Hungarian Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc Grabs Pole For Ferrari After Hamilton Flops Again

Charles Leclerc took rod position for nan Hungarian Grand Prix for Ferrari, beating nan McLarens of Oscar Piastri into 2nd and 3rd successful a intimately fought title astatine nan Hungaroring. It is Leclerc’s first rod successful Hungary, connected nan juncture of his 163rd expansive prix, astatine a title he has still yet to win.

George Russell was 4th for Mercedes and Fernando Alonso successful 5th for Aston Martin. There was immense disappointment for Lewis Hamilton, however, pinch nan seven-times champion knocked retired successful 13th spot during Q2, contempt showing bully gait successful practice.

The pole, Ferrari’s first of nan year, is simply a awesome measurement for nan squad aft a difficult first half of nan season, demonstrating that nan rear suspension upgrade, aimed astatine addressing nan car’s weakness done nan slow corners, has been effective.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc surges retired of nan pit lane to separator retired nan McLarens. Photograph: Anna Szilágyi/AP

Leclerc told Sky Sports: “The full qualifying has been highly difficult and erstwhile I opportunity that I’m not exaggerating. It was ace difficult for america to get to Q2 and Q3, successful Q3 nan conditions changed a small spot and everything became a batch trickier and I knew I had to conscionable do a cleanable thigh to target third. At nan extremity of nan time it’s rod position and I decidedly did not expect that.”

Leclerc has ever shown fearsome gait successful qualifying, this is his 27th rod successful his eighth season, but it is converting it connected Sunday that matters and tcrucially Ferrari must now deliver.

On nan first runs successful Q3, Norris group nan early gait quickest done each sector, only to beryllium matched by a charging Piastri pinch a clip of 1min 15.398sec, conscionable nine-hundredths of a 2nd successful beforehand of his teammate.

With spots of rainfall opening to fall, nan way somesthesia dropping and a abrupt alteration of upwind direction, Russell, Alonso and Leclerc recovered themselves successful nan operation for what was a tense last showdown.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton aft going retired successful Q2. He will statement up 12th connected nan grid. ‘Every time. Every time,’ he said complete nan squad radio. Photograph: Bernadett Szabó/Reuters

Alonso showed awesome shape to initially move up to 2nd place. Leclerc followed him retired to return nan apical spot, while Norris and Piastri could not improve. Leclerc claimed rod successful 1: 15.372, nan apical 4 separated by conscionable four-hundredths of a second.

For Hamilton his vexation was clear. “Every time. Every time,” he told nan squad connected nan power aft he went out. Lance Stroll was successful sixth for Aston Martin, Gabriel Bortoleto seventh for Sauber, Max Verstappen eighth for Red Bull and Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar ninth and tenth for Racing Bulls.

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