Hamilton starts from pole position for the first time in 33 races and is joined on the front row – for the first time since the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – by Max Verstappen. Here’s how the grid lines up for the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix!
POLE: LEWIS HAMILTON | 1:16.609
Lewis Hamilton returns to the front of the grid for the first time since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. A ninth pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix sees him set a new record for the most poles at a single venue. 2017 was the last time Hamilton finished outside of the top two in Hungary. Could he bring home his first victory in almost two years?
2nd: MAX VERSTAPPEN | 1:16.612
It’s the two old rivals on the front row of the grid for the first time since the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen setting a lap time just 0.003 seconds slower than Hamilton’s. He won here from tenth on the grid last year and is in search of a very rare seventh consecutive victory.
3rd: LANDO NORRIS | 1:16.694
For the first time in his career, Lando Norris qualified in the top four for a third consecutive race. He’s yet to finish in the top six here, with a best result of seventh last year. Will Norris continue McLaren’s impressive run and record a second consecutive podium?
4th: OSCAR PIASTRI | 1:16.905
Another impressive Saturday afternoon from Oscar Piastri, who qualified in the top four for a second consecutive race and set the fastest middle sector time of any driver. Having finished fourth in the British Grand Prix, Piastri will be looking for a repeat, or better, in Hungary.
5th: ZHOU GUANYU | 1:16.971
A career best qualifying for Zhou Guanyu on a weekend where Alfa Romeo looks competitive. Ninth place finishes in Australia and Canada have been Zhou’s only points-scoring appearances so far in 2023. He has a great opportunity to add to that in the Hungarian Grand Prix. His career best finish is eighth, at the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix.
6th: CHARLES LECLERC | 1:16.992
A mediocre Saturday for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc the Scuderia’s top starter in sixth place. Leclerc has scored twice from his five previous appearances, with fourth place in 2019 and sixth last year. 2020 is the only season since 2008 in which neither Ferrari driver has ended Sunday at the Hungarian Grand Prix in the top four.
7th: VALTTERI BOTTAS | 1:17.034
A first Q3 appearance for Valtteri Bottas since the Miami Grand Prix saw him qualify seventh on an impressive Saturday for Alfa Romeo. The Finn’s last two races at the Hungaroring have ended in retirements. He’ll be hoping to end that streak in 2023 and pick up points for the third time this year.
8th: FERNANDO ALONSO | 1:17.035
20 years on from his first Formula 1 victory at the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso starts eighth in 2023. Alonso has finished in the top eight on every appearance here since 2010.
9th: SERGIO PEREZ | 1:17.045
Sergio Perez was back in Q3 for the first time since early May but it was still a slightly disappointing ninth place qualification at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Last year, Perez finished in the top five at the Hungaroring for the first time. He’s in much need of a strong result this weekend.
10th: NICO HULKENBERG | 1:17.186
Nico Hulkenberg has not picked up points at the Hungaroring since a tenth place finish in 2016. Can he hold on to a position in the top ten in the race? It might be challenge: he’s lost places in all but one of the last six races in the 2023 season.
11th: CARLOS SAINZ | 1:17.703
Carlos Sainz’s run of 33 consecutive top ten qualifications came to an end on Saturday, where he narrowly missed out on a spot in Q3. He’s scored here in every season since 2016. Will he make progress in the Grand Prix?
12th: ESTEBAN OCON | 1:17.841
Starting 12th, Esteban Ocon is looking for a return to the points for the first time since the Canadian Grand Prix. He won here in 2021 having started 10th.
13th: DANIEL RICCIARDO | 1:18.002
Daniel Ricciardo ticked all the boxes in his first competitive session since his return to Formula 1. Out-qualifying team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, he starts 13th and is hoping for some points on his comeback. AlphaTauri have scored only two points so far this year.
14th: LANCE STROLL | 1:18.144
A third consecutive year with a Q2 exit at the Hungarian Grand Prix for Lance Stroll. Stroll’s only previous points here came in 2020, when he finished fourth.
15th: PIERRE GASLY | 1:18.217
A lap time deletion put Pierre Gasly only 15th in qualifying. He went from the pit lane to 12th last year and will be hoping for a similar turnaround in the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix. His best result here is fifth, recorded with AlphaTauri in 2021.
16th: ALEX ALBON | 1:18.917
Alex Albon’s three-race streak of Q3 appearances came to an end with a Q1 exit. He finished only 17th last year. Will he improve on that in 2023?
17th: YUKI TSUNODA | 1:18.919
Out-qualified by his team-mate for the third time this year, Yuki Tsunoda qualified 17th for a second consecutive race.
18th: GEORGE RUSSELL | 1:19.027
One year on from taking his maiden pole position here, George Russell was eliminated in Q1 for the first time as a Mercedes driver. He finished on the podium last year and will be hoping to follow in Lewis Hamilton’s footsteps this year. Hamilton was the last Mercedes driver to be out in Q1 here, back in 2014, and went on to finish on the podium!
19th: KEVIN MAGNUSSEN | 1:19.206
Kevin Magnussen qualified on the back row for a third consecutive race. The Dane has never failed to finish the Hungarian Grand Prix from his seven appearances – but has scored only twice. It’ll be tricky to pick up more points starting from the back row.
20th: LOGAN SARGEANT | 1:19.248
Logan Sargeant set the slowest lap time in qualifying for the fourth time in his career. No driver has previously scored starting 20th at the Hungarian Grand Prix. He’s looking to be the first American to score a point in Formula 1 in almost 30 years.
