Lewis Hamilton stated he was “simply ineffective” after qualifying twelfth for the Hungarian Grand Prix whereas his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc took pole place.
Hamilton did not progress past the second qualifying session after struggling for tempo in comparison with Leclerc all weekend.
Leclerc took Ferrari’s first grand prix pole place of the yr, though Hamilton received the Chinese language Grand Prix dash race from pole on the second occasion of the season.
A downcast Hamilton stated: “I drove terribly. It’s what it’s.”
He added: “I am simply ineffective,” and stated his lack of tempo was “nothing to do with the automobile”.
In Hungary, Hamilton was 0.247 seconds slower than Leclerc within the second a part of qualifying, during which he was knocked out and the Monegasque was sixth quickest.
Hamilton is 12-5 right down to Leclerc on their qualifying head-to-head this yr, at a median tempo distinction of 0.146secs.
His kind on Saturdays in 2025 continues the struggles in qualifying Hamilton had towards George Russell in his remaining yr at Mercedes final season.
Even so, his end in Hungary bucks a pattern during which he has usually been a lot nearer to Leclerc for the reason that seventh race of the season.
Belgium final weekend, during which he was knocked out within the first session in qualifying for each the dash and the grand prix after making errors, had been an exception to that run.
Though clearly pissed off by his personal efficiency, Hamilton congratulated Leclerc on his pole.
“It is superb for the crew that the automobile is able to being on pole,” the seven-time champion stated, “so large congrats to Charles.”
Leclerc got here into the weekend speaking about how he had by no means gelled with the Hungaroring throughout his profession, however he ends Saturday with arguably probably the most stunning and sudden pole place of the yr.
Leclerc had been third quickest behind the McLarens in all three apply classes, however the world champions appeared out of attain.
Nevertheless, a change in wind path between the second and remaining elements of qualifying threw McLaren off their sport and opened the door for Leclerc, who beat championship chief Oscar Piastri to pole with Lando Norris third.
Leclerc stated he “did not perceive” as a result of the automobile felt dangerous all through qualifying. However he and the McLaren drivers put the shift in competitiveness right down to a change in climate circumstances, when not solely did the wind change path by 180 levels, however the energy of the wind, the temperature and humidity stage all modified.
“In Q3, the circumstances modified for everyone,” Leclerc stated. “I mainly simply did a clear lap, which was a very good lap as a result of these circumstances had been actually troublesome to get all the things proper, and I used to be actually blissful concerning the lap.
“It’s most likely probably the most stunning pole place I’ve ever executed, so I am very blissful.”
Leclerc stated that revisions to the automobile on the final race in Belgium had helped his confidence when pushing to the restrict over one qualifying lap.
Ferrari launched a brand new rear suspension which along with being geared toward permitting them to run the automobile decrease with out risking damaging the ground to the extent that automobile failed its post-race legality assessments was additionally supposed to enhance driveability when mixed with a brand new ground launched three races in the past in Austria.
Leclerc stated: “The improve in Spa undoubtedly helped me to extract just a little bit extra.
“Earlier than Spa, I needed to arrange the automobile in a really, very excessive approach early on within the season to attempt to extract one thing out of this automobile in qualifying.
“It was making the automobile very, very unpredictable and really troublesome everytime you go for the 0.1-0.15secs in Q3. It was extraordinarily troublesome to get it proper. And should you simply overstepped just a little bit the bounds of that earlier automobile, then you’ll pay the worth loads.
“Whereas with this automobile, you’ll be able to play just a little bit extra with the bounds, and should you go over the bounds just a little bit, you simply do not lose as a lot. So the automobile is extra predictable, which is an effective factor.”
