Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying: Formula One – live

Right, that’s it for today. While we await confirmation of Hamilton’s penalty, here’s Giles Richards’ verdict:

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Norris, the defending world champion, produced a supreme run to claim pole. Given that the team had opened the season off the pace of Mercedes and Ferrari, their upgrades at Miami and with further developments added in Canada have proved impressive and they are the first team to deny Mercedes the top spot this season.

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It is Norris’s second pole at the Hungarian GP and the 17th of his career, while for McLaren it is another strong result at the circuit. With Norris taking the win here last year and Piastri in 2024, they may well be in position to make it three in a row at a meeting where McLaren have a record 13 victories.

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Join John Brewin tomorrow for the race, which starts at 2pm BST.

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Here’s how close it was, as Martin Brundle’s Norris v Hamilton prediction came true.

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1 Lando Norris McLaren 1:17.207
2 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.012
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.238
4 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.272
5 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.477
6 Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.518
7 George Russell Mercedes +0.553
8 Isack Hadjar Red Bull +0.649
9 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +1.074
10 Nico Hülkenberg Audi +1.479

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Norris snatches pole! by 12 thousandths! 1:17.207 ahead of Hamilton, Leclerc, Antonelli, Piastri, Verstappen, Russell, Hadjar, Lindblad and Hulkenberg.

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Out go Lawson, Gasly, Colapinto, Bortoleto, Ocon and Alonso.

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Out go Bearman, Sainz, Albon, Stroll, Bottas and Perez. James Vowles apologises to Sainz and Albon for the state of the Williams car. Aston Martin have achieved their aim, even if Stroll goes out.

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There has been an update on the chance of calendar changes mentioned in the preamble, with Imola rather than Portimão in Portugal slotting in as a season finale if Donald Trump manages to get Qatar and Abu Dhabi cancelled, and the putative race in Malaysia being branded as Bahrain:

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This year’s Formula One season finale is set to take place at the home circuit of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari team in Imola if the scheduled final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi cannot be staged. F1 bosses have been forced to amend the championship calendar due to the Middle Eastern conflict, with a new round in Malaysia on 4 October also expected to be confirmed in the next 24 hours.

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The Press Association understands the Sepang International Circuit, 40 miles south of Kuala Lumpur, will fill a void between the races in Azerbaijan on 26 September and Singapore on 11 October. F1 bosses had looked at reviving the postponed Bahrain Grand Prix – which had been due to take place on 12 April – instead. But continued uncertainty in the region has made that impossible.

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PA has been told the Malaysian round, which could be confirmed as early as Sunday, is set to be called the Bahrain Grand Prix, with money for the event bankrolled by Bahrain – and Sepang in effect hosting the Gulf kingdom’s race. The circuit last held an F1 event in 2017.

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It is understood F1 chiefs have subsequently plotted a contingency plan with Imola poised to take Qatar’s place on the same weekend if the Middle Eastern races are scrapped. It would mark the first time an F1 season has concluded in Europe for nearly 30 years, after Jerez staged the concluding round of the 1997 campaign. PA Media

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Ready for one last F1 fix before the summer break? Tomorrow’s Hungarian Grand Prix is the last action for four weeks, as the circus crew head to the beach, the mountains or wherever for a well-earned rest.

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Quite how restful the time off will be depends on what happens now – first in qualifying and then in the race. Will George Russell, in what was supposed to be his long-awaited year, put a dent in Kimi Antonelli’s substantial lead, to cut down on the sighing? Can Lewis Hamilton, in second place between the two Mercedes, build on a decent few weeks for Ferrari, which brought his first win in red, and head off with a smile?

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Will Aston Martin’s upgrades suggest there is light at the end of the wind tunnel? What food for thought will Red Bull manage to give Max Verstappen, linked with a move away from the team and even the sport?

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And how will the sport’s chiefs rest? There has already been a longer, unscheduled break in the schedule because the Saudi Arabian and Bahrain legs were (minor) casualties of Donald Trump’s Iran war. With the season due to wrap up with a second Middle East tour, in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, the prospects of further cancellations and possible additions to the season – Malaysia in October and Portugal in November – need discussing. And on top of that there’s the whole debate over the new formula, and the drivers’ dissatisfaction with the erosion of racing, which isn’t going away any time soon.

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For now, all that will be determined is the grid for tomorrow’s race. Qualifying starts at 3pm; join me for the buildup from 2.15.

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Key events

Giles Richards’ qualifying report

Right, that’s it for today. While we await confirmation of Hamilton’s penalty, here’s Giles Richards’ verdict:

Norris, the defending world champion, produced a supreme run to claim pole. Given that the team had opened the season off the pace of Mercedes and Ferrari, their upgrades at Miami and with further developments added in Canada have proved impressive and they are the first team to deny Mercedes the top spot this season.

It is Norris’s second pole at the Hungarian GP and the 17th of his career, while for McLaren it is another strong result at the circuit. With Norris taking the win here last year and Piastri in 2024, they may well be in position to make it three in a row at a meeting where McLaren have a record 13 victories.

Join John Brewin tomorrow for the race, which starts at 2pm BST.

Antonelli is asked about missing first practice. “It puts you a bit on the back foot … But that is done for the season.” Twice each campaign you have to let a rookie take FP1.

Russell says: “Fingers cross it [the leak] doesn’t affect anything tomorrow.” He says that the race pace looks good, and that they could have made the setup faster for qualifying and that they will find out on Sunday if they have made the right decision.

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Toto Wolff: “Kimi was unlucky, George was unlucky with a water leak.” That’s actually good for Russell as he would have been in trouble if he ran out of fuel, denying the FIA its sample.

If Brundle is right, and Jamie Chadwick agrees, then Leclerc will be on the front row, Antonelli and Piastri on the second row.

Hamilton will get a penalty, Brundle says. Three places “I would be pretty damn sure.”

Piastri was impeded and Hamilton apologised … the stewards are looking.

The McLaren principal continues: “I think tomorrow the Ferraris remain the favourites.” But could Hamilton be in trouble for baulking Piastri?

Andrea Stella: “A nice surprise … We brought some upgrades and we saw that they were working well but we never thought they would be enough to put the car in pole.”

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It would have been a record-breaking 10th pole here for Hamilton.

Norris almost went too wide at turn 4. The margins were so fine.

Why did Ferrari go first in the final runs? Why didn’t the tyres quite work? McLaren’s upgrades came good. Mercedes will hope for a better Sunday.

0.012 in it

Here’s how close it was, as Martin Brundle’s Norris v Hamilton prediction came true.

1 Lando Norris McLaren 1:17.207
2 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.012
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.238
4 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.272
5 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.477
6 Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.518
7 George Russell Mercedes +0.553
8 Isack Hadjar Red Bull +0.649
9 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +1.074
10 Nico Hülkenberg Audi +1.479

Norris again. “I’m in the best position … but I’m expecting a tough race … I’ll be interested to see what tyres these guys start on.” Hamilton and Leclerc were on mediums in Q1.

Leclerc also couldn’t improve. “There was quite a bit of a wind change … Qualifying has been messy. The pace was never the same as Lewis.”

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Hamilton disappointed. “First, congratulations to Lando. For some reason the grip wasn’t there on the last lap for Charles and I.” He thinks going out first was a mistake.

David Coulthard doing the interviews. Norris: “I had confidence today … The car has been feeling good. Very pleased for the team.”

Norris turns the air blue in celebration. Mercedes did not look like taking pole anyway but the yellows for Verstappen’s spin ended their hopes of improvement, while the Dutchman got back going which gave Norris the chance and he took it.

Norris takes pole ahead of Hamilton

Norris snatches pole! by 12 thousandths! 1:17.207 ahead of Hamilton, Leclerc, Antonelli, Piastri, Verstappen, Russell, Hadjar, Lindblad and Hulkenberg.

Norris on a flyer. The McLarens can do it.

Vertstappen spins! Yellows!

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Hamilton cannot improve.

Antonelli threatening …

It looks as if Hamilton will set a target.

Last chances. Mercedes’s run looks like it’s over, Ted Kravitz says, with the lack of grip Antonelli cited being critical.

David Croft says Hamilton would be the oldest pole sitter in F1 since Mario Andretti in 1982.

Russell in seventh, half a sec behind Hamilton and almost two tenths down on Antonelli.

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This could be Hamilton’s 10th pole here.

Hamilton fastest in 1:17.219! Antonelli 0.360 back.

Piastri goes faster, 1:17.684, but Norris beats him by 0.3.

Verstappen first over the line in Q3. 1:17.725.

David Croft and Martin Brundle wondering if this is the end of Mercedes’s pole run. “My gut feeling says it’s Norris v Hamilton for pole,” says Brundle.

That was hairy for Leclerc and Antonelli after the yellow and the deletion, but they make it through. How much of that was real, how much was it shadow? Because Antonelli was 0.937 behind Norris.

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Q2 eliminations

Out go Lawson, Gasly, Colapinto, Bortoleto, Ocon and Alonso.

Leclerc is safe, second fastest, as long as his time stands.

Antonelli pushes Charles Leclerc into the bottom six.

Antonelli had his time deleted and is down in 15th!

Hadjar puts a time on the board, and what a time! 1:17.872, top of the standings.

Alonso into 10th, a 1:19.8! For how long?

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The drop zone shaping up as Gasly, Colapinto, Ocon, and the timeless Hadjar and Bortoleto.

Antonelli on the radio: “I have zero grip.” But he was second, just 0.247 behind Hamilton.

Hamilton fastest in 1:17.931!

Lando Norris on a used set 0.317 behind Verstappen. Russell lost his flying lap to the yellows needed after Hadjar’s spin. Yet more bad luck.

Hadjar spins! Manages to get going again off the grass but could affect his Q3 chances.

Everyone is out early for Q2. Verstappen is the first contender over the line in 1:18.249.

Q2 is go with Alonso showing off.

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