Charles Leclerc Secures Pole Position for Ferrari at Hungarian Grand Prix
Charles Leclerc has claimed pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix, securing the top spot on the grid for Ferrari. The Monegasque driver edged out the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in a fiercely competitive qualifying session at the Hungaroring. This marks Leclerc’s first pole in Hungary, achieved on his 163rd Formula One race, despite still not having won a race at this circuit.
George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes, while Fernando Alonso secured fifth place for Aston Martin. However, the day was not as successful for Lewis Hamilton, who was eliminated in 13th place during Q2, despite showing strong pace in practice sessions. His performance raised concerns about his form and ability to compete at the front of the field.
Leclerc expressed surprise at his achievement, citing the challenging conditions throughout the session. “The whole qualifying has been extremely difficult,” he said. “It was super difficult for us to get to Q2 and Q3. In Q3, the conditions changed a little bit, and everything became trickier.” He added that he was hoping for better weather in Q2 but ultimately managed to secure pole position with a time of 1 minute 15.372 seconds.
The final top ten grid positions after Q3 were as follows:
1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1 minute 15.372 seconds
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.026 seconds
3. Lando Norris (McLaren) – +0.041 seconds
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.053 seconds
5. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – +0.109 seconds
6. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – +0.126 seconds
7. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – +0.353 seconds
8. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.356 seconds
9. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – +0.449 seconds
10. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – +0.543 seconds
McLaren drivers Piastri and Norris were both surprised by their inability to lock out the front row. They attributed the performance gap to wind conditions affecting their lap times.
Hamilton’s exit from Q2 highlighted his struggles this season. The seven-time world champion admitted his performance was “unacceptable” and vowed to apologise to his team. Despite his efforts, he remains outside the top ten, which raises questions about his competitiveness with Ferrari.
The back of the grid saw several drivers struggling to find pace. Ollie Bearman (Haas), Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), Carlos Sainz (Williams), Franco Colapinto (Alpine), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull), Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Esteban Ocon (Haas), Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber), and Alex Albon (Williams) occupied the lower positions.
During Q1, several drivers were eliminated, including Yuki Tsunoda, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg, and Alex Albon. Liam Lawson managed to push Tsunoda out of Q1 with a late lap, highlighting the tight competition in the midfield.
Fred Vasseur, Ferrari’s team principal, recently signed a long-term contract with the team. He emphasized the importance of stability and progress in the constructors’ championship, stating that Ferrari aims to be in the fight for P1. While the team is close to McLaren in qualifying, they need to close the gap in races to achieve their goals.
As the summer break approaches, the focus will shift to how Ferrari can improve its race performance. Leclerc’s pole position offers hope, but the challenge lies in converting it into a win. The start of the race, particularly Turn One, will be crucial for Leclerc, who is determined to maintain his lead.
With the grid set, fans can expect an exciting race at the Hungaroring, where strategy, weather, and driver skill will play a key role in determining the outcome.
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