Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc delivered a jaw-dropping performance to claim pole position for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix, describing the performance as one of the finest yet most surprising qualifying efforts of his Formula 1 career.
In a session marked by shifting conditions and fierce competition, Leclerc’s final lap of 1m15.372s edged out McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by a mere 0.026 seconds, securing Ferrari’s first pole since the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix.
Leclerc, who had struggled throughout the qualifying rounds, admitted he was stunned to find himself at the top of the timesheets.
“Today I don't understand anything [about] Formula 1,” he confessed during the post-qualifying TV interview, encapsulating the disbelief that accompanied his 27th career pole.
A Battle Against the Odds
The path to pole was anything but straightforward for the Monegasque driver. Ferrari’s pace had been inconsistent throughout the weekend, and Leclerc faced significant challenges just to progress through the earlier qualifying segments.
“Honestly, the whole qualifying has been extremely difficult. When I say extremely difficult, it's not exaggerating,” he said. “It was super, super difficult. It was difficult for us to get to Q2, it was difficult for us to get to Q3.”
The Hungaroring’s tricky conditions, exacerbated by light rain in Q2, added another layer of complexity. Leclerc noted that his car’s lower downforce setup made him particularly vulnerable when the rain began.
“I could definitely feel [the changes] a lot and I was also a bit on the lower side of the downforce,” he explained. “So when the rain started in Q2, I was just hoping that it wouldn't stay there. It didn't.”
Despite these hurdles, Leclerc capitalized on the evolving track conditions in Q3. Expecting to fight for third place at best, he produced a flawless final lap that defied his own expectations.
“[In] Q3, the conditions changed a little bit. Everything became a lot trickier, and I knew I just had to do a clean lap to target third. At the end of the day it is pole position. I definitely did not expect that,” he admitted.
A Career-Defining Moment
Leclerc’s astonishment was palpable as he reflected on the significance of the result.
“Honestly, I have no words. It's probably one of the best pole positions I've ever had because it's the most unexpected for sure,” he repeated, emphasizing the improbable nature of his achievement.
The achievement marks only the third time this season that Leclerc has qualified on the front row, a testament to Ferrari’s struggles in 2025, with their best result so far being Leclerc’s second-place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix.
With the Hungaroring’s tight layout making overtaking notoriously difficult, Leclerc’s pole position puts Ferrari in a prime position to chase their first victory of the season. However, the 27-year-old remains cautiously optimistic, aware of the challenges ahead.
“The start and turn one will be key,” he said. “I have no idea how it will go, but one thing for sure is that I'll do absolutely everything in order to keep that first place.
“If we manage to do that, then that should make our life easier for the rest of the race.”
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