli. The team said the issue stemmed from complex power-unit software that was identified and corrected following difficulties at Spa and Silverstone.

Aston Martin's cars qualified 17th and 18th, while Fernando Alonso placed 13th, within half a second of the 13th-placed driver. The grid also featured Max Verstappen in eighth and Red Bull's Isack Hadjar in seventh.

Drivers have voiced concerns about the new hybrid formula, which requires careful energy management. McLaren's Lando Norris remarked that the sport appears to be driven more by commercial interests than by competitive fairness. A Formula One spokesperson responded that driver feedback is being taken into account and that the sport remains focused on on-track performance.

Qualifying for the Hungaroring began at 15:00 local time, setting the starting order for the race scheduled later in the day.