Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Image source, Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton beat Max Verstappen in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying to take his first pole position since the penultimate race of the 2021 season.

Hamilton snatched pole position from the world champion by just 0.003 seconds with the very final lap of the session.

Lando Norris led team-mate Oscar Piastri to an all-McLaren second row.

Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu impressed with fifth place on the grid ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Read the full report here

Image source, Getty Images

It's like the 2021 season all over again. Lewis Hamilton versus Max Verstappen 2.0.

You won't want to miss tomorrow's Hungarian Grand Prix, so get yourselves back here bright and early at 12:30 BST - that's alright for a Sunday. Plenty of time for a lie-in.

Lights out at the Hungaroring are at 14:00 BST.

You can listen and download to the Chequered Flag podcast: Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying review later tonight. You'll find the podcast here.

Enjoy the rest of your Saturday and see you on Sunday.

It's hard to believe Saudi Arabia in 2021 was the last time we saw Lewis Hamilton celebrating a pole position in Formula 1. Face masks and Covid-19 restrictions were still in place when the Mercedes man started a race as the main car on the grid.

Image source, Getty Images

But the pole smile is back on his face and he sounds equally chuffed that Lando Norris is doing so well in the McLaren.

The seven-time world champion has just tweeted "104". Yeah, he's happy tonight.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Daniel Ricciardo will start the race in P13 in the Alpha Tauri tomorrow and on how big his smile is, he told Sky Sports: "It's pretty high, the result is a part of that but it's certainly not everything, it was so important for me coming back and feeling comfortable as soon as possible, and yeah getting that enjoyment back.

"I think I felt that last week in the test, it was a bit of a relief and it just felt fun again and that was obviously really what I was looking for coming back here, it was pretty short notice but I just felt like it was cool. Getting in the car in qualifying I was quite relaxed but knowing you are about to go and push the car to the limit of low fuel, simplifying everything was really nice."

On the aim for tomorrow's race, he added: "It's really hard for me to say because I've done maybe an eight-lap long run at the moment so I still don't really know enough of this car with fuel as the tyres get old. I think as well that's where I'm going to discover more with the car and in these conditions it always feels a little bit trickier so there's probably more for me to learn and process during the race tomorrow."

Congratulations should also go to Zhou Guanyu after that exciting qualifying session. The Chinese driver has put his Alfa Romeo fifth on the grid for tomorrow's grand prix, ahead of the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc and his team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

Zhou will also be in front of Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin and the Red Bull of Sergio Perez. Some big names are going to have to work extra hard to recover a decent position on Sunday.

Image source, Getty Images

Msikkle: New format makes it interesting.

Image source, Getty Images

Next thumb question.

Can Lewis Hamilton stay ahead of the game against the Red Bull of Max Verstappen tomorrow?

Overtaking is difficult at the Hungaroring, so there's no better to place to start this race than on pole position.

Lando Norris managed to swat Verstappen away for five laps after passing the Dutchman at lights out at Silverstone - can Hamilton go one better?

Get those thumbs out and let you know the results in the build-up to Sunday's race.

Did you like the alternative tyre allocation in the end? Or should F1 just stick with the normal qualifying format?

Rachel T: YES LEWIS YOU ABSOLUTE BEAUTY!!!

Zach Kingsbury: LEWISSSSSSSSS

Image source, Getty Images

Lando Norris, who qualified in third place, said: "[I’m a] little surprised, a little disappointed. I’m happy the team did a good job today, P3 and P4. As a driver, I feel I made too many mistakes. It wasn’t the cleanest lap."

On the race tomorrow: "I feel excited. Race pace on Friday was strong, as strong as Silverstone, so with cars up there tomorrow, hopefully we can use them. Traffic is an issue for tomorrow."

Image source, Getty Images

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will start in P2 for the race tomorrow. He said post-qualifying: “Not much happened, I’ve been struggling the whole weekend to find balance every session has been up and down. Today also in qualifying I found it really difficult in Q1, Q2 to feel confident to really attack corners. I thought my first run in Q3 was quite good but second run no feeling, tried to push a little more you lose the rear, lose the front. It was still second but I think we should be ahead with the car we have normally but so far this weekend we haven’t been on it.”

On what they need to do ahead of tomorrow, he added: “It depends a bit on the temperature. I mean, it’s going to be quite hot so normally rear tyres are always going to be quite difficult, I think for the race everything settles down a bit more but I would have just hoped I would have a little bit more of a balance in qualifying to really attack it.”

And on the new upgrades, he said: “I think the update works, I think we just didn’t really put everything together set-up wise because I think today was just a bit all over the shop and not exactly where we wanted to be.”

Image source, Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton, who took a record-breaking ninth pole position in Hungary: "It's been a crazy year and a half. I've lost my voice from shouting in the car.

"I'm so grateful for that feeling because the team have worked so hard, pushing so hard, to finally get the pole, it feels like the first time.

"Big, big thanks to the crowd. We have amazing crowds every year here in Budapest. I didn't expect coming here today we would be fighting for pole. When I went into the last run I gave it absolutely everything. There was nothing left in it."

On Sunday's race: "We'll bring our A game as a team. It's going to be difficult to fight these guys tomorrow. Lando has been doing a mega job; it's great to see McLaren up there battling. And Max, you know Max. He's always up there, doing his thing."

Qualifying has not disappointed this season. Another cracking session to add to the scrapbook.

Shall we hear from Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris?

11.Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

12. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

13. Daniel Ricciardo (Alpha Tauri)

14. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

15. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

16. Alex Albon (Williams)

17. Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri)

18. George Russell (Mercedes)

19. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

20. Logan Sargeant (Williams)

Lewis Hamilton also said this Hungarian pole feels like the first time, which would be the Canadian Grand Prix way back in 2007 when he was a baby.

Image source, Reuters

Lewis Hamilton says in his pre-qualifying interview that Mercedes have "not lost faith" after a difficult few seasons. "But it has been tough and it will continue to be tough from here but hopefully this shows we are on the right track," he adds.

Matt p: LEWIS HAMILTON ON THE POLE, LETS GOOOOO!

Kayleigh: P5 and P7 for the Alfas! What happened to Checo?!

1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

3. Lando Norris (McLaren)

4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

5. Zhou Gunayu (Alfa Romeo)

6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

7. Valtteri Botas (Alfa Romeo)

8. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

9. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

10. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

P1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:16.609

P2. Max Verstappen - 1:16.612 (+0.003)

P3. Lando Norris - 1:16.694 (+0.085)