Norris ‘pleasantly surprised’ to claim Hungary pole

Lando Norris secured pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix after a highly competitive qualifying session at the Hungaroring. Despite describing his Q3 laps as "not the best," the McLaren driver managed to edge out the Ferrari duo of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc by just 0.012 seconds, marking his and his team's first pole of the 2026 season. Norris expressed his satisfaction with the upgraded McLaren package and his own performance throughout the weekend, noting that his confidence remained high despite the narrow margins. He acknowledged the intense challenge posed by Ferrari and emphasized the importance of securing the top spot on this tight, technical track. Looking ahead to Sunday, Norris remains cautious about the race prospects. While acknowledging he is in the best possible position to secure a maiden win for McLaren this season, he highlighted the strong race pace and strategic flexibility shown by Ferrari. The team is now focused on final preparations to convert the pole position into a race victory.