Leclerc snatches Hungarian GP pole as McLaren falter in changing winds
Despite topping every practice session, McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris could not match Leclerc's late surge in qualifying.
Series leader Piastri admitted the changing conditions caught them off guard.
'The wind basically did a 180 from Q1 to Q3,' he said.
'A lot of the corners felt completely different.
Second is still decent, but we'll see what we can do tomorrow.'
Norris, trailing Piastri by 16 points in the championship, acknowledged Leclerc's bold approach.
'Charles risked a bit more in these conditions,' he said.
'The wind punished us more than others.'
Leclerc's pole marks his first in Hungary and Ferrari's first of the season, with just 0.053 seconds separating the top four.
Piastri starts second, Norris third, followed by Mercedes' George Russell.
Max Verstappen, struggling in eighth, faces an uphill battle from the midfield. – AFP
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