QUALIFYING SESSION OVERVIEW
The 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying session was nothing short of a rollercoaster. The weather played a significant role, with changing conditions making tire choices and strategy crucial. The session began on a damp track, with teams opting for intermediate tires, but as the track dried, it led to a chaotic end with everyone switching to slicks for the final runs.
Q1: EARLY DRAMA AND A SURPRISE EXIT
The first part of qualifying saw immediate drama as the drivers struggled to find grip on the damp circuit. The mixed conditions caused several spins and off-track excursions, but it was Sergio Perez’s heavy crash that brought out the first red flag. Perez lost control at Turn 5, hitting the barriers hard and ending his session prematurely. He will start the race from the back of the grid, a significant blow for the Red Bull driver.
Once the session resumed, it was a race against time to set competitive laps. Several big names were at risk, but in the end, it was the Haas of Nico Hülkenberg and the Alfa Romeos that failed to make it through to Q2.
Q2: RISING TENSIONS AND CHANGING CONDITIONS
As Q2 began, the track was still damp but drying rapidly. This session was marked by intense competition and strategic gambles. The teams and drivers faced a dilemma: stick with intermediates or switch to slicks? The latter proved to be the right call as the session progressed. However, timing the switch was critical.
Several drivers, including Charles Leclerc and Fernando Alonso, gambled on early slick tire runs but struggled to find grip initially. As the track dried further, times tumbled, leading to a frantic final few minutes. Ultimately, Alonso’s gamble paid off as he made it through to Q3, while Leclerc was among those who missed the cut, a surprising result given Ferrari’s pace in practice.
Q3: RED FLAGS AND A FRANTIC FINISH
The final part of qualifying was the most dramatic. The session started under fully dry conditions, and it was immediately clear that the fight for pole would be fierce. The first runs saw competitive times from Norris, Piastri, and Verstappen, but the session was interrupted again by a red flag, this time due to a crash by Lance Stroll, who lost control at the final corner.
With just a few minutes left on the clock, the track was cleared, and it was a mad dash to the finish. The final minutes were a blur of flying laps and changing positions on the leaderboard. Norris delivered a stunning lap to secure his first pole position of the season, with a time that left his rivals scrambling.
FINAL STANDINGS AND KEY PERFORMANCES
Lando Norris (McLaren): 1:16.564
Oscar Piastri (McLaren): +0.123
Max Verstappen (Red Bull): +0.210
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes): +0.324
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin): +0.450
Norris’s pole position is a significant achievement for McLaren, showcasing their competitive pace. Piastri’s performance, securing a front-row start, underlines the strength of McLaren this weekend. Verstappen, though disappointed not to be on pole, remains a significant threat for the race.
POST-QUALIFYING REACTIONS
Lando Norris expressed his delight with the pole position, attributing it to the team’s excellent strategy and his ability to extract the maximum from the car in tricky conditions. “It was a crazy session with the weather and the red flags, but we kept our cool and got the job done. The car felt amazing, and I’m really happy with this result.”
Oscar Piastri was equally thrilled with his performance, noting the importance of a strong qualifying position at a track where overtaking is notoriously difficult. “Starting from the front row is fantastic. The team did a great job, and now we have to focus on converting this into a strong race result.”
Max Verstappen, while disappointed with P3, remained optimistic about his chances in the race. “We have a strong car, and the race pace has been good all weekend. Starting from third is not ideal, but it’s a long race, and anything can happen.”
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE RACE
With the grid set and the unpredictable weather likely to play a role again, the Hungarian Grand Prix promises to be a thrilling spectacle. Norris and McLaren will aim to convert their qualifying success into a race win, but with Verstappen and Hamilton in the mix, the battle at the front is far from decided.
KEY QUOTE
“[I’m] very, very happy,” said pole-sitter Norris. “Not an easy qualifying, difficult conditions like you said, but always ending up on top is the best part of it also. Happy, especially for the team, a one-two is even better to see, so congrats to the team.
“It does [give us confidence], but we’ve already got confidence so it’s not like we need a lot more of it, or we’re searching for it. We’ve come into this weekend and the last few happy and confident we can do a good job, and we’ve got a good car to fight for pole and that’s exactly what we did today, so like I said a great job by the team; we’ve been improving every weekend, so to end up on pole today is sweet.”
Published in F1
