Hamilton: I didn't expect to be fighting for pole

Fwe, if anyone, would have pencilled Hamilton in for the pole today amid Max Verstappen's ongoing fine form with Red Bull and Lando Norris in the McLaren showing hot pace throughout the session. Throw into that the fact the George Russell, never made it out of Q1; although traffic was to blame for that.

Nevertheless, Hamilton persevered and delivered one of his great qualifying laps. Hoarse after his cockpit celebration, the seven-time F1 World Chmap told parce ferme MC Danica Patrick after the session: "It's amazing that feeling. I've lost my voice from shouting in the car. I feel so grateful to be up here because the team have worked so hard. We have been pushing so hard over this time to get pole. It feels like the first time.

"I didn't expect today to be fighting for pole so when I went into that last run I gave it absolutely everything, there was nothing left in it. It's been massively challenging for every single person in the team. There's been ups and downs. It's a big rollercoaster ride. None of us lost faith. We all just united together and have been focusing on trying to steer the car in the right direction."

As for the qualy session today, Hamilton said: "We were losing so much in Turn 4 and 11 compared to the others so I just sent it and hoped I stayed on track. It has been tough and it will be tough moving on from here but hopefully, this shows we are on the right track if we keep on pushing."

As for extending his win record, which has been stuck on 103 since he last won the Saudi GP in 2021. Should he win on Sunday that will change, and from a 'numerology' perspective, will the #44 car deny Verstappen his 44th win and grant Hamilton his incredible 104th victory in the top flight?

"We will study as hard as we can, and bring our A-game," beamed Hamilton. "It will be difficult to fight these two guys - Lando has been doing a mega job, it's been great to see McLaren up there and Max, you know Max, he's always up there doing his thing."

Indeed that is the salubrious setting for the 38th running of the Grand Prix in Hungary, Max versus Lewis rebooted. F1 knows what happens when these two greats battle for the same but of tarmac. An intriguing race lies ahead.

Regarding Hamilton's massive moment, and the end of his long pole drought, the man who beat him in 2016, Nico Rosberg, eulogised his former Mercedes teammate: "He gave it everything he had. I witnessed these special moments and the days he used to have. Today was one of those.

"That lap there is like perfection, it's art. Only Lewis Hamilton can do that on such days. No one could have even gone a hundredth quicker. How awesome, super," gushed the 2016 F1 World Champion.

It was quite a different afternoon for last year's pole winner Russell who was caught out by traffic in Q1 where he remained, down in 18th. Bad timing for the Briton, which prompted a much-missed Toto Wolff desk-banging moment as the penny dropped that one Merc was out of the rest of the Saturday show.

Russell reported: "Today we were fast, and the car felt great. Unfortunately, we were out of sync with everybody else for the whole session. We have a great Team around us but the whole session just wasn't good enough for our standards.

"There was a lot of traffic at the end of the final sector, and the lap was gone when I was three-tenths down by turn one. The Hard tyre works well here, especially with the high temperatures, but we were just on track at the wrong time.

"It's disappointing as the car was more than quick enough to get through. When you don't get things right you get punished and we've been punished for sure today. Lewis did an amazing job though so congratulations to him.

"The race will be extremely hard, but we'll be fighting and I'm going to try to come back through. Even though it's a tough track to overtake, I'll do my best," added Russell.