Charles Leclerc Stuns McLarens with Surprise Pole in Hungarian GP Qualifying
Charles Leclerc Delivers Stunning Pole at Hungarian Grand Prix
BUDAPEST, Hungary — In a dramatic twist at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc delivered a stunning performance to claim pole position, just ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Leclerc clocked a 1:15.372 in the final moments of Q3, edging out Piastri by a razor-thin 0.026 seconds and Norris by an additional 0.015 seconds.
Norris had been the driver to beat earlier, dominating Q2 with a blistering 1:14.980, but changes in the weather during Q3 — including cloud cover, increased wind, and lower track temperatures — prevented him from repeating that form. The result handed Ferrari its first pole position of the main season, following upgrades to their car’s suspension introduced at last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix. Notably, Lewis Hamilton had secured a sprint race pole for Ferrari earlier this year in China, but this marked the team’s first full grand prix pole.
Leclerc’s Perspective: "One of the Best of My Career"
Leclerc himself seemed almost in disbelief after his unexpected result, calling the session "extremely difficult" and describing his pole lap as "one of the best I’ve ever had."
“Honestly, today I don’t understand anything in Formula 1,” Leclerc admitted. “The whole qualifying has been extremely difficult. When I say extremely difficult, it’s not exaggerating. It was hard to get into Q2 and tougher still to reach Q3. I knew I just had to do a clean lap to target third, and yet here we are on pole. I definitely did not expect that. Honestly, I have no words. It’s probably the most unexpected pole of my career, for sure.”
McLaren Duo Remain Confident for Sunday
Despite being narrowly beaten to pole, the McLaren teammates remain optimistic about their chances in Sunday’s race. Piastri, now locked in an intense battle with Norris for the championship, acknowledged the tricky conditions in Q3.
“I think the wind changed a lot. It always sounds so pathetic blaming things on the wind,” Piastri explained. “But it did a 180 from Q2 to Q3, and a lot of the corners felt completely different. It was hard to adapt, and maybe I didn’t execute perfectly. That said, second is still a decent spot to start, so we’ll see what we can do tomorrow.”
Norris, who had appeared the favorite for pole after his dominant pace in earlier sessions, was quick to credit Leclerc’s performance. “I think Charles did a good job on the last lap,” he said. “He probably risked a little bit more in these conditions. The wind changed a lot and really seemed to punish us more than it did others.”
Russell, Alonso, and Surprise Performances
George Russell put his Mercedes in fourth position, while Fernando Alonso secured a strong fifth-place result for Aston Martin, matching his season-best qualifying performance achieved earlier at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Alonso’s teammate Lance Stroll rounded out an excellent day for Aston Martin by qualifying sixth.
Sauber’s rookie sensation Gabriel Bortoleto impressed yet again, clinching seventh on the grid, demonstrating consistent improvement with each race weekend. Meanwhile, reigning world champion Max Verstappen could only manage eighth for Red Bull after struggles with the balance of his car throughout practice sidelined his usual dominance.
Rounding out the top ten were the Racing Bulls duo, Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar, who continue to show promise as the midfield battle heats up.
Hamilton and Other Notables
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton had a qualifying to forget, missing out on Q3 by just 0.008 seconds and settling for a 12th-place start. A clearly despondent Hamilton admitted to reporters: “I was absolutely useless.” Haas driver Oliver Bearman secured 11th, narrowly missing Q3 with a time just 0.007 seconds better than Hamilton’s.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s hopes of securing 11th place were dashed after his fastest lap in Q2 was deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 14, relegating him to 15th on the grid.
Other notable performances included Carlos Sainz, who managed 13th for Williams, and Sauber’s veteran Nico Hülkenberg, who qualified 19th.
Back of the Pack
Yuki Tsunoda narrowly missed progressing to Q2 by 0.021 seconds, placing him 16th — a fourth Q1 exit in what has been a challenging year for the Red Bull junior. Despite a close margin of 0.163 seconds to teammate Verstappen in Q1, Tsunoda’s struggles persist. Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon qualified 17th and 18th for Alpine, capping a disappointing session for the French outfit, while Alex Albon’s Williams will start from the back of the grid in 20th.
The Stage is Set for Sunday
With a Ferrari on pole, McLarens close behind, and the championship picture becoming increasingly dynamic, Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix promises to be a thrilling spectacle. The twists of the Hungaroring circuit, coupled with the unpredictable weather conditions, could provide more surprises as the battle for supremacy continues.
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