Ferrari recovered a measure of satisfaction after a challenging start to the qualifying session for the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix, which included the surprise elimination of Lewis Hamilton in Q2. The Scuderia managed to salvage the session with an unexpected and improbable pole position by Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque driver’s final flying lap placed him ahead of all the other competitors, including both McLaren drivers, who had seemed untouchable just moments earlier. The result came as a surprise to nearly everyone in the paddock, and team principal Frederic Vasseur reacted positively—while also warning that Ferrari cannot overlook the problems encountered earlier in the session. Understanding and resolving those issues will be essential for further progress in the coming races.
From the brink of elimination in Q2 to pole position in Q3, it was a session full of contrasts for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton’s early exit underscored how unpredictable and challenging conditions were throughout qualifying. As is customary, Frederic Vasseur addressed the media shortly after the session, speaking to Sky Sport F1 about the team’s performance. It was Ferrari’s first pole position of the season, a cause for some celebration, though Vasseur stressed that the team’s focus must already turn to the race.
“We were lucky today, because we were really close to being eliminated in Q2 with both drivers,” the French manager admitted. The main talking point, as expected, revolved around tyre management. “We struggled at the start of the session, with the wind, the lower temperatures, and even a few drops of rain. But we came back stronger—perhaps even more than we had expected,” he explained. According to the French team boss, the key to Leclerc’s pole was all in the preparation lap. “Charles managed to bring the tyres into the optimal operating window at exactly the right moment, during his final prep lap. Everything is so sensitive now—being first or tenth on the grid can come down to just the tiniest detail.”
Despite the turnaround in Q3, Frederic Vasseur was clear that the difficulties encountered in Q1 and Q2 must not be overlooked. “In Q3 we had everything under control, but we cannot forget about the problems we experienced earlier in the session. If we want to consistently deliver strong performances for the remainder of the season, we need to understand why we are having these ups and downs—although the same applies to other teams as well.”
Tyre warm-up has become one of the most complex and decisive aspects of modern Formula 1. According to Fred Vasseur, it can make or break a qualifying lap. “Every team has its own way of bringing the tyres up to temperature during the preparation lap. It’s crucial. If you get the tyres up to temperature in Turn 1, it’s not easy to keep them in the right window for the rest of the lap. On the other hand, if you lack grip and slide through Turn 1, you lose performance over the entire lap. We were frustrated, because we had been strong all weekend, and then we ran into issues when it mattered most.”
Those same problems, Fred Vasseur noted, led to Lewis Hamilton’s elimination in Q2—by just a few hundredths of a second. “At the beginning of qualifying, we were nowhere,” the Ferrari boss said, highlighting how unpredictable and fine the margins were throughout the session.
“It’s incredibly difficult—you never really know how much to push, or how the track conditions are evolving,” Fred Vasseur added. “That’s true for everyone. Take Kimi for example: he was doing very well, and then he got knocked out in Q2 as well. The operating window is so narrow that getting everything right is an extremely difficult task.”
The Frenchman emphasized that this is not the time to rest on any laurels. Ferrari must continue learning from its mistakes to make improvements. “Lewis had a good rhythm up to this point—he was ahead of Charles in Q1, and then missed the right opportunity in Q2. After that, we improved in Q3, so that’s a shame,” he admitted.
Looking ahead to the race, Fred Vasseur acknowledged that the layout of the Hungaroring will make things particularly difficult. As for Charles Leclerc’s chances of converting pole into victory, much will depend on execution. Could cooler conditions play into Ferrari’s hands? “In yesterday’s long-run simulations, we were very strong and consistent—even compared to McLaren. But we should not focus too much on that. Let’s concentrate on ourselves and aim to execute a solid race strategy, manage tyre degradation well, and if we do all that, everything should go well.”
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