Charles Leclerc delivered a sensational performance at the Hungaroring, snatching a wholly unexpected pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix, defying pre-qualifying expectations and setting the stage for a thrilling race.

The Monegasque driver’s remarkable lap came against a backdrop of McLaren dominance throughout the weekend’s earlier sessions, with both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris consistently showcasing superior pace.

Indeed, the McLaren duo, widely tipped as the front-runners for pole, found themselves narrowly edged out by Leclerc, with Piastri settling for second, a mere 0.026 seconds adrift, and Norris just 0.015 seconds behind his teammate in third.

Mercedes’ George Russell also demonstrated strong form, securing a commendable fourth position on the grid, highlighting the intense competition at the top of the leaderboard.

Despite McLaren’s consistent speed, including Norris being fastest in both Friday sessions and Piastri leading the final practice, it was Leclerc who pulled off a stunning qualifying effort, securing not only his but also Ferrari’s inaugural pole position of the current Formula 1 season.

Post-qualifying, a visibly surprised Leclerc expressed his disbelief, admitting, “Today, I don’t understand anything in Formula One. Honestly, the whole qualifying was extremely difficult. When I say extremely difficult, it’s not exaggerating.”

He further elaborated on the significance of his achievement, stating, “At the end of the day, it’s pole position. I definitely did not expect that. Honestly, I have no words. It’s probably one of the best pole positions I’ve ever had. It’s the most unexpected, for sure.”

In stark contrast to Leclerc’s triumph, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton experienced another challenging qualifying session, failing to advance beyond Q2, a week after a similarly disappointing outing at Spa-Francorchamps, despite his record eight wins and nine pole positions at the Hungarian circuit.