Lewis Hamilton Takes a Record Ninth Hungarian Grand Prix Pole

Lewis Hamilton has set another Formula 1 record. The vegan seven-time world champion took pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday, beating Max Verstappen by just 0.003 seconds with a lap of 1m 16.609s, as Motorsport.com reports.

It is Hamilton's ninth pole at the Hungaroring, the most any driver has taken at a single Grand Prix. Ayrton Senna (eight at San Marino) and Michael Schumacher (eight at Japan) shared that mark with him until today, according to the all-time records. His first Hungary pole came back in 2007.

It's also his first pole in 34 races, going back to Saudi Arabia in 2021, and his first of the season. Verstappen had looked safe on provisional pole until Hamilton crossed the line last of all in Q3, with McLaren's Lando Norris third, eight hundredths further back. Hamilton was hoarse afterwards, telling Formula1.com:

It's been a crazy year and half, so I've lost my voice from shouting so much in the car. It's amazing that feeling, I feel so grateful to be up here, because the team have worked so hard. We've been pushing so hard over this time, so to finally get a pole, it feels like the first time.

Hamilton gave up red meat first, then chicken, spent most of 2017 pescatarian and then cut out fish to go fully vegan. He credited the switch for that year's title, telling Motorsport.com: "I feel the best I have ever felt, physically and mentally. All year I have felt strong mentally, but physically I have taken a big step and that is with the decision I have taken to change my diet." Six years on, he's still beating drivers half his age over a single lap.

Hamilton was already the man who took F1's first ever 100th pole and won a record sixth British Grand Prix. He also opened a plant-based burger chain and appeared in The Game Changers. And this week an Oxford study found a vegan diet cuts climate impact by 75%.

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