Saturday at the Hungaroring delivered one of the most dramatic qualifying sessions of the season as Charles Leclerc got a stunning pole position lap to deny McLaren’s dominance. From Piastri’s continued strong form to Hamilton’s disappointing Q2 exit, day two showcased the unpredictable nature of Hungarian qualifying. What unfolded during the final practice and qualifying sessions? Let us here at Supercars.com.GH explain!
FP3
Oscar Piastri narrowly edged teammate Lando Norris by just 0.032 seconds to top the final practice session, with Charles Leclerc third as the stage was set for a thrilling qualifying battle. The McLaren duo maintained their weekend dominance with a 1:14.916 from Piastri, though both drivers were notably slower than Norris’s FP2 benchmark.
The session started quietly with most teams focusing on race preparation rather than outright pace. Yuki Tsunoda initially set the early benchmark on mediums before Max Verstappen took over on softs, though the Dutchman continued to struggle with his Red Bull’s balance, reporting understeer issues throughout.
Leclerc provided the session’s most dramatic moment when he went purple in the first two sectors before hitting gravel at Turn 12 with his left rear wheel, costing him precious time but still managing a competitive lap. The Ferrari driver’s error foreshadowed the challenging conditions that would define qualifying.
Gabriel Bortoleto continued his impressive recent form by claiming sixth place for Kick Sauber, while Alex Albon endured difficulties at the bottom of the timesheets after rattling over kerbs and requiring floor checks.
Qualifying
Leclerc delivered the shock of the season by claiming Ferrari’s first pole position of 2025 with a stunning final lap of 1:15.372, denying the McLaren duo by mere thousandths in an incredibly tight finish. The Monégasque driver was speechless over the radio after his brilliant performance, admitting he had only targeted third place.
The session was marked by dropping temperatures and rising wind levels that caught many drivers off guard. Piastri initially held provisional pole with 1:15.398, followed by Norris just 0.015s behind, before Leclerc’s masterpiece relegated both McLarens to the second row.
Lewis Hamilton suffered his biggest disappointment of the weekend, exiting in Q2 after another frustrating qualifying performance. The seven-time champion could only manage 12th, lamenting “every time, every time” over the radio as his struggles at the Hungaroring continued.
Kimi Antonelli faced double trouble, narrowly missing Q3 in 11th before dropping to 15th due to a track limits violation. The Mercedes rookie’s challenging weekend highlighted the difficulty of the Hungarian circuit for inexperienced drivers.
Aston Martin impressed with both cars reaching Q3, Fernando Alonso claiming fifth and Lance Stroll sixth, validating their strong practice pace. Racing Bulls also celebrated a double Q3 appearance with Liam Lawson ninth and Isack Hadjar tenth.
Can Leclerc convert his surprise pole into Ferrari’s first victory of the season? Join Supercars.com.GH tomorrow to find out!