In the qualifying session at the Hungaroring, Lewis Hamilton emerged as the big winner on Saturday. The Mercedes driver secured his first pole position of the season, beating rival Max Verstappen to take the top spot on the grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The qualifying session saw a shake-up with the new “Alternative Tyre Allocation” format, allowing for some surprising results. Hamilton’s pole position marks only the second time this season that a non-Red Bull car will start at the front of the grid.
Hamilton expressed his gratitude after the session, highlighting the hard work put in by his team. He acknowledged that he did not expect to be fighting for pole position but gave it his all on his final lap, leaving nothing on the table. Now, the question remains whether he can convert this pole position into his first win of the 2023 season.
However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Mercedes. Hamilton’s teammate, George Russell, had a disappointing qualifying session, failing to advance out of Q1 after getting caught up in traffic at the end of the session. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff admitted the team’s mistake and vowed to improve their handling of Russell’s sessions.
On the other hand, McLaren had a strong showing on Saturday, with Lando Norris qualifying third and Oscar Piastri qualifying fourth. This performance reinforced the team’s progress in dealing with slow-speed corners and demonstrated their improved performance in qualifying. McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella praised the drivers for their excellent performance and credited their success to the hard work of the team both on and off the track.
Another standout from the qualifying session was Haas driver Nico Hülkenberg. Securing a place in the top ten for the sixth time this season, Hülkenberg showcased the team’s strong one-lap pace. However, their challenge lies in translating this pace into race results, as their race pace has been lacking throughout the season.
Meanwhile, Alpine had a disappointing day in qualifying, with both Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon failing to reach Q3. Gasly finished 15th, while Ocon will start the race in 12th position. The team acknowledged their lack of speed and expressed their determination to turn things around during the Grand Prix.
Alfa Romeo proved to be a pleasant surprise, with Valtteri Bottas qualifying in seventh place and Zhou Guanyu securing fifth, their best starting position of the season. The team was thrilled with their performance, recognizing the importance of starting positions on a track like the Hungaroring.
For AlphaTauri, it was a mixed bag with Daniel Ricciardo advancing to Q2 and starting 13th, while Yuki Tsunoda failed to progress beyond Q1 and will start from the back of the grid. Tsunoda expressed his disappointment at missing out on Q2 but remained hopeful to maximize his performance during the race.
Last but not least, Red Bull faced some challenges in qualifying. While Sergio Pérez made it to Q3 for the first time since May, he struggled to maximize his opportunity and will start ninth. Max Verstappen also experienced difficulties, fighting the car’s balance and expressing frustration after qualifying. However, Verstappen remained optimistic about the race, pointing to their competitive long-run pace.
With the stage set for an exciting Hungarian Grand Prix, all eyes will be on Hamilton, Verstappen, and the rest of the grid as they battle it out for glory on Sunday.
The Business Press 