Leclerc Stuns with Unexpected Pole in Dramatic Hungarian GP Qualifying
Hey there, have you seen what just happened in Hungary? Qualifying for the 2025 Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix turned into one of the most unpredictable sessions we've seen all season — and it was Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who came out on top, against pretty much everyone's expectations.
Now, let me walk you through it like you're right there in the paddock with me. Conditions at the Hungaroring were tricky. The track surface kept evolving, there were threats of rain, and honestly, no one looked fully comfortable out there — Leclerc included. In fact, after stepping out of the car, he admitted he didn’t understand anything that had just happened. It had been a struggle all the way from Q1 through Q2. He even said he was just hoping to get into the top three and post a solid lap. But instead, what he got was his first pole position of the season — and possibly one of the most surprising of his career.
Leclerc clocked a 1 minute 15.372 second lap in Q3, which was just enough to edge out McLaren's Oscar Piastri by 0.026 seconds. Lando Norris, also in a McLaren, was just a hair behind them in third. The top five was rounded out by George Russell in the Mercedes and Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin.
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What makes this pole so special is that both McLarens had been blisteringly fast all weekend. Piastri actually led the timesheets in FP3 earlier in the day, and both he and Norris were under 1:15 in Q2. But when it came down to the final shootout in Q3, they couldn’t improve. That opened the door for Leclerc, who nailed it when it mattered most.
And here’s the kicker — Max Verstappen? Eighth. Hamilton? Eliminated in Q2 and way down the order. That alone tells you how mixed up the grid is going into Sunday.
As for what happens in the race — well, Leclerc says the start and turn one will be key. He’s fully aware that holding onto first off the line is going to be crucial if Ferrari wants to turn this into their first win of the season. With Fred Vasseur recently securing a long-term deal as team principal, there's a sense of long-term rebuilding at Ferrari, and this pole could be a sign that progress is happening, even if slowly.
It’s shaping up to be a cracker of a Grand Prix — and if qualifying is anything to go by, we should expect more surprises when the lights go out in Budapest.
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