Lewis Hamilton will start on pole at the Hungarian Grand Prix (Picture: Getty)
Lewis Hamilton claimed his first pole position in 595 days with a brilliant qualifying lap for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Hamilton crossed the line at the Hungaroring just 0.003 seconds ahead of Red Bull rival Max Verstappen to take his first pole since the penultimate round of the 2021 season in Saudi Arabia.
Hamilton’s lap was greeted with raucous cheers from the crowd, bringing to an end a run of five straight poles for Verstappen. Lando Norris qualified an impressive third for McLaren.
Hamilton only finished 16th on Friday, describing his machine as ‘at its worst’.
But the 38-year-old, who has won more times here than anybody else and captured his first victory in Mercedes colours at this venue a decade ago, will believe he can end the longest losing streak of his career in Sunday’s 70-lap race after outclassing Verstappen and claiming his ninth pole at this track.
After leaving his cockpit, the seven-time world champion stood on the front-right tyre of his Mercedes before saluting the main grandstand and then affording Verstappen a cursory handshake.
Norris finished less than a tenth back as McLaren’s resurgence continued, with team-mate Oscar Piastri fourth.
Mercedes have looked strong at this slow and twisty venue, but Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell will start only 18th following a qualifying run to forget for the British driver.
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Russell qualified on pole last year, but he will start two from the back after a session the Briton called a ‘s***show’.
Russell attempted to create space ahead of his final lap, but in doing so, he allowed three of his competitors through at the final corner.
It meant the 25-year-old was well off the pace in the first sector, and he was then unable to claw the deficit back over the remainder of the lap.
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After 595 days the Mercedes drive is back at the front of the gird.
