After a decade-long nap, McLaren woke up in stunning fashion for the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix qualifications, shaking off the cobwebs and strutting onto the grid like they’ve been waiting for this moment their whole lives.
They effortlessly flaunted their speed and finesse, leaving other teams scratching their heads and wondering if they’ve accidentally time-traveled back to the days when McLaren’s dominance wasn’t just a distant memory.
It was a glorious spectacle, a reminder that every underdog has its day, or in McLaren’s case, every slumbering giant eventually reawakens.
Lando Norris snagged pole position, dragging his teammate Oscar Piastri into the second spot kicking and screaming, apparently.
Max Verstappen narrowly missed the front row because close only counts in horseshoes.
The session had everything—strategic antics and crashes—yay for chaos!
Expect an eventful race, whether from brilliance or blunders.
Key Takeaways
- McLaren ended their long front-row drought; thanks, Norris and Piastri.
- Verstappen deservedly takes third because almost isn’t good enough.
- Strategic games and driver errors caused crashes and red flags.
- Perez and Tsunoda’s missteps mix up the back half of the grid.
- Hamilton is in fifth, aiming for another Hungary win.
- Alpine drivers missed the memo on drying tracks; enjoy the view from the back, guys.
Qualifying Highlights
The Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying was a spectacle of speed, chaos, and some notable “oops” moments.
McLaren clearly got the memo about ending their front-row drought, while others seemed to struggle with the concept of a fast lap or staying on track altogether.
McLaren’s Dominance
Lando Norris led the charge, grabbing pole with an unbeatable 1:15.227.
Oscar Piastri, playing the dutiful sidekick, secured P2.
This marks McLaren’s first front-row lockout in over a decade.
The team showed up, flexed their muscles, and left everyone else to pick up the pieces.
Close Contenders
Max Verstappen might as well have framed his time sheet because close isn’t quite good enough, mate.
He’ll start in third, 0.046 seconds behind Piastri.
Carlos Sainz, clearly holding Ferrari’s fluctuating fortunes on his shoulders, inched to fourth.
Lewis Hamilton rounds out the top five, trying to add yet another Hungarian trophy to his collection.
Charles Leclerc, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll lurk just behind, hoping to capitalize on any missteps from the frontrunners.
Daniel Ricciardo, who somehow squeezed back into F1, claims ninth. Yuki Tsunoda rounds out the midfield in tenth, probably still trying to figure out why he swapped craftsmanship for crashing.
Flukes and Crashes
Chaos reigned supreme.
Sergio Perez and Yuki Tsunoda traded craftsmanship for carnage, causing red flags and rearranging the back half of the grid.
Perez managed to secure a daunting P16 start, while Tsunoda slightly did better, getting tenth.
George Russell must’ve misplaced his magic from previous years; he starts from a dismal P17.
Alpine drivers, Ocon and Gasly, evidently missed the memo about setting times, enjoying the view from the 19th and 20th spots respectively.
The session was a showcase of who could master the track and who couldn’t bother with minor details—like staying out of the walls.
Starting Order
| # | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 4 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes |
| 6 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 7 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| 8 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin |
| 9 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB |
| 10 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB |
| 11 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas |
| 12 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber |
| 13 | Alex Albon | Williams |
| 14 | Logan Sargeant | Williams |
| 15 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas |
| 16 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull |
| 17 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 18 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber |
| 19 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine |
| 20 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |