Leclerc stunned by pole: 'Today I don't understand Formula One'

Charles Leclerc has managed to wrestle pole away from the firm grip McLaren had on it, as neither Oscar Piastri nor Lando Norris were able to best him in qualifying, leaving Leclerc answerless to the shock result.

Speaking after the session Lecerc said: "Today I don't understand anything about Formula 1. I mean, honestly, the whole qualifying has been extremely difficult."

"When I say extremely difficult, it's not exaggerating. It was super, super difficult. It was difficult for us to get to Q2. It was difficult for us to get to Q3."

In the final part of qualifying, though, the weather shifted subtly. "Q3, the conditions changed a little bit. Everything became a lot trickier. And I knew I just had to do a clean lap to target third. At the end of the day it's pole position. I mean I definitely did not expect that."

Conditions shifted and Leclerc feared

"Yeah, yeah, I could definitely feel it a lot. And I was also a bit on the lower side of the downforce. So when the rain started in Q2, I was just hoping that it wouldn't stay there. It didn't."

"The conditions changed,which made everything very tricky. And at the end, we are in pole position. Honestly, I have no words. Yeah, it's probably one of the best pole positions I've ever had because it's the most unexpected for sure."

But can Leclerc complete the miracle tomorrow during the race? "The start and turn one will be key. I have no idea how it will go, but one thing for sure is that I'll 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," concluded the Monegasque.