LECLERC SURPRISES EVERYONE: FERRARI TAKES FIRST POLE POSITION OF THE SEASON IN BUDAPEST

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Qualifying for the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix delivered one of the biggest surprises of the season. Charles Leclerc secured Ferrari's first pole position of the year in dramatic fashion, pulling an incredible time of 1:15.372 from his car in changing conditions to beat the favored McLarens.

LECLERC: UNEXPECTED HERO OF HUNGARORING

The Monégasque driver couldn't believe what he had achieved. After qualifying, he admitted: "Today I don't understand anything in Formula 1! The whole qualifying was extremely difficult. It was hard for us to get into Q2, hard to get into Q3. In Q3 the conditions changed a bit, everything became much trickier and I knew I had to drive a clean lap to aim for third place. In the end, it's pole position."

Leclerc took advantage of improving conditions in the final part of qualifying and delivered a brilliant final lap that beat both McLarens by thousandths of a second. For Ferrari, this represents their first pole position of the 2025 season and an important morale boost after a challenging start to the year.

MCLAREN NARROWLY BEATEN

Despite dominance from Friday practice, McLaren couldn't match Leclerc's final assault. Oscar Piastri finished second with a gap of just 0.026 seconds, while Lando Norris took third position.

Piastri dominated Q1 despite an excursion into the gravel at Turn 12 and enters Sunday's race as one of the main favorites for victory. Norris was fastest in Q2 with a time of 1:14.890, but it wasn't enough for pole position.

MAJOR SURPRISES AND DISAPPOINTMENTS

Positive Surprises
Gabriel Bortoleto delivered a sensational performance to secure seventh place on the grid for Kick Sauber. The young Brazilian talent confirmed his growing potential in the best possible light.

Racing Bulls achieved a double in the top 10 with Liam Lawson in ninth and Isack Hadjar in tenth place. Ollie Bearman from Haas showed an impressive performance in 13th position.

Biggest Disappointments
Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in Q2 and will start from just 12th place. The seven-time world champion simply sighed after qualifying: "Every time, every time."

Kimi Antonelli finished 15th after having his time deleted for exceeding track limits. Max Verstappen took only eighth position, continuing Red Bull's struggles this season.

ASTON MARTIN CONFIRMS FORM

The green team capitalized on strong form from practice and placed both cars in the top 6. Fernando Alonso took fifth place after an excellent performance, having led Q1 with a time of 1:15.281. The Spaniard has rich experience at the Hungaroring, including victory in 2003.

Lance Stroll completed the team success with sixth place, although he battled with track limits violations during qualifying.

WEATHER AS KEY FACTOR

Changing conditions significantly influenced the qualifying results. Temperature drops and increasing wind throughout the afternoon changed tire behavior. Rain drops in Q2 complicated the situation, and gravel at the exit of Turn 12 added another complication.

The decisive factor was the cooler conditions in Q3, which Leclerc managed to exploit best for his surprising pole position attack.

SUNDAY OUTLOOK

The starting grid promises an exciting race. Leclerc will need to maintain position against the faster McLarens, while Verstappen will try to fight forward from eighth position. The Hungaroring is known for difficult overtaking, making the start crucial.

Hot weather is expected, which could influence tire strategy. The possibility of more rain could bring another twist to an already unpredictable season.

Acknowledgments: Autosport for data and photos

More information: 24live.com