Leclerc Shocks McLarens with Stunning Pole in Hungary
Alright, let me walk you through what was a wild and unexpected Qualifying session at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc, out of nowhere, has taken a surprise pole position for Ferrari—beating both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in a nail-biting Q3 showdown.
Now, this one wasn't just a straightforward “fastest guy takes pole” story. The session unfolded under unpredictable skies, with a few drops of rain teasing during Q2 and temperatures steadily dropping. It looked like McLaren had it in the bag—Piastri and Norris had been dominant all weekend, especially on Friday, where Norris topped both practice sessions. into Saturday, all eyes were on the McLarens to lock out the front row.
But then came Leclerc. During the final Q3 runs, he pulled off something special. Despite Ferrari struggling throughout much of Qualifying—barely even making it into Q2—Leclerc managed to string together a nearly flawless lap in deteriorating conditions, clocking in at 1:15.372. That lap edged out Piastri by just 0.026 seconds and Norris by 0.041. We're talking mere thousandths here.
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It caught everyone off guard—Leclerc included. On the radio after securing pole, he sounded completely baffled, admitting that he didn’t understand how it happened and had only been targeting third place at best. His words? “Today I don’t understand anything in Formula 1!”
Behind them, George Russell had a strong showing in fourth for Mercedes, especially impressive considering the swirling winds and cooler track temps. Aston Martin also punched above their weight, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll taking fifth and sixth. Gabriel Bortoleto was a real standout, dragging his Sauber into seventh—beating none other than Max Verstappen, who could only manage eighth.
Speaking of Verstappen, Red Bull just didn’t look comfortable. The four-time champ faced a tricky session and even got caught up in a bizarre moment during practice when he threw a towel out of his car. Yeah, really. It landed on track, prompting a bit of a stewards' review—though no serious penalties were handed out.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton had another rough outing, getting knocked out in Q2 and finishing 12th. His frustration was clear, sighing “every time” over the team radio. Rookie Kimi Antonelli was also dealt a blow, missing Q3 and then getting bumped down to 15th due to a deleted lap.
So, with Leclerc on pole and McLaren hot on his heels, Sunday's race is shaping up to be a thriller—especially with championship leader Piastri just behind him and Norris eager to claw back points before the summer break. You won’t want to miss it.
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