F1 Race -Leclerc Edges Out Piastri and Norris for Shock Pole Position in Hungary

In a spectacular twist during the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix Qualifying, Charles Leclerc clinched pole position for Sunday’s F1 race, producing a masterful lap at the very last moment to outpace McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris by the slimmest of margins.

Leclerc’s lap of 1:15.372 in the dying seconds of Q3 put him just 0.026s ahead of Piastri and 0.041s clear of Norris after a session marked by shifting weather conditions and thrills throughout.

A Qualifying Showdown to Remember

Qualifying at the Hungaroring saw unpredictable elements at play, with drops of rain in Q2 and falling track temperatures complicating strategies for all teams. Despite these challenges, Leclerc rose to the occasion—his final effort stunning both the crowd and his competitors as he dethroned session leaders Piastri and Norris.

George Russell delivered a strong performance for Mercedes to secure fourth, narrowly ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso in fifth. Alonso’s momentum in practice carried over to qualifying, followed closely by team mate Lance Stroll in sixth.

Surprises Up and Down the Grid

Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto emerged as a standout performer, grabbing seventh place and outqualifying reigning champion Max Verstappen, who could only manage eighth after a challenging session for Red Bull—a rare sight in the current F1 race era.

Racing Bulls celebrated a double top-10 start, with Liam Lawson continuing his impressive run with ninth, just ahead of rookie team mate Isack Hadjar.

Meanwhile, seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton endured a tough session, bowing out in Q2 and ending up 12th, with radio frustrations echoing his struggles. Another notable casualty was Kimi Antonelli, who after losing a lap time for track limits, will start 15th.

Early Drama and Noteworthy Exits

Q1 began amid high tension and overcast skies. An early lock-up for Carlos Sainz put him in the drop zone, and a gravel excursion for Piastri did not prevent the McLaren star from topping the initial timesheets. Alonso briefly claimed P1, but as lap times rapidly tumbled, Piastri reasserted his pace.

Red Bull’s Verstappen found himself on the cusp, narrowly advancing, while Yuki Tsunoda, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg, and Alex Albon were all eliminated in the opening session.

Full Qualifying Top 5

With Leclerc’s shock pole, the stage is set for an unmissable Hungarian Grand Prix F1 race, with multiple contenders eyeing victory and plenty of stories to watch as Sunday unfolds.