Charles Leclerc expressed shock as a “horrible” qualifying session for the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix concluded with him clinching an unexpected pole position.
Leclerc produced a remarkable final run to usurp the McLaren duo, who had dominated the weekend up until a change in track conditions in Q3 thwarted both drivers.
Ferrari had looked poised to be the nearest rival to McLaren as Leclerc ended all three practice hours in third place, but that potential subsided once qualifying began.
Leclerc had to avoid sustaining a premature exit in the opening two sessions, an outcome that Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton endured as he was eliminated in Q2.
But while the sole remaining Ferrari’s initial run in Q3 placed him sixth, Leclerc then improved to top the timesheets with a lap 0.026 seconds faster than Oscar Piastri.
“Well, today is a day where I don’t understand anything anymore about the sport,” Leclerc remarked to media including Motorsport Week.
“I mean, honestly, qualifying felt horrible from the first lap to maybe the penultimate lap. Everything felt out of place.
“It really felt like we had done a step backwards from FP3. And in terms of competitiveness, Q1 I was on the limit, barely made it to Q2.
“Q2 I was on the limit. I mean, I did quite a big mistake in Turn 4, but still, it wasn’t easy to get to Q3.
“And then Q3, the conditions, I think, changed for everybody.
“I basically just did a clean lap, which was, I think it was a really good lap because those conditions were very difficult, I think, to get everything right.
“I did, but I was really happy about the lap. And it’s probably the biggest, the most surprising pole position I’ve ever done.
“I think after FP3, it wouldn’t have been so surprising. But after Q1 and Q2, I really thought we would struggle to get into the top five even. So I’m very happy.”
Leclerc perplexed by Ferrari surge in Hungary
Piastri couldn’t improve on his last timed attempt, while Lando Norris was 0.041s down on Leclerc as the switch in wind direction had an adverse impact on McLaren.
Leclerc, who had anticipated being limited to third at best behind the two McLarens, admitted the increased gusts also made his Ferrari car more challenging to drive.
“The car was a lot more difficult in Q3 than it was in Q2,” he explained. “But then I don’t know if it’s more difficult in relative compared to the McLaren or easier.
“But for sure, we gained competitiveness not only towards the McLaren, but towards everybody in Q3.
“Because when I finished the lap, I really thought that this was probably good enough for P3 just, but definitely not P1.
“So it was a good surprise. However, it also felt worse for me from Q2 to Q3.”
The Hungaroring has long been considered a circuit where passing another car is tough due to the limited overtaking opportunities around the 4.381-kilometre venue.
But with rain on the horizon, Leclerc has warned that there could be an additional hurdle to overcome in his quest to seize Ferrari’s first victory since October last year.
Asked whether he is optimistic that he can convert pole into the race win, Leclerc responded: “I don’t know. I think there’s some rain around tomorrow.
“So if that is the case, then it’s obviously easier to overtake.
“But it’s always better to be starting first, especially on this track. So I’m very happy with my starting position and now full focus on trying to keep it tomorrow.”
READ MORE – Charles Leclerc snatches pole for F1 Hungarian GP from McLaren
