Budapest, Hungary- In a stunning upset that sent ripples through the Formula 1 paddock, Charles Leclerc claimed a sensational pole position for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix, ending Ferrari’s prolonged qualifying drought. His exceptional late lap stunned the dominant McLaren team, who had controlled every practice session leading up to qualifying.
Leclerc’s Unexpected Masterclass
Despite having described the Hungaroring as his “worst track of the year” just days earlier, the 27-year-old Monegasque driver clocked a blistering best lap of 1 minute and 15.372 seconds. This phenomenal effort was enough to edge out the champion McLaren pair of series leader Oscar Piastri (who was just 0.026s behind) and his title rival Lando Norris (0.041s off pole). The McLaren drivers reportedly struggled to adapt to significant changes in wind direction and dropping track temperatures in the crucial final minutes of Q3, which opened the door for Leclerc.
This pole position is a momentous one for Leclerc: his first at the Hungaroring, his first of the current 2025 season, and his first since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku last year (September 2024). It also marks Ferrari’s first pole in Hungary since Sebastian Vettel achieved it in 2017, and the 27th pole position of Leclerc’s career.
Mixed Fortunes for the Grid
While Leclerc celebrated, there were varied outcomes across the rest of the grid. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso secured a strong fifth place, his best qualifying performance of the season, ahead of teammate Lance Stroll in sixth. Sauber’s rookie Gabriel Bortoleto impressed by qualifying seventh, beating even Red Bull’s four-time champion Max Verstappen, who could only manage eighth after struggling with the balance of his car throughout the session. The Racing Bulls rookies, Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar, rounded out the top 10 in ninth and tenth respectively, showcasing their progress.
Hamilton’s Struggles Continue at Ferrari
In stark contrast to his teammate’s elation, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton endured another frustrating qualifying session, failing to make it out of Q2 and starting Sunday’s race from a dismal 12th position. Hamilton, now in his first season with Ferrari, has faced a challenging campaign, yet to secure a Grand Prix podium finish. His disappointment was evident as he reportedly ducked into the team motorhome without even removing his helmet, and later told Sky Sports F1 he felt “useless, absolutely useless,” even suggesting Ferrari might “need to change driver.”
However, Leclerc’s stunning performance serves as a testament to the potential of the Ferrari car, particularly with their recent upgrade package, which has shown promise in improving the car’s performance in slow corners. The challenging and changing conditions in qualifying arguably played into Ferrari’s hands.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s race, Leclerc acknowledged the unique challenges of the Hungaroring. “The start and Turn One will be key,” he stated. “But I have no idea how it will go. One thing for sure is that I will do absolutely everything in order to keep that first place!”
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