presented by
2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1931 1930 1929 1927 1925 1923 1922 1921 1914 1913 1912
Hungarian GP
Bahrain GP Saudi Arabian GP Australian GP Azerbaijan GP Miami GP Emilia Romagna GP Monaco GP Spanish GP Canadian GP Austrian GP British GP
Hungarian GP
Belgian GP Dutch GP Italian GP Singapore GP Japanese GP Qatar GP United States GP Mexico City GP Brazilian GP Las Vegas GP Abu Dhabi GP
2023 Formula 1 Hungarian GP
Jul 20, 2023 to Jul 23, 2023
| Hungaroring, HU
Overview Live Commentary Results News Videos
Live text
Formula 1 Hungarian GP
F1 Hungarian GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP3 & Qualifying
Saturday's action from the 11th round of the 2023 Formula 1 season
Live
Chat
Live Standings
presented by
Stopped
Summary
-
Summary:
- Hamilton takes first pole since Jeddah 2021 as Mercedes ends its 2023 pole drought
- Verstappen's pole streak dating back to Monaco ends as he has to settle for second, while McLaren locks out row two
- Zhou takes best-ever fifth for Alfa after topping Q1 as F1 trialled new qualifying format requiring teams to use specific compounds in each segment
- Sainz misses Q3 and starts 11th, Russell dumped out in Q1 and starts 18th
- F1 returnee Ricciardo outqualifies AlphaTauri team-mate Tsunoda and reaches Q2 in 13th -
Leaderboard
- Hamilton, Mercedes
- Verstappen, Red Bull
- Norris, McLaren
- Piastri, McLaren
- Zhou, Alfa Romeo
- Leclerc, Ferrari
- Bottas, Alfa Romeo
- Alonso, Aston Martin
- Perez, Red Bull
- Hulkenberg, Haas
View more Show Less
Live Text
Sort by Oldest first Newest first
11:17:44 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
We're shutting up shop on the live blog for now, but make sure to keep an eye on the site for all the follow up and reaction from qualifying in the coming hours. As ever, thank you so much for joining us. We'll be back tomorrow on the live blog for what promises to be a thriller as Hamilton attempts to take the fight to Verstappen. Sound familiar?
11:16:49 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Plenty of talking points to come from this qualifying session you feel, from verdict on the format shakeup, to the prospect of a team beating Red Bull in a race for the first time all season. If you'd bet on anybody to do it, a fired-up Hamilton anxious to end his longest winless spell would be as good as they come...
11:16:04 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
In case you missed any of the action from a thrilling qualifying spectacle, here's the full report on Lewis Hamilton taking his first pole since Jeddah 2021: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-hungarian-gp-hamilton-snatches-pole-from-verstappen/10498679/
11:14:55 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
No prizes for guessing who will be the most frustrated man in the Hungaroring right now. Russell knows what it's like to qualify a Mercedes on pole in Hungary, and Hamilton's Q3 pace will no doubt rub salt into the wound of his Q1 exit. Can he recover from 18th on a track that is notoriously difficult to make ground on?
11:10:30 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
The dynamic in Formula 1 has certainly shifted in recent races. Aston no longer appears to be the closest team to Red Bull, and it's unclear who currently holds that mantra. Mercedes becomes only the third different team to snare pole this year, but McLaren is now becoming a threat week-in week-out.
11:07:58 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
11:06:52 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Alonso clocked in eighth with Perez only able to muster ninth, while Hulkenberg rounds out the top 10.
11:06:20 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Another team to enjoy a bumper day at the office was Alfa Romeo. Fifth is comfortably the best grid spot for Zhou, whose previous best was ninth, while Bottas was seventh - just behind Ferrari's sole Q3 representative Leclerc.
11:05:08 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Verstappen's run of pole positions comes to an end at five, while Norris and Piastri made it a good day for McLaren by locking out the second row.
11:04:34 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Remarkably, that means Mercedes remains unbeaten in qualifying at the Hungaroring dating back to 2019. After Russell's Q1 demise, who could have seen this coming?
11:03:30 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Pole for Hamilton is his 104th in F1 and his first since Jeddah in 2021. It's been a long wait for the seven-time champion!
11:02:27 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
"Get in there! Let's go boys," yells a pumped up Hamilton over the radio. That's the first pole position for Mercedes this season.
11:01:31 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
It's pole for Hamilton! He's fastest by 0.003s as the grandstands go beserk.
11:01:03 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Norris improves and is just 0.082s shy of Verstappen, who doesn't lower his time. What can Hamilton do?
Checkered flag
11:00:02 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
As the flag comes out, Leclerc moves above Alonso to fourth.
10:58:17 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Out of the pits they come then, for one final time today. Can anybody topple Verstappen and end his run of poles stretching back to Monaco in May?
10:55:27 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
10:55:07 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Everybody back to the pits now for a fresh set of boots before their final runs. Four different cars in the top four as it stands, with 0.431s between them, and just 0.126s splitting the top two. It's close, you know.
10:54:00 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Perez is shuffled back to fifth ahead of Leclerc, then Bottas, Hulkenberg, Piastri and Q1 hero Zhou tenth.
10:53:07 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
But here comes Verstappen, and he sails into the top spot on a 1m16.612s. Hamilton also usurps Norris and manages a 1m16.738s to go second after the first runs.
10:52:25 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
And sure enough, Norris does find it. He posts a 1m16.904s to go fastest, with Alonso slotting into second on a 1m17.043s.
Stopwatch
10:51:50 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
The Mexican's opening gambit is a 1m17.142s, but that only just edged out what Norris managed on mediums in Q2. More time to be found.
10:50:26 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Now we're on the soft tyres, will normal service be resumed? Perez kicks off the first flying laps.
Lights green
10:49:01 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
We're go for Q3. Time to shine.
10:47:06 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Red Bull hasn't topped a session all weekend thus far, but now is as good a time as any to do it. After Alfa Romeo headed Q1 and McLaren Q2, whose turn will it be next?
10:46:27 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
For Perez it marks a first Q3 appearance since Miami. That does feel like a lifetime ago. Can he make the most of it as everybody switches to softs?
10:45:16 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Ricciardo sounds chipper (shock) despite missing out on Q3 as he's wheeled back into the garage, and signs off his radio message with "thank you" as he pledges to keep learning. Not a bad return at all for the Aussie as he puts one over on Tsunoda at the first time of asking to line up 13th.
10:44:19 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
So Norris it was who ended Q2 on top ahead of Hamilton and Verstappen, with Bottas an excellent fourth for Alfa Romeo in the lead Ferrari-powered car. Piastri was next up ahead of Leclerc and Hulkenberg, then Perez, Zhou and Alonso.
10:42:58 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Sainz, Ocon, Ricciardo, Stroll and Gasly are the quintet that miss out on Q3. Just 0.002s split Sainz and compatriot Alonso in 10th, the Aston driver sneaks in by the skin of his teeth. "Ah, come on," groans Sainz as he's informed of the gap.
10:41:28 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Bottas springs up to fourth ahead of Piastri and Hulkenberg. That pushes Sainz into the drop zone, and he's unable to rescue himself! The Ferrari man won't make the top 10 shootout.
Checkered flag
10:40:40 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
As the checkered flag comes out, Hamilton moves into second.
10:40:21 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Hulkenberg springs up from tenth to fourth. Will that guarantee a Haas in Q3?
10:39:58 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
All bar Norris and Verstappen are currently on track trying to secure their passage to Q3. Who will be the five disappointed faces?
10:38:36 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Verstappen is two tenths shy of Norris, but his first legal effort is enough for second and should see him comfortably through. That pushes Ocon into the danger zone with less than two minutes to go.
10:36:22 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Verstappen is alone on the track as he begins his final run. Will the clear track yield a benefit?
10:35:05 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Bottas, Ricciardo, Gasly, Stroll and Verstappen are the drivers at risk as it stands of missing Q3, with the Red Bull man the only one yet to set a (legal) time.
10:34:23 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
I can't honestly remember the last time I saw a McLaren 1-2 on the timing screens midway through qualifying. But it has a familiar ring to it, doesn't it?
10:32:54 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
A 1m17.328s from Norris therefore leads the way. Q1 pacesetter Zhou is sixth as it stands.
10:32:19 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
That means Norris now heads the timesheets from Piastri and Perez. Stroll is another to fall foul of track limits after a wobble at Turn 12 took him beyond the white line.
10:31:28 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
As we hear the Bottas-Stroll impeding incident at Turn 13 will be investigated after the session, Verstappen goes top on a 1m17.296 - only for it to be deleted for running too wide at Turn 5.
Pagination
1
2
3
...
4
By: Autosport Staff
Published: Jul 22, 2023, 3:17 PM
Lap:
Copy link
Share on Viber