Charles Leclerc Surprises with First Pole Position of the Year at Hungarian GP

In a surprising turn of events, Charles Leclerc achieved his first pole position of the season for Ferrari during the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix, narrowly edging out both McLaren drivers. Infused with excitement, Leclerc celebrated as he exited his car after outperforming Oscar Piastri by just 0.026 seconds, and Lando Norris by 0.041 seconds.

Leading up to qualifying, Leclerc had shown strong performance in practice, consistently placing behind the McLarens, yet he still lagged behind their speed. However, conditions during qualifying shifted, becoming increasingly gloomy and windy, which seemed to hinder the McLaren duo. In the final qualifying session, both Norris and Piastri fell approximately half a second behind their earlier laps, allowing Leclerc to capitalize on the situation. His pole position at a track he previously dismissed as “by far the worst” for him this season left him amazed after he received the news over team radio.

Leclerc acknowledged the significance of securing pole, especially in Hungary where overtaking is particularly challenging, and indicated his intention to defend his lead fiercely in the upcoming race. Despite having achieved pole position 27 times in his career, Leclerc aims to convert this opportunity into a victory, striving for his ninth win in Formula 1.

In stark contrast, Lewis Hamilton endured another disappointing qualifying session, ending up in 12th place, which is a setback for the seven-time champion as he adjusts to his first year with Ferrari. Hamilton expressed his frustration over the radio after failing to break into the top 10 for the second consecutive race. As Ferrari's chairman described the current season as “rough,” he reiterated the team's confidence in team principal Fred Vasseur, especially after confirming his contract extension.

Max Verstappen, the reigning champion, found himself struggling as well, qualifying in eighth position due to challenges with his Red Bull's balance, while his teammate Yuki Tsunoda performed poorly in 16th place, increasing the pressure on him amid a streak of races without scoring points.