Formula One F1 - Hungarian Grand Prix - Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary - August 2, 2025 Ferrari's Charles Leclerc celebrates after qualifying in pole position REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki
BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Charles Leclerc stunned favourites McLaren by seizing pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday as Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton described himself as useless and suggested he should be replaced.
Formula One leader Oscar Piastri joined Leclerc on the front row with McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris qualifying a close third in a session they had been expected to dominate.
George Russell completed the second row for Mercedes.
The pole was Ferrari's first of the season in a regular grand prix but the contrast between Hamilton and Leclerc was painful for the Briton, who took a sprint pole in Shanghai in March but qualified only 12th.
"It's me every time," the seven-times world champion told Sky Sports television when explaining why he said "every time, every time" over the radio after failing to make the cut.
"I'm useless, absolutely useless.
"The team have no problem. You've seen the car's on pole," he added, referring to Leclerc's feat. "So we probably need to change driver."
The Hungaroring was once Hamilton's domain, the driver enjoying an unrivalled record of eight wins and nine poles there, but he has yet to stand on a podium for Ferrari.
Leclerc has had five top-three positions, although the Monegasque had to pinch himself at Saturday's entirely unexpected outcome.
"Today, I don’t understand anything in Formula One," commented the driver, who exclaimed over the radio "What? Mamma Mia!" when told he was on pole by 0.026 of a second.
"Honestly, the whole qualifying was extremely difficult. When I say extremely difficult, it’s not exaggerating.
"It’s probably one of the best pole positions I’ve ever had. It’s the most unexpected, for sure."
The pole was his first since Azerbaijan last September.
Piastri, 16 points clear of Norris in what looks like a two-horse race for the title, was almost as surprised after he and Norris were first and second after the first flying laps of the final shootout.
"I wasn't expecting to be second to a Ferrari this weekend," said the Australian, who took his first win in Hungary last year and had been fastest in Saturday's final practice after Norris dominated Friday's sessions.
McLaren had taken eight previous poles this season and qualified one-two in Hungary last time around.
McLaren have also won 10 of 13 races so far, with six one-two finishes, but overtaking is not easy at the comparatively slow and twisty circuit outside Budapest.
Leclerc now has a real chance of securing Ferrari's first win of 2025 if he can stave off the McLarens on Sunday, when rain is a possible complication.
Norris felt Leclerc had risked a bit more with his final flying lap, with the wind changing towards the end of the session.
"I think it’s going to be an exciting race. I would expect us to have a bit more pace than Charles, so I’m looking forward to it," said the Briton, who qualified 0.015 slower than Piastri.
Behind the top four, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll qualified fifth and sixth in a marked improvement for that team who had been last on the grid a weekend ago in Belgium.
Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto will line up seventh for resurgent Sauber, the future Audi factory team, with reigning champion Max Verstappen eighth fastest for Red Bull.
Racing Bulls pair Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar rounded out the top 10 on the grid.
Verstappen's teammate Yuki Tsunoda failed to make it through the first phase - dropping out after his predecessor in the Red Bull seat Lawson went faster - and will start 16th.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Pritha Sarkar)
