Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took a shock pole place for the Hungarian Grand Prix, whereas labouring teammate Lewis Hamilton may solely handle twelfth.
Championship chief Oscar Piastri and title rival Lando Norris had been anticipated to battle for pole, however the McLaren males have been left to accept second and third, respectively.
Leclerc noticed off Piastri by simply 0.026 seconds with Norris solely 0.015 seconds behind the Australian. George Russell completed fourth for Mercedes.
McLaren had dominated all weekend on the Hungaroring, with Norris quickest in each periods on Friday, and Piastri – who leads his teammate by 16 factors on this planet championship – quickest within the concluding operating previous to qualifying.
Leclerc, nevertheless, pulled a mighty lap out of the bag to safe each his and Ferrari’s first pole of the season.
The Monaco native stated: “At this time, I don’t perceive something in Components One. Truthfully, the entire qualifying was extraordinarily tough. After I say extraordinarily tough, it’s not exaggerating.
“It was tough for us to get to Q2, it was tough for us to get to Q3. In Q3, the situations modified somewhat bit. Every part grew to become loads trickier, and I knew I simply needed to do a clear lap to focus on third.
“On the finish of the day, it’s pole place. I undoubtedly didn’t count on that. Truthfully, I’ve no phrases. It’s in all probability the most effective pole positions I’ve ever had. It’s essentially the most surprising, for certain.”
Within the different scarlet automobile, Hamilton has a report eight wins and 9 pole positions in Hungary. Nevertheless, every week after he certified solely sixteenth at Spa-Francorchamps, he suffered one other setback when he was knocked out of Q2.
Hamilton has now been outqualified by Leclerc at 10 of the 14 rounds up to now.
TOP 10 – HUNGARY GP QUALIFYING
1. Charles Leclerc
2. Oscar Piastri
3. Lando Norris
4. George Russell
5. Fernando Alonso
6. Lance Stroll
7. Gabriel Bortoleto
8. Max Verstappen
9. Liam Lawson
10. Isack Hadjar
“Each time, each time,” stated the British driver after he was knowledgeable of his early exit.
Hamilton emerged from his cockpit and walked in direction of the Ferrari motorhome holding his gloves in entrance of his visor to impede the complete glare of the ready TV cameras.
Hamilton’s lowly grid slot seems to be set to increase his run and not using a podium end to 14 races. Till this season, he had by no means gone greater than 10 races right into a marketing campaign with out ending within the prime three.
Hamilton’s substitute at Mercedes, {the teenager} Kimi Antonelli, has solely scored as soon as in his final seven appearances, and he too didn’t make it out of Q2, qualifying fifteenth.
Aston Martin have been woefully out of kinds this yr and are eighth within the constructors’ standings. Each Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll didn’t make it out of Q1 on the earlier spherical.
Nevertheless, Alonso – who turned 44 earlier this week – and Stroll progressed to the ultimate section on Saturday, and can begin fifth and sixth respectively. 4-time world champion Max Verstappen certified eighth for Purple Bull.
Alex Albon has loved a robust season – he completed sixth final weekend – however he’ll line up from the again of the pack right here after qualifying twentieth and final.
Yuki Tsunoda was additionally eradicated in Q1 for the fifth time this season, leaving him sixteenth on the grid.
