A spectacular qualifying finish for team Mercedes after British driver Lewis Hamilton reclaimed his throne after finishing on top ahead of rival Max Verstappen in the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Hamilton pipped Verstappen in qualifying by 0.003s to claim the first pole position since 2021 in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Speaking after the remarkable performance, Hamilton claimed that the victory was a surprise after facing challenges with his team on Friday.
However, he is excited to battle his rivals on the final day on Sunday for the top spot. “Yesterday the car felt terrible. The balance was all over the place. This morning it suddenly came back alive and felt great, and we are all pleasantly surprised. I’m full of joy, I’m just happy for everyone in the team,” he said.
The Mercedes driver has been facing stiff competition from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the previous seasons but managed to secure a podium finish in the just concluded British Grand Prix, where he is hailed as the King of his home ground.
After Verstappen spoiled the fun for him in his home, Hamilton will look to use the top spot advantage to see him off in Budapest.
The victory in qualifying also served as another chance for the Briton to make history as the first Formula One driver in history to take nine pole positions at a single circuit. Reflecting on his journey with Mercedes to achieving such a brilliant performance, he had this to say, “It’s been a crazy year and a half, so I’ve lost my voice from shouting so much in the car. It has been challenging for everybody in the team.” Hamilton described his relationship with Mercedes as ‘a roller coaster’.
In his 104th pole, he will be eyeing the 104th victory of his Formula One career but is wary of Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris, who has been spectacular, finishing second ahead of Hamilton at the Silverstone and starting third in tomorrow’s race. “We will study as hard as we can. We will bring it. Bring our A-game tomorrow as a team,” commented Hamilton ahead of Sunday’s race.
Another notable performance is Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu, who produced his best race so far, finishing fifth in qualifying behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who was also impressive. Ferrari suffers a shocker with Carlos Sainz starting at the 11th position on Sunday.
As things look refreshing for Mercedes, Hamilton’s teammate George Russell is lagging in the pole as he dramatically dropped in qualifying to start at the 18th position. Nonetheless, he expressed his joy in Hamilton’s performance.
The Hungarian Grand Prix promises to be a thrilling showdown, as Hamilton aims to extend his dominance and make history again. With fierce competition from Verstappen, Norris, and other talented drivers, Sunday’s race is set to be an exhilarating battle on the racetrack.
