Russell takes his first pole position, Britain equals the record for most consecutive seasons with a pole and Vettel fails to reach Q3 in Hungary for the first time since 2008. Here are the facts and statistics from qualifying at the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix!
RUSSELL TAKES MAIDEN POLE
George Russell became the 105th polesitter in World Championship history as he secured pole for the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix,
Russell became the 16th different driver to take pole at the Hungaroring. He is the third driver to take his maiden pole at the Hungarian Grand Prix, after Thierry Boutsen in 1990 and Max Verstappen in 2019.
This was Mercedes’ first pole position of the 2022 season. It’s the team’s first pole since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Mercedes equal McLaren and Ferrari as the team with the most poles at the Hungarian Grand Prix. All three teams have now taken eight poles at the Hungaroring.
Russell’s pole sees Britain equal its own record for most consecutive seasons in which a nation has taken pole (19). British drivers last took pole in 19 consecutive seasons between 1955 and 1973!
This was Russell’s first Q3 appearance at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
THE TOP 10
Carlos Sainz qualified on the front row at the Hungarian Grand Prix for the first time. His previous best qualifying result here was fifth, recorded in 2018.
Charles Leclerc qualified in third place, which is his best Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying result.
Lando Norris recorded his best Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying result to date with fourth place. This is McLaren’s best qualifying result at the Hungarian Grand Prix since Lewis Hamilton took pole in 2012.
With Esteban Ocon fifth and Fernando Alonso sixth, this is the Enstone team’s first double top six qualification since the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix. It’s the first time since 2013 that both of the teams’ drivers have qualified in the top six in Hungary.
Ocon equalled his best qualifying result of the season to date and recorded his best-ever Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying result.
With sixth place, Alonso recorded his best Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying result since qualifying fifth with Ferrari in 2014.
Daniel Ricciardo reached Q3 at the Hungarian Grand Prix for the first time since 2017. His Q3 appearance ended a streak of three races at which he failed to reach Q3. That ends his longest Q3-less streak in almost ten years.
Valtteri Bottas made it into Q3 for the first time since the Spanish Grand Prix, ending a streak of six consecutive Q2 eliminations. Qualifying eighth, this was the first time since 2017 that Bottas has not qualified on the front row at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
With eighth place, Bottas recorded the former Sauber team’s best qualifying result in Hungary since Robert Kubica qualified fourth in 2008.
Max Verstappen struggled with engine issues in Q3, meaning he could qualify no higher than tenth. This was Verstappen’s worst qualifying result since he failed to set a lap time at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix.
Lando Norris and Max Verstappen both maintained their 100% Q3 appearance records at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Both reaching Q3, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton overtook Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher for most top ten qualifications at the Hungarian Grand Prix. This was both Alonso and Hamilton’s 15th top ten qualification at the event.
OUT IN Q2
Sergio Perez failed to reach Q3 at the Hungarian Grand Prix, qualifying in 11th place. This was the second time this year that Perez has failed to make it into the final part of qualifying.
This was the first time no Red Bull drivers qualified in the top nine since the 2018 Russian Grand Prix. 2007 was the last time no Red Bull drivers qualified in the top nine in Hungary.
Perez becomes the first driver to have been eliminated in Q2 on six occasions at the Hungarian Grand Prix. No other driver has had more than four Q2 exits at the Hungaroring.
Lance Stroll progressed past Q1 for the first time since the Miami Grand Prix, ending a streak of seven consecutive Q1 exits.
OUT IN Q1
For the first time since 2008, Sebastian Vettel failed to reach Q3 at the Hungarian Grand Prix. This was Vettel’s second Q1 elimination at the Hungaroring, his first since 2007.
Both Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly were out in Q1, recording the Red Bull junior team’s first double Q1 exit at the Hungarian Grand Prix since 2006. It is the team’s third double Q1 exit of the 2022 season.
Pierre Gasly qualified in 19th, recording his first back row qualification in a conventional qualifying session since the 2018 Australian Grand Prix.
This was the first time that Gasly has failed to reach Q3 at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Both Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi were out in Q1. This was the 20th consecutive race weekend at which a Williams driver has been eliminated in Q1.
Latifi was fastest in Free Practice 3. He became the first driver to be fastest in Free Practice 3 and go on to qualify 20th or lower since Lewis Hamilton at the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Latifi qualified last for a second consecutive weekend. This was the fourth time he has qualified last in the 2022 season.
