The starting order for the 2026 Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix has been reshuffled following separate three-place grid penalties handed to Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli after qualifying at the Hungaroring.
Although Lewis Hamilton initially secured a front-row start after qualifying just 0.012 seconds behind pole-sitter Lando Norris, the Ferrari driver was penalized by FIA stewards for impeding McLaren’s Oscar Piastri during the closing stages of Q3. The decision dropped Hamilton from second on the grid to fifth for Sunday’s race.
Hamilton’s penalty triggered a chain reaction throughout the top of the starting order. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who originally qualified third, moves up to second alongside Norris on the front row. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri also benefits, climbing to third after being the driver affected by Hamilton’s qualifying incident.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen advances to fourth, while Hamilton will now line up fifth as he attempts to recover ground during the 70-lap race in Budapest.
The grid underwent another late change after Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli was also handed a three-place grid penalty. The Italian youngster was found to have failed to slow sufficiently under yellow flag conditions during qualifying, an infringement that resulted in him dropping from fourth to seventh on the grid.
Antonelli’s penalty further promoted several drivers, with George Russell moving into sixth place after overcoming a difficult qualifying session that was affected by a water leak in Q3. Despite the setback, Russell now starts ahead of his Mercedes teammate.
Behind the leading group, Isack Hadjar secures eighth place for Red Bull, while Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad starts ninth. Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg completes the top ten after another solid qualifying performance.
The midfield remains tightly packed, with Liam Lawson starting 11th ahead of Alpine duo Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto in 12th and 13th respectively. Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto lines up 14th, followed by Haas driver Esteban Ocon in 15th.
Veteran Fernando Alonso starts 16th for Aston Martin, with Haas rookie Oliver Bearman in 17th. Williams teammates Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon occupy 18th and 19th, while Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll begins the race from 20th.
Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas will start 21st, with Sergio Perez completing the 22-car grid.
Lando Norris heads into the race from pole position for the first time since the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix and will be aiming to convert his impressive qualifying performance into victory. However, with Leclerc alongside him and Piastri and Verstappen directly behind, the battle at the front promises to be fiercely contested.
Hamilton faces a challenging afternoon as he looks to fight his way back through the field after losing three places on the grid, while Antonelli will also be determined to recover from seventh after showing strong pace throughout the weekend.
Adjusted Starting Grid – 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix
1. Lando Norris (McLaren)
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – Three-place grid penalty
6. George Russell (Mercedes)
7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – Three-place grid penalty
8. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
9. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
10. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)
11. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
12. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
13. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
14. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)
15. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
16. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
17. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
18. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
19. Alex Albon (Williams)
20. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
21. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac)
22. Sergio Perez
The starting grid remains provisional until officially confirmed by the FIA.
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