Leclerc: Today, I don’t understand anything about Formula 1

In a qualifying session that looked like another McLaren front-row lockout, it was the Ferrari driver Leclerc who emerged fastest when it mattered most in the final stages of Q3 during Qualifying in Hungary on Saturday.

“Today, I don’t understand anything at Formula 1,” Leclerc said after stepping out of the car. “Honestly, the whole qualifying has been extremely difficult. When I say extremely difficult, it’s not exaggerating. It was difficult for us to get to Q2, it was difficult for us to get to Q3.”

McLaren had dominated Friday, and Piastri topped final practice earlier on Saturday. But as conditions shifted late in the session, Leclerc made the most of his low-downforce setup and navigated the tricky Hungaroring in 1:15.132, beating Piastri by just 0.026s to claim his and Ferrari’s first pole in a regular Grand Prix this season.

The Monegasque continued: “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’s pole position. I definitely did not expect that.”

Leclerc admitted he struggled with grip during the earlier stages, particularly when light rain briefly affected Q2. But he held his nerve and pushed through: “I could definitely feel it (the grip change) a lot, and I was also on the lower side of the downforce.

"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," Leclerc said with a broad grin.

For a driver accustomed to smooth laps and clinical execution, this one stood out for Leclerc. “Honestly, I have no words. It’s probably one of the best pole positions I’ve ever had. It’s the most unexpected, for sure.”

Asked if he believed he could convert pole into a race win on Sunday, Leclerc was cautious but determined: “The start and Turn 1 will be key. 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, that should make our life easier for the rest of the race.”

But while Leclerc celebrated, his Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton endured a bitter afternoon in the other Ferrari. The seven-time World Champion failed to reach Q3, ending up only 12th on the grid.

When facing the media, Hamilton cut a disconsolate figure and took full blame for the poor result: “It's me every time. I'm useless, absolutely useless. The team have no problem. You've seen the car's on pole. So we probably need to change driver.”

In the Ferrari team report later, Hamilton is quoted: "Clearly a massively disappointing day and being on the wrong side of a tenth cost me. Congratulations to Charles and the team. It shows what can happen when things align. I’ve got a lot of work to do and will remain focused on that."

It was a brutal self-assessment from the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion, who had hoped to find momentum before the summer break, but whose return to Ferrari has so far been fraught with underperformance.

While Leclerc now lines up with a real shot at victory, Hamilton faces a long Sunday grafting his way through a very tight F1 midfield.