Charles Leclerc surprised everyone with F1 pole in Hungarian GP in close qualifying, ahead of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
Q1:
It was a bit cloudy to start the first part in F1 Hungarian GP qualifying at Hungaroring, where track evolution played a big role. McLaren had to go around again as Oscar Piastri led the way with a 1m15.211s lap, which 0.070s quicker than Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
A late push from Visa Cash App RB’s Isack Hadjar saw him end up third, as several ran over the Turn 12 gravel. It was a close Top 19, which was covered by just the 0.870s margin. In fact, Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda was knocked out in 16th by just the 0.024s margin after his 1m15.899s lap.
He was not far off behind teammate Max Verstappen, who made it in Q2. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly (1m15.966s) was 17th from Haas’ Esteban Ocon (1m16.023s), Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg (1m16.081s) and Williams’ Alexander Albon (1m16.223s). Ocon noted of a screw stuck on his tyre during his final run.
Q2:
The start of second part in F1 Hungarian GP was delayed to clear the track from the thrown gravel at Turn 12. It started to drizzle a bit but not enough to affect the cars as such. The lot was mixed one, where some went on the used set of soft tyre to get through the first run.
Alpine’s Franco Colapinto had his first quick lap deleted for track limits. It was Norris at the front with a 1m14.890s lap which was 0.051s quicker than Piastri, as Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was third, following on from Alonso in Q1, who ended up fifth in a good show.
It was Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli first out in 11th, but his quick lap was deleted due to track limits in Turn 15, as he dropped to 15th after his initial lap of 1m16.385s. Haas’ Oliver Bearman (1m15.694s) took 11th then ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton (1m15.702s), who was frustrated on the radio.
Williams’ Carlos Sainz (1m15.781s) was 13th, as the Top 13 were covered by just the 0.891s margin. Alpine’s Colpainto eventually got a clean lap to be 14th after his 1m16.159s lap.
Q3:
The first run in the final part in F1 Hungarian GP qualifying saw Piastri (1m15.398s) take provisional pole by 0.096s margin over Norris (1m15.494s), as Mercedes’ George Russell upped his pace to be third, ahead of Alonso and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the Top 5.
Stroll lost his quick lap due to track limits, as Hadjar went for just the one lap attempt. The order changed in the second run where it started to spit a bit. It was a close fight as Leclerc upped his pace to a 1m15.372s lap and secure F1 pole out of nowhere in Hungarian GP.
He managed to beat Piastri (1m15.398s) by 0.026s margin, with Norris (1m15.413s) and Russell (1m15.425s) rounding the Top 4, who were covered by 0.053s margin just. The Aston Martin pair went early in the order to secure their best result of 2025 season, with Alonso (1m15.481s) in fifth.
Stroll (1m15.498s) was sixth from Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto (1m15.725s), who managed to beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (1m15.728s). The pair of Visa Cash App RB of Liam Lawson (1m15.821s) and Hadjar (1m15.915s) rounded the Top 10, who were all covered by just 0.543s margin.
