Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton suffered a frustrating qualifying session at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Hamilton looked on track to capture his first pole position in three years before being leapfrogged by McLaren driver Lando Norris.
Ferrari raised eyebrows by sending Hamilton out ahead of all other cars for his final run in Q3. Addressing the decision, Hamilton confessed, “I don’t know why we went first and that was a bit of a shock to me.”
A costly final lap
The timing hurt Hamilton’s rhythm early in the lap. A snap of oversteer into Turn 1 cost him time, causing his speed to drop across the rest of the track. Reflecting on the attempt, he said, “So, the last lap was the worst lap of all, and all the other laps were really good.”
He took responsibility for missing pole position, admitting, “We clearly had the car to be on pole today and I just didn’t deliver. So that’s tough to swallow.”
Penalty adds more pain
Hamilton’s troubles grew worse after qualifying when stewards gave him a three-place grid penalty. Ferrari warned him too late about Oscar Piastri approaching behind, causing an accidental block on the main straight. The penalty drops Hamilton from second to fifth position on the grid.
Signs of progress
Despite the penalty, Hamilton stays positive about Ferrari’s improvements. Praising the upgrades, he said, “It’s night and day different to the car that we had last year,” adding, “but it’s awfully close between the top runners and you need to be perfect ultimately to get that
