Charles Leclerc's Unexpected Triumph

Charles Leclerc, the Ferrari driver, left fans and analysts in awe as he clinched a surprising pole position at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix. This victory came ahead of both McLaren drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, marking Leclerc's first pole position of the season and the 27th of his career.

The Qualifying Session

Leclerc's pole position was unexpected, especially after Piastri dominated the timesheets in Q1 and Q2. However, a shift in weather conditions, with clouds gathering and wind picking up before Q3, seemed to play a crucial role. Leclerc managed to secure the fastest time in Q3 by a mere 0.026 seconds.

Leclerc's Reflections

"Today is a day where I don't understand anything anymore about the sport," Leclerc admitted. "Honestly, qualifying felt horrible from the first lap to maybe the penultimate lap. Everything felt out of place. It really felt like we had taken a step backward from final practice."

Despite the challenges, Leclerc found his rhythm in Q3. "I basically just did a clean lap, which was, I think, a really good lap because those conditions were very difficult to get everything right. And I did, but I was really happy about the lap. It's probably the most surprising pole position I've ever done."

Ferrari's Upgrades

This result is Ferrari's best in a grand prix qualifying session this year, following the introduction of a rear suspension upgrade at the Belgian Grand Prix. Leclerc acknowledged the team's efforts, saying, "The team has been pushing like crazy to bring upgrades. Last weekend, the team brought an upgrade as well, and it helped us to go in the right direction."

Hamilton's Struggles

In contrast, Leclerc's Ferrari teammate, Lewis Hamilton, who has a record eight wins and nine pole positions at the Hungaroring, finished 12th after being knocked out in Q2. Hamilton described his performance as "useless."

Team Principal's Caution

Ferrari's team principal, Fred Vasseur, offered a cautious perspective on the result. "For sure, it was by far the best session of the season, but it was a very difficult one, and you have to keep this in mind," he said. "We were not that far away from having the two cars out in Q2, and we were able to come back and to put everything together and do some steps for Q3."

Looking Ahead

Leclerc's pole position is a significant boost for Ferrari as they continue to refine their car's performance. "To be able to be on pole position today is amazing, and it means that we are doing something right," Leclerc concluded. "I think for many things, I did not expect to be on pole, also because I was saying on Thursday this is probably the worst track for me statistically over the season, I've always struggled. But this weekend for some reason I found some pace, so yeah, it's good."

Qualifying Results