Hamilton ends Verstappen’s string of pole positions in Hungarian GP qualifying #Hamilton #ends #Verstappens #string #pole #positions #Hungarian #qualifying

BUDAPEST (AP) — Lewis Hamilton took his first pole position since 2021 at the Hungarian Grand Prix and ended Formula One champion Max Verstappen’s bid for a sixth straight pole on Saturday.

Hamilton pumped his left fist several times after placing just .003 seconds ahead of Verstappen on his last lap to secure a record-extending 104th pole but first since Saudi Arabia in December 2021.

“Get in there, let’s go boys!” So good!” Hamilton shouted on team radio before letting out a high-pitch whoop.

Spanish Formula One driver Carlos Sainz of Scuderia Ferrari, left, steers his car followed by Dutch Formula One driver Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing during the third free practice ahead of Sunday's Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix auto race, at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, near Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Formula One has agreed a five-year contract extension to keep the Hungarian Grand Prix on its calendar until 2032.

Spanish Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin arrives in the paddock ahead of the first practice session ahead of Sunday's Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix auto race, at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, near Budapest, Hungary, Friday, July 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Daniel Ricciardo is celebrating his unexpected return to Formula One at the Hungarian Grand Prix. It’s the same track where fellow veteran Fernando Alonso won his first race 20 years ago.

Australian Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo of Scuderia AlphaTauri smiles in the paddock ahead of the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, near Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, July 20, 2023. The Hungarian F1 Grand Prix is held on Sunday, July 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Veteran Daniel Ricciardo has plenty to smile about after getting another shot at Formula One. The driver with the biggest grin in F1 is making a shock return for the AlphaTauri team after being released by McLaren last year.

FILE - Red Bull reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo of Australia walks though the paddock at Albert Park ahead of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne, on March 30, 2023. Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo will make a shock return to Formula One at the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix. The eight-time Grand Prix winner was axed by McLaren at the end of last year. But he will now replace Nyck de Vries at Red Bull’s junior team AlphaTauri for the rest of the year. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo will make a shock return to Formula One at the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix.

“It’s been a crazy year and a half … I didn’t think today we’d be fighting for pole,” Hamilton said. “I just need to try and see if I can sleep tonight.”

McLaren driver Lando Norris qualified third behind Verstappen at the Hungaroring, the track where Hamilton won his first race for Mercedes in 2013.

Verstappen complained he felt like he was “driving on ice” because of the car’s lack of balance. But qualifying second will hardly faze the Dutchman, considering he won from 10th place on the grid last year.