Leclerc Upsets McLaren with First Pole of 2025
Taking a shocking pole position from McLaren, Charles Leclerc will start the Hungarian Grand Prix at the front of the pack. After McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris dominated the practice sessions, Leclerc came out on top, finishing 0.026 seconds faster than Piastri in qualifying. All three practice sessions at the Hungarian Grand Prix had Norris and Piastri at the top and Leclerc consistently in third. Much like these practice runs, McLaren has been dominating the 2025 season. Piastri and Norris have each held the pole position four times, and McLaren has finished first 10 times out of the 13 races so far. Ferrari, with 248 points, is second in the Constructor Championship to McLaren, with 516 points. With fewer than half the points of McLaren, Ferrari has only seen the podium twice, both a third-place finish by Leclerc. However, this pole position may give Ferrari the confidence it needs for the final race before the summer break.
The Hungarian Grand Prix is the last race before a three-week mandatory break. Ferrari has not been performing strongly in the first half of the year, with teammate Lewis Hamilton qualifying in 12th place this morning. After a rough race last weekend in Belgium, finishing in seventh, Hamilton was ready to redeem himself this weekend. The seven-time world champion seems to be at an all-time low, saying he is “absolutely useless” and that Ferrari has no problem because “you see the car is on pole. So, they probably need to change the driver,” referencing himself. A strong performance in the race tomorrow could be the motivation both Ferrari drivers need in the remaining 10 races.
After taking Ferrari’s first pole of the season, Leclerc even shocked himself with the outcome. McLaren has become comfortable starting in the front, and Piastri and Norris were visibly upset after Leclerc’s faster finish. Piastri claimed his slower time was because “the wind changed a lot.” He went on to say that Charles was quick all weekend, but he “wasn’t expecting to be second to a Ferrari this weekend.” Wind or no wind, Leclerc delivered a dominating performance that he says is “probably one of the best pole positions I’ve ever had, because it is the most unexpected.” Leclerc’s comeback qualifying lap has shaken McLaren’s confidence, and all eyes will be on Ferrari tomorrow. This surprise pole could be the victory they need to secure their first win of the season. With the summer break looming, the Hungarian Grand Prix will set the tone for what Ferrari can achieve for the rest of the year.
