Charles Leclerc delivered a stunning performance to claim pole position for Ferrari during a rain-affected qualifying session at the Hungaroring, while his teammate Lewis Hamilton suffered another disappointing result.
The Monegasque driver produced a flawless final lap in changing conditions to edge out McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by just 0.026 seconds. Lando Norris secured third position in the other McLaren, with the top four cars separated by a mere four-hundredths of a second in one of the closest qualifying battles of the season.
Hamilton’s struggles continued as the seven-time champion failed to advance beyond the second qualifying session, leaving him 12th on the grid. The British driver expressed deep frustration with his performance, describing his efforts as “useless” and questioning his place with the Italian team.
The qualifying session reached its climax as rain began falling during the final runs, with dropping track temperatures and shifting wind conditions creating a challenging environment. Leclerc mastered the difficult circumstances to secure his first pole position in Hungary and the 27th of his career.
“I don’t understand anything about this sport anymore,” Leclerc admitted afterward. “The car felt completely different from practice, but in those changing conditions, we managed to put together a clean lap when it mattered most.”
Mercedes’ George Russell qualified fourth, followed by Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll in fifth and sixth positions respectively. The session marked a significant turnaround for Ferrari, who have introduced recent upgrades to address their car’s performance in slow corners.
While Leclerc will start from the front of the grid, the McLaren duo remain strong favorites for Sunday’s race given their consistent pace throughout the season. The stage is set for an intriguing battle at a circuit where track position often proves crucial to race outcome.
