Charles Leclerc snatches Hungary GP F1 pole position from McLarens
2nd August 2025Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix, pipping both McLarens to the top spot, who looked to be in strong form.
Feature image credit: Ferrari Media
Leclerc has taken Ferrari’s first pole position of the season, surprisingly at Hungary’s iconic Hungaroring, pipping both McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
The Monegasque took the top spot narrowly over Piastri, who held onto provisional pole position after the first runs of Q3, and the gap stands at 0.026s between the Ferrari and leading McLaren.
It looked as if it was going to be McLaren’s weekend, and their fight for pole position, as the Woking-based team whitewashed the practice sessions.
Norris took the fastest laps in Free Practice 1 and FP2, but it would be Piastri who took the fastest lap in FP3, ahead of qualifying.
There were a few shock exits in qualifying as Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli failed to progress into Q3.
Tsunoda was the first to be eliminated, in Q1, having been pushed into the knock-out zone by the man he replaced at Red Bull: Liam Lawson. Both Hamilton and Antonelli experienced exits in Q2.
Hamilton’s final lap was not enough to escape elimination and dropped to 13th after the final runs, whilst Antonelli was pushed into 11th at the end of the second third. However, the Italian had his lap time deleted and dropped to 15th.
How did qualifying finish?
20 – Alexander Albon, Williams
19 – Nico Hulkenberg, Kick Sauber
18 – Esteban Ocon, Haas
17 – Pierre Gasly, Alpine
16 – Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing
15 – Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
14 – Franco Colapinto, Alpine
13 – Carlos Sainz, Williams
12 – Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
11 – Oliver Bearman, Haas
10 – Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls
9 – Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
8 – Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
7 – Gabriel Bortoleto, Kick Sauber
6 – Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
5 – Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
4 – George Russell, Mercedes
3 – Lando Norris, McLaren
2 – Oscar Piastri, McLaren
1 – Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Read more Formula 1 here:
- Oscar Piastri tops final practice at F1 Hungary GP
- Max Verstappen verdict delivered after Hungary GP FP2 incident
- Lando Norris completes Friday clean sweep at Hungarian Grand Prix
- Lando Norris tops FP1 at Hungarian Grand Prix
- Max Verstappen confirms commitment to Red Bull Racing for 2026
- Ferrari confirms Fred Vasseur contract extension
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
