Leclerc steals Hungarian GP pole as McLaren falter in gusty qualifying

CHARLES Leclerc delivered a surprise blow to McLaren’s dominance by grabbing pole position for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix, edging out championship leader Oscar Piastri and his teammate Lando Norris in a gusty qualifying session at the Hungaroring.

Ferrari’s first regular Grand Prix pole of the season came as changing conditions unsettled the pecking order. McLaren had looked set to control qualifying after topping all practice sessions, but a shift in wind and cooling track temperatures in Q3 opened the door for Leclerc’s late flyer.

Piastri and Norris will start second and third, giving McLaren a strategic advantage — though overtaking remains notoriously difficult at this twisty, low-speed circuit. George Russell starts fourth for Mercedes, while Aston Martin enjoyed a resurgence with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll locking out row three.

Further back, Leclerc’s Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton could only manage 12th, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen lines up a surprising eighth. Rain remains a possibility during the race, which could shake up the order even further.

The Hungarian Grand Prix is the final race before the sport's summer break.

Starting Grid: 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix

1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

3. Lando Norris (McLaren)

4. George Russell (Mercedes)

5. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

6. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

7. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)

8. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

9. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)

10. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)

11. Oliver Bearman (Haas)

12. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

13. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

14. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

15. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

16. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

17. Esteban Ocon (Haas)

18. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)

19. Alex Albon (Williams) Pit Lane: Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)