Charles Leclerc: Hungary F1 pole “most unexpected of my career” after “extremely difficult” qualifying

Charles Leclerc has described his pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix as the “most unexpected” of his Formula 1 career after the “extreme difficulties” he faced in qualifying.

Ferrari driver Leclerc sat in his sixth position at the end of his first run in Q3, as McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris again monopolised the top two spots to provisionally lock the front row of the grid.

However, the Monegasque driver managed to produce a best time of 1m15.372s on his final flying lap to beat Piastri to the top spot by just 0.026s in a closely-contested session.

It was the first pole position for Ferrari since last year’s Azerbaijan GP, and only the third time this season that Leclerc had qualified on the front row.

Speaking afterwards, the 27-year-old said he was shocked by his final result, having felt he had barely scraped through to Q2 and Q3 in order to join the fight for pole position.

“Today I don't understand anything [about] Formula 1,” he said during the post-qualifying TV. interview.

“Honestly, the whole qualifying has been extremely difficult. When I say extremely difficult, it's not exaggerating. 

“It was super, super difficult. It was difficult for us to get to Q2. It was difficult for us to get to Q3. 

“[In] Q3, the conditions changed a little bit. Everything became a lot trickier, and I knew I just had to do a clean lap to target third. At the end of the day it is pole position. I definitely did not expect that.”

He added: “Honestly, I have no words. It's probably one of the best pole positions I've ever had because it's the most unexpected for sure. “

Light rain hit the Hungaroring at the start of the second session in qualifying and although it never converted into a full-blown shower, there was a noticeable change in track conditions.

Leclerc, who secured his 27th career pole in F1, added: “I  could definitely feel [the changes] a lot and I was also a bit on the lower side of the downforce. 

“So when the rain started in Q2, I was just hoping that it wouldn't stay there. It didn't.

“The conditions changed, which made everything very tricky, and at the end we are on pole position.

“Honestly, I have no words. It's probably one of the best pole positions I've ever had because it's the most unexpected for sure. “

Ferrari has yet to register a victory this year, with Leclerc’s second-place finish in the Monaco Grand Prix marking the Scuderia’s best result of the season.

But pole position on Saturday has significantly boosted the chance of Ferrari, with the Hungaroring known to be notoriously difficult for overtaking.

“The start and turn one will be key,” said Leclerc. “I have no idea how it will go, but one thing for sure is that I'll do absolutely everything in order to keep that first place. 

“If we manage to do that, then that should make our life easier for the rest of the race.”