Charles Leclerc Secures Pole at Hungarian GP Beating McLaren, Mercedes

Charles Leclerc secured a surprise pole position at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix with a last-minute effort, narrowly beating McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. McLaren had initially dominated qualifying, with Piastri topping Q1 and Norris leading in Q2, but cooler track temperatures in Q3 allowed Leclerc to capitalize and take pole by a slim margin. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen struggled, finishing 13th in Q1 and ultimately failing to advance far, while his teammate Yuki Tsunoda was eliminated early. Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, had a rare poor qualifying session, being knocked out in Q2 despite his usual strength at the Hungaroring. Aston Martin showed promise as potential challengers behind McLaren, and Mercedes' George Russell managed a competitive position amid the cooler conditions. The qualifying session was further complicated by the threat of rain and fluctuating track temperatures, impacting team strategies and performances.