Charles Leclerc will start the Hungarian Grand Prix from the front row, but the Ferrari driver faces a tyre disadvantage as he attempts to challenge Lando Norris for victory in Budapest. Charles Leclerc originally qualified third before being promoted to second on the Hungarian GP starting grid following the penalty handed to Lewis Hamilton.
Despite gaining a place, Charles Leclerc was far from satisfied after qualifying. The Monegasque explained that he had been unable to resolve some of the problems that had affected him since free practice, while he estimated that he lost a couple of tenths across only two corners: Turns 1 and 12.
Charles Leclerc struggled compared to Lewis Hamilton in qualifying
A front-row start nevertheless gives Charles Leclerc an excellent opportunity, particularly after Ferrari displayed encouraging race pace during Friday practice. Speaking to Sky Sport, he explained: “In the second run, the car was lacking everywhere. We had very little grip, especially at the rear. Throughout Q3, I struggled massively compared to Lewis at Turns 1 and 12, and that was down to me. I wasn’t good enough.”
Charles Leclerc continued his assessment of a difficult session: “I worked to try to find the right feeling and attempted to do something different with my driving, but I struggled on the final lap of Q3.”
His problems left him 0.238 seconds behind Lando Norris’s pole position time and 0.226 seconds adrift of Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton. Charles Leclerc had already explained why he felt Hungarian GP pole was slipping away from Q1, with the same two corners continuing to cause difficulties later in the session.
Used tyres complicate Charles Leclerc’s Hungarian GP strategy
The slightly chaotic progression of qualifying also forced Charles Leclerc to use an additional set of Soft tyres during Q2. As a result, the Ferrari driver will not have a new set of Medium or Soft tyres available for the race.
“With all the chaos in Q2, we fitted another set of tyres,” Charles Leclerc acknowledged. “That means we’ll have a used tyre for the first stint in the race, while the others won’t. It isn’t an excuse, but it will put us in a little bit of difficulty. Having said that, I’ll do everything I can to win.”
The tyre situation could make the opening stint more demanding, but Ferrari’s performance during the long runs means the team still has reason to approach Sunday with optimism. With Charles Leclerc starting alongside Lando Norris and the Scuderia retaining confidence in its Hungarian GP race pace, tyre management and strategic execution could determine whether the Monegasque can turn his front-row opportunity into a challenge for victory.
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