Charles Leclerc Claims Pole Position at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix
In a thrilling qualifying session at the Hungaroring, Charles Leclerc stunned the competition by securing the pole position for the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix, clocking a remarkable time of 1:15.372 seconds. The Monegasque driver outperformed the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who rounded out the top three on the grid. Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto showcased an impressive performance, consistently advancing through all three qualifying phases and delivering a spectacular lap in Q3 that earned him the seventh position on the grid, placing him ahead of notable drivers such as Max Verstappen and George Russell.
Q1: A Competitive Start
The first qualifying session, Q1, lasted 18 minutes and featured all 20 cars on the track. The five slowest drivers were eliminated, starting from positions 16 to 20. Oscar Piastri set the early pace with a time of 1:15.554 seconds, leading the session in the initial minutes. Lando Norris initially occupied second place but was subsequently overtaken by Andrea Antonelli and George Russell. Russell, driving for Mercedes, was just 0.073 seconds slower than Piastri.
Gabriel Bortoleto made a strong start, moving up to P12 on his first flying lap, just behind his teammate Nico Hulkenberg. “I need a bit more front-end grip in the first and second sectors. After that, my rear end was unstable in the last sector. Maybe I need some help here,” Bortoleto communicated over the radio.
With six minutes remaining in Q1, the top five consisted of Piastri, Russell, Antonelli, Norris, and Lewis Hamilton. Lance Stroll then posted a time of 1:15.673 seconds, placing him in third position before his teammate, Fernando Alonso, took the lead with a time of 1:15.281 seconds. Piastri responded by clocking the three fastest sectors and reclaiming the lead with a time of 1:15.211 seconds, followed closely by Alonso and Hadjar.
Bortoleto delivered a flawless lap, rising to P5 with a time of 1:15.586 seconds, which was 0.3 seconds off Piastri’s pace. The top five at the end of Q1 included Piastri, Alonso, Hadjar, Norris, and Leclerc, with Bortoleto finishing in sixth position. Unfortunately, Nico Hulkenberg was eliminated in Q1, finishing P19, along with Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull), Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Esteban Ocon (Haas), and Alexander Albon (Williams).
Q2: The Pressure Builds
The second qualifying session, Q2, spanned 15 minutes and featured the remaining 15 cars. The five slowest were again eliminated, starting in positions 11 to 15. Norris initially led the session with a time of 1:14.890 seconds, followed closely by Piastri, who was just 0.051 seconds behind. Alonso, who had previously led, was in P4, while Stroll was just behind him. The Aston Martin duo struggled, being over half a second slower than the McLaren drivers.
In P5 was Isack Hadjar, with Bearman, Russell, Verstappen, Lawson, and Leclerc completing the top ten. Hamilton found himself in a precarious position, sitting just outside the elimination zone, with Bortoleto in P13. Sainz, Antonelli, and Colapinto rounded up the five drivers at risk of elimination.
Bortoleto opted for used tires for his first attempt in Q3. “The car balance felt reasonably good this time. Considering the track will continue to evolve, it may require just a minor adjustment. I felt a bit rushed in the left sector, but I believe that was mainly due to the used tires—this is a fact. For now, I plan to do another lap unless we decide more are necessary,” he mentioned over the radio.
As the session progressed, Russell improved his time, moving up to P4. Bortoleto managed to secure the tenth fastest time and awaited the laps from Hamilton and Sainz, both of whom failed to improve their times, ending up in P12 and P13, respectively. Bearman would start from P11, Colapinto from P14, and Antonelli from P15.
Q3: The Final Showdown
The final qualifying session, Q3, lasted 12 minutes and featured the top ten drivers. The fastest lap determined the starting order for the top ten, with the quickest securing pole position. Norris initially set the pace with a time of 1:15.494 seconds, leading Q3 until Piastri, with a stunning lap, clocked 0.096 seconds faster to claim provisional pole. Russell was in third, slightly over a tenth behind Piastri.
Bortoleto, using used soft tires, managed to secure eighth place during his first attempt in Q3, while Stroll and Hadjar opted to stay in the pits. Before the final round of quick laps, Alonso improved his time, recording a lap of 1:15.481 seconds, slotting in between the McLaren drivers in P2.
In a dramatic finish, Leclerc outperformed them all with a blistering lap of 1:15.372 seconds, clinching the pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Piastri would start in second place, with Norris in third. Alonso and Stroll, representing Aston Martin, secured fourth and fifth places, respectively. Russell started from P6, followed by Bortoleto, who delivered an exceptional performance, finishing ahead of Verstappen.
Final Grid Positions
The final results of the qualifying session revealed an exciting grid for the race:
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari): 1:15.372
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren): +0.096 seconds
- Lando Norris (McLaren): +0.122 seconds
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
- Oliver Bearman (Haas)
Eliminated in Q2:
- Lewis Hamilton (P12)
- Carlos Sainz (P13)
- Franco Colapinto (P14)
- Andrea Antonelli (P15)
Eliminated in Q1:
- Nico Hulkenberg
- Yuki Tsunoda
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Alexander Albon
The qualifying session at the Hungaroring set the stage for an exhilarating race, with Leclerc demonstrating his prowess and determination to secure a strong starting position. The battle among the top contenders promises to deliver an unforgettable spectacle for fans around the world. As the race approaches, anticipation builds for how these skilled drivers will navigate the challenges of the circuit and compete for victory in the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix.
