Charles Leclerc Jokes He ‘Doesn’t Understand’ F1 After Shock Pole at Hungarian GP

Charles Leclerc was confused to find himself on pole position at the Hungarian GP after expecting yet another dismal weekend.

Charles Leclerc Jokes He ‘Doesn’t Understand’ F1 After Shock Pole at Hungarian GP

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc (via Ferrari)

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Charles Leclerc shocked the sporting world as he took pole position for the Hungarian GP. Just a day ago, the Ferrari driver had downplayed his chances, claiming that the Hungaroring was his least favorite track in the sport. But things changed drastically in Qualifying, with the Monegasque driver putting up a stellar effort in Q3. Now, Leclerc has reckoned that he couldn’t fathom what happened in the session.

The Monegasque driver has never been a fan of the Hungarian GP. The 27-year-old has never even stepped on the podium at the Hungaroring, let alone get a shot at victory. Ahead of the weekend, Charles Leclerc had confessed that he was not expecting a decent performance, particularly with Ferrari’s persistent issues.

Initially, Qualifying was difficult for Leclerc. The Ferrari star had to fight his way to Q3 while his teammate Lewis Hamilton was knocked out in the second session. Though, Charles Leclerc put in an incredible performance in the ending stages of the final session. Leclerc managed to comfortably outperform the two McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to take pole position.

After the session, Charles Leclerc took a humorous dig at himself. The Monegasque driver reckoned that he just can’t understand how Formula 1 works. At first, the Ferrari star was struggling to even make his way to the Top 10 shootout. But the situation changed so drastically that now Leclerc will start from pole and be the favorite for victory on Sunday. He confessed that he was hoping to just secure third place in the session, but the track conditions helped him out on the final run.

Today, I don’t understand anything in Formula 1. The whole Qualifying was extremely difficult. It was difficult to get to Q2 and difficult to get to Q3. Then the conditions changed, I knew I had to do a clean lap to target third, and I can’t believe it.

Charles Leclerc said post-Qualifying

Charles Leclerc reveals ‘extreme step up’ before Hungarian GP pole

The 2025 season has not been the best for Charles Leclerc or Ferrari. After finishing in second place in the championship, the Scuderia has fallen behind in terms of pure pace with neither Leclerc nor Hamilton even coming close to fighting for a race victory. However, the Hungarian GP pole position will serve as a massive boost for the 27-year-old.

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc (via Getty)
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc (via Getty)

Charles Leclerc admitted that he didn’t necessarily try something different this weekend. The 27-year-old pointed out that the update package at the Belgian GP was behind the turnaround in fortunes. Leclerc claimed that in the past, he was forced to take extreme measures to extract performance out of the car. However, he feels much more comfortable with the car now.

This weekend I didn’t do anything different. The Spa update definitely helped me extract something more. Before, I had to set up the car in an extreme way and struggled to be consistent. Now it seems to suit my driving style better.

Charles Leclerc stated

Certainly, Charles Leclerc’s pole position is a good sign for Ferrari. The Italian team’s upgrade package has shown some progress. Though, there are still some issues, notably with Lewis Hamilton having another disastrous run. Nevertheless, Leclerc has good chances of securing his first win of the season tomorrow. However, the two McLarens will remain a constant threat.

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