Summary

  • Leclerc takes pole; Piastri 2nd; Norris 3rd

  • Hamilton out in second session

  • Aston Martin show pace, Red Bull struggle

  • Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra 2 commentary at the top of the page

  • Get involved #bbcf1

  1. Spectacular Leclerc takes surprise Hungarian GP polepublished at 16:41 British Summer Time

    Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent at the Hungaroring

    Charles LeclercImage source, Getty Images

    Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took a sensational, surprise pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix ahead of McLaren's title contenders Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

    Leclerc, nowhere near the McLaren's pace until the final part of qualifying, pipped Piastri by just 0.026 seconds.

    Norris, 16 points adrift in the championship, was 0.015secs behind his team-mate.

    Mercedes' George Russell was fourth, ahead of a superb performance from the two Aston Martins, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll locking out the third row.

    Leclerc's team-mate Lewis Hamilton failed to progress beyond the second knock-out session and will start 12th.

    Read the full report here

  2. Race build-up from 13:00 BST on Sundaypublished at 16:40 British Summer Time

    Charles LeclercImage source, Getty Images

    Contrasting emotions for Ferrari today. While Charles Leclerc was in disbelief at his cracking pole position in Hungary, Lewis Hamilton couldn't be any more sombre with his Q2 knockout and performance.

    What of Leclerc tomorrow? He's sharing the front row with championship leader Oscar Piastri, who has the fire power behind him in that rapid McLaren. Can he hold off the Australian's attack and bring home the Scuderia's first proper win of the season?

    In terms of the title fight, Piastri has the upperhand over team-mate Lando Norris, who is third on the grid. There are 16 points between the pair, so who will come out on top before the summer break?

    And a special mention for Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto. The Brazilian made it through to Q3 again out-qualified four-time world champion Max Verstappen. The two drivers will be on the fourth row together in seventh and eighth.

    Get yourselves back here on Sunday for race build-up from 13:00 BST. Lights out is at 14:00.

    See you tomorrow!

  3. Listen: Hungarian GP previewpublished at 16:38 British Summer Time

    Media caption,

    Steve Crossman and the BBC F1 team look ahead to the Hungarian Grand Prix

    Steve Crossman is joined by Jennie Gow, Harry Benjamin, Sam Bird and Andrew Benson to preview the Hungarian Grand Prix.

    They look at the rivalry at McLaren as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri continue their push for the title and hear from both drivers.

    Williams’ Carlos Sainz also sits down with Steve to reflect on life in Formula 1.

    The team will be back with a review qualifying later tonight.

  4. 'I'm absolutely useless' - Hamiltonpublished at 16:37 British Summer Time

    Lewis Hamilton at the Hungarian Grand PrixImage source, Getty Images

    Lewis Hamilton got knocked out of Q2 and will start P12, he told Sky Sports: "I'm useless, absolutely useless. The team has no problem, you've seen the car on pole so they probably need to change driver."

  5. Postpublished at 16:34 British Summer Time

    Fernando Alonso tells Sky Sports "the car is better than my back", as that new front wing this weekend on the Aston Martin has lifted the team from a Q1 eliminations at Spa to fifth and sixth at the Hungaroring.

    Ouch. We've heard from Lewis Hamilton speaking to Sky and it's not good. When I tell you he's down on himself, I mean he is very down on himself...

  6. 'We were just slow, nothing to complain of' - Norrispublished at 16:31 British Summer Time

    Lando Norris at the Hungarian Grand PrixImage source, Getty Images

    McLaren’s Lando Norris starts in third, he said: "I think Charles [Leclerc] did a good job on the last lap, he probably risked a bit more in these conditions.

    "The wind changed a lot and it really seemed to punish us in a bigger way it seems, I mean not too many complaints. It seems we both thought we did some good laps at the end and we were just slow, nothing to complain of.

    On making the tyres last: "It’s a long lap with many corners and so it’s tricky. In Q2 we showed how quick we can go and our advantage but as soon as the wind changed everything went away and the last sector became in even trickier again.

    "It was not an easy lap to put things together but when you do it feels nice and when you don’t, like I did in Q3, I’m not so happy."

    On the race tomorrow: "I want to go forwards and I want to win, if I do that then I get points. I think it’s going to be an exciting race and I would expect us to have a bit more pace than Charles [Leclerc] so I’m looking forward to it."

  7. 'Wind did a 180 from Q1 to Q3' - Piastripublished at 16:28 British Summer Time

    Oscar PiastriImage source, Getty Images

    McLaren's Oscar Piastri, who will start second on the grid tomorrow: "I think the wind changed a lot. It always sounds so pathetic, blaming things on the wind, but the wind basically did a 180 from Q1 to Q3, so just meant a lot of the corners felt completely different.

    "My first lap in Q3 felt pretty terrible because I wasn't used to it. And then I thought the second lap was better - but it was even slower. Difficult to judge in those conditions and maybe not the best execution. I was a bit surprised that we couldn't go quicker than that. Second is still a decent spot to start. We'll see what we can do tomorrow.

    On Charles Leclerc securing pole: "Charles has been quick all weekend and even this morning, he was closer than we expected. Things just chaged a little bit and I guess he did a very good job. Well done to him, but I wasn't expecting to be second to a Ferrari this weekend. He's done a good job and it'll be a fun race tomorrow."

  8. 'Probably one of the best pole positions I’ve ever had' - Leclercpublished at 16:25 British Summer Time

    Charles Leclerc at the Hungarian Grand PrixImage source, Getty Images

    Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who will start in pole at the Hungaroring: "The whole qualifying has been extremely difficult and when I say that I’m not exaggerating.

    "It was super difficult for us to get to Q2 and Q3, in Q3 the conditions changed a little bit and everything became a lot trickier and I knew I had to just do a clean lap to target third.

    "At the end of the day it’s pole position and I definitely did not expect that.

    On the conditions changing in Q3: "I could feel [the grip change] a lot and I was on the lower side of the downforce so when the rain started in Q2 I was hoping that it wouldn’t stay there. It didn’t and the conditions changed which made it everything very tricky and at the end we were on pole position.

    "I 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.

    On the race tomorrow: "The start and Turn One will be key, I have no idea how it will go. One thing for sure is that I will 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."

  9. Postpublished at 16:21 British Summer Time

    The wind has been mentioned by each of the drivers in the post-qualifying interviews. Oscar Piastri said conditions were completely different from Q1 to the pole fight in Q3.

    On a side note, I've never seen another driver chug as much water after a session than Charles Leclerc. He's like a camel.

    George Russell should have a smile on his face following qualifying after putting his Mercedes in fourth spot for tomorrow's 70-lap race. He'll be sharing a row with Lando Norris, and Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will be just behind in a great afternoon's work by Aston Martin.

  10. And the restpublished at 16:15 British Summer Time

    11. Ollie Bearman (Haas)

    12. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

    13. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

    14. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

    15. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

    16. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)

    17. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

    18. Esteban Ocon (Haas)

    19. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)

    20. Alex Albon (Williams)

  11. Postpublished at 16:12 British Summer Time

    Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Sometimes as a driver you just hook up a lap and that is exactly what Charles Leclerc has done.

  12. Top 10published at 16:10 British Summer Time

    1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 1:15.372

    2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

    3. Lando Norris (McLaren)

    4. George Russell (Mercedes)

    5. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

    6. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

    7. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)

    8. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

    9. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)

    10. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)

  13. Postpublished at 16:06 British Summer Time

    "Whaaaaaaaaat?!" Charles Leclerc laughs on the team radio when told he's on pole position.

    Where did it go wrong for McLaren in that session? Lando Norris has to settle for the second row, lining up in third spot alongside the Mercedes of George Russell in fourth.

    charles leclercImage source, Getty Images
  14. Postpublished at 16:05 British Summer Time

    Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Nobody saw that coming, all we've spoken about all weekend is which McLaren driver is going to be on pole.

  15. chequered flag

    Chequered flagpublished at 16:05 British Summer Time

    My word, Charles Leclerc. Pole position at the track you said was your worst of the season. The Ferrari man gets it with a 1:15.372.

    He'll share the front row with the McLaren of Oscar Piastri, who was 0.026 secodns behind.

  16. Piastri goes P2published at 16:03 British Summer Time

    McLaren haven't got the answer to Charles Leclerc's flying lap. Oscar Piastri can only manage second spot on the grid.

  17. Leclerc goes provisional polepublished at 16:02 British Summer Time

    And now Charles Leclerc is top! The time to beat is 1:15.372!

  18. Postpublished at 16:02 British Summer Time

    Lando Norris is starting his bid for pole position now. Not only has he got to beat his team-mate Oscar Piastri, he's now got to bump down veteran Alonso, too.

  19. Alonso goes P2published at 16:00 British Summer Time

    Aston Martin have sent Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso early once again. Given Alonso has a dodgy back this weekend, fourth would be a great position for the Spaniard.

    Stroll completes his latest flyer and goes third! Well done. Now what can Alonso do? P2! He's 0.083 seconds off Oscar Piastri's marker.

    "That's a good lap," he tells his engineer.

  20. Postpublished at 15:58 British Summer Time

    The top three as it stands is Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris and George Russell. Charles Leclerc is down in sixth place, one place lower than Max Verstappen's Red Bull, which sits fifth behind Fernando Alonso in fourth.

    oscar piastriImage source, Getty Images