Hungarian GP: Charles Leclerc stuns McLaren to snatch pole

McLaren looked like it was storming its way to pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix, but Charles Leclerc had other ideas.

While Aston Martin had appeared to emerge as McLaren’s closest challenger at the Hungaroring, Charles Leclerc busted his Hungaroring hoodoo by snatching pole with his final attempt, McLaren forced to settle for a place on the front row with Oscar Piastri.

Hungarian GP: Charles Leclerc breaks McLaren hearts with pole

Dry, scorching weather had been the order of the day throughout practice, but as qualifying got underway, rain was in the vicinity and threatening the Hungaroring.

A lack of urgency as the light went green suggested that the team radars predicted the rain would miss the circuit.

A gradual trickle of cars onto the dry track occurred. A 1:17.441 for Alex Albon in the Williams, armed with soft tyres, was the opening time to chase.

With 12 minutes to go in Q1, all cars bar the Williams pair were on track. Like in practice, it was advantage McLaren, or more specifically Piastri, as he clocked a 1:15.554 to go a shade under four-tenths clear of Norris.

That gap between the McLarens was perfect for Mercedes to squeeze its way into, George Russell getting within a tenth of Piastri’s time, while Kimi Antonelli slotted into third.

Red Bull needed to go again with new soft tyres with Verstappen in 13th and Yuki Tsunoda 17th. Like Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly, Oliver Bearman and Carlos Sainz needed to escape the elimination zone.

As Fernando Alonso went fastest by a quarter of a second, major change was promised in the pecking order as the final runs began as the track temperature dropped. Exiting the pits, Ocon had a screw stuck on his right tyre to dispose of before he could attempt to make Q2.

Verstappen popped up into the top six, ensuring safe passage, even if the fall down the order soon began.

Piastri topped Q1 from Alonso and Hadjar. Albon, Nico Hulkenberg, Ocon, Pierre Gasly and Tsunoda were out.

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After a slight delay to Q2 to sweep away gravel deposited by Piastri, the light went green and the battle resumed.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown said any rain was set to miss the circuit, but a shower had made its presence known, clipping Turns 1 and 5. The scramble was on to get a time in, Alonso’s 1:15.395 setting the pace.

The sprinkling of rain did not do enough to hamper grip, as Norris uncorked three purple sectors, a 1:14.890 restoring McLaren as clear leader, on used softs to boot. Piastri fell half a tenth short, Alonso now half a second behind in third.

Verstappen was only eighth after the first run, but Red Bull was convinced that the best track conditions were still to come.

Leclerc meanwhile, on the cusp of elimination in 10th, made it clear to Ferrari that, going forward, he wanted to be on track as soon as possible to avoid traffic.

Hamilton in the sister Ferrari, plus Sainz, Gabriel Bortoleto, Antonelli and Colapinto needed a better time to make Q3.

After shooting up to third, lapping within a quarter of a second of Norris, Stroll’s work was done for the session as Aston Martin continued to excel.

At the other end, Hamilton was out in Q2 at the Hungaroring, a venue where he was won eight times. Bearman, Sainz, Colapinto and Antonelli were also eliminated.

McLaren went into the all-important Q3 session as the overwhelming favourite for pole, but behind the papaya duo, it was wide open. Could Aston Martin grab a spot on the second row?

Alonso got the ball rolling with a 1:16.025. Now came the challengers.

With the opening runs complete, Piastri was on provisional pole, 0.096s up on Norris, while Russell was third. His two-tenths to pole – and then some perhaps – potentially resided in a snap going through the final turn.

Onto the final attacks for pole, and with Verstappen saying his out-lap was like “driving on ice,” hopes of a sensational surge up the order were fading. He was fifth on the grid as it stood.

Stroll fell just a tenth short of Piastri’s opening time, while for Alonso it was eight-hundredths. Was Aston Martin about to deny McLaren a front-row lockout?

From seemingly nowhere, Leclerc had other ideas. He delivered a 1:15.372 to land provisional pole. However, both McLaren drivers were still on their laps.

Neither could match the Monegasque driver, confirming Leclerc on pole at the Hungaroring, a venue he had deemed his bogey track. Piastri was forced to settle for a place on the front row with title rival Norris third. Verstappen was eighth only.

Q3 results

1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:15.372
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.026
3 Lando Norris McLaren +0.041
4 George Russell Mercedes +0.053
5 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.109
6 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.126
7 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber +0.353
8 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.356
9 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +0.449
10 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +0.543

Q2 results

1 Lando Norris McLaren 1:14.890
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.051
3 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.239
4 George Russell Mercedes +0.311
5 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.505
6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.565
7 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +0.579
8 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.657
9 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +0.740
10 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber +0.797
—
11 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team +0.804
12 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.812
13 Carlos Sainz Williams +0.891
14 Franco Colapinto Alpine +1.269
15 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +1.496

Q1 results

1 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:15.211
2 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.070
3 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +0.305
4 Lando Norris McLaren +0.312
5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.371
6 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber +0.375
7 George Russell Mercedes +0.416
8 Carlos Sainz Williams +0.441
9 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.462
10 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.522
11 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.525
12 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team +0.539
13 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.571
14 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +0.638
15 Franco Colapinto Alpine +0.664
—
16 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull Racing +0.688
17 Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.755
18 Esteban Ocon Haas F1 Team +0.812
19 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber +0.870
20 Alexander Albon Williams +1.012

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