Leclerc from pole, Verstappen hunting: the provisional starting grid for the Hungarian GP

Charles Leclerc is chasing his first win of the season with the two McLarens right behind him, while Max Verstappen looks to fight his way back from eighth on the grid. Here is the provisional starting grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

After a tightly contested qualifying session that saw Charles Leclerc unexpectedly claim his first pole of the season, everything is set for what promises to be a thrilling Hungarian Grand Prix.

Lining up on pole, as just mentioned, will be Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque pulled off a last-minute charge after narrowly escaping elimination in Q2—just like his teammate—and snatched pole from Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris by mere thousandths.

Still, it’s little cause for concern for the two McLaren drivers, who remain confident they have the strongest car heading into the race.

It wasn’t the best of days for Max Verstappen and Red Bull. After struggling throughout the weekend, the Dutchman at least managed to get his RB21 into Q3, ultimately qualifying in eighth place. Yuki Tsunoda, meanwhile, was once again knocked out in Q1, ending up sixteenth.

A strong showing instead for Aston Martin, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finishing fifth and sixth respectively—just a tenth off pole position. It was yet another sign of how incredibly tight qualifying was at the top of the field.

The question that now naturally arises is: can Leclerc hold on to his hard-earned pole and secure his first win of the season—for himself and for Ferrari? Or will McLaren assert its dominance once again on race day? And what about Verstappen—can he fight his way back to the podium from eighth on the grid?

Provisional starting grid - Hungarian GP

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