Lando Norris highlights critical qualifying element that 'punished' McLaren

Lando Norris has highlighted the changing conditions towards the end of qualifying likely denied McLaren pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The session started in sunny conditions, but cloud cover soon formed over the track and the wind picked up, creating a fresh challenge for the drivers.

Norris set his best effort during his first qualifying lap in Q3 as both he and team-mate Oscar Piastri couldn't improve the second time around.

Both McLarens were pipped to the top spot by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who bagged Ferrari's first pole position of the season.

“Charles did a good job on the last lap,” Norris reflected. 

“[He] probably risked a little bit more in these conditions, the wind changed a lot and it really seemed to punish us in a bigger way.

“We thought we did some good laps at the end but it was just slow.”

Norris currently sits 16 points behind team-mate Oscar Piastri ahead of the final grand prix before the summer break.

With rain on the horizon for Sunday's race, Norris has firmly set his sights on moving forward and eating into the championship deficit.

“I want to go forward, I want to win,” Norris added. “And if I can do that, then I get points.

“I think it's going be an exciting race. I would expect us to have a bit more pace than Charles, so I'm looking forward to it.”