Charles Leclerc Surprises with Pole Position in Hungary
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc left everyone perplexed by securing pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix, surpassing the two McLaren drivers. Leclerc achieved the best time in Q3, ahead of Oscar Piastri by only 0.026 seconds. This is Leclerc’s first pole position of the season and the 27th of his career. The unexpected victory came after Piastri led the Q1 and Q2 sessions. A change in weather conditions, with cloudy skies and wind, could have influenced the outcome of Q3.Leclerc expressed that, despite the difficulties in qualifying, he achieved a clean lap in Q3, which gave him pole position. This result represents Ferrari’s best performance in a Grand Prix qualifying session this year. The team introduced an upgrade to the rear suspension at last week’s Belgian Grand Prix, which may have contributed to the success. Leclerc highlighted the importance of the advances the team has been implementing. Although he considered that it takes time to fully assess the impact of the improvements, the pole position is an indication that the team is on the right track. Leclerc’s Ferrari teammate, Lewis Hamilton, who holds the record for eight wins and nine pole positions at Hungaroring, finished in 12th place after being eliminated in Q2. The team boss, Fred Vasseur, was cautious about the surprising result, pointing out that it was a “difficult” session and that Leclerc was close to being eliminated in Q2. Vasseur mentioned that the team was not far from being eliminated in Q2, but they managed to recover and advance to Q3. Regarding Hamilton’s position on the grid, Vasseur commented that although it’s preferable to start from pole in Budapest, the analysis should focus on the small differences in Q2.Today is a day where I no longer understand anything about this sport. Qualifying felt horrible, from the first lap to the penultimate one.
Charles Leclerc
