This race weekend has proven to be lucky for Charles Leclerc as he secured a surprise pole position for Ferrari at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix. The qualifying session was marked by changing conditions, particularly a shift in wind direction during the final Q3 segment, which threw off the dominant McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Could this also be forshadowing an underlying issue that may pop-up during the race? Only time shall tell us but for now, we bring you the top highlights from Hungarian GP.
After struggling for pace throughout the free practice sessions, where the McLarens were consistently on top, Leclerc pulled off a stunning final lap in Q3. His time of 1:15.372 was enough to beat Piastri by just 0.026s and Norris by 0.041s. Leclerc himself was surprised by the result, stating over the radio, "What?" and later admitting it was one of the most unexpected poles of his career. During his post-race interviews, he admitted he is as surprised as his fans are.
It was a weekend of mixed fortunes for Ferrari. While Leclerc was on pole, his teammate Lewis Hamilton had a difficult time, getting eliminated in Q2 and qualifying a disappointing 12th. Hamilton, who has a record eight wins at the Hungaroring, expressed his frustration over the radio.
Difficult weekend
Both Piastri and Norris were unable to improve on their earlier laps, allowing Leclerc to snatch pole. A week after a difficult weekend in Belgium, Aston Martin showed a remarkable improvement. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll qualified an impressive fifth and sixth, respectively, locking out the third row of the grid.
And redbull plummeted to the bottom yet again, only this time taking Max along. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen had a tough qualifying session. He struggled with the balance of his Red Bull and could only manage to qualify in eighth place.
New record?
Kick Sauber's rookie Gabriel Bortoleto qualified an excellent seventh, while the Racing Bulls duo of Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar both made it into Q3, qualifying ninth and tenth, respectively. While the gap between Charles Leclerc's pole time and Isack Hadjar's 10th-place time was not the closest ever, the session as a whole was officially the most competitive Q3 in Formula 1 history.
Looking ahead, the run to Turn 1 at the Hungaroring is one of the longest on the F1 calendar, making the start crucial for track position. With the McLarens having been the dominant force all weekend, they'll be looking to capitalize on their race pace and overtake Leclerc early. A good start from Leclerc will be essential to hold them off.
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