Leclerc in shock Hungary pole

FERRARI'S Charles Leclerc took a surprise pole position for today’s Hungarian Grand Prix - as teammate Lewis Hamilton could manage only 12th.

- BY PHILIP DUNCAN Press Association

Championship leader Oscar Piastri and title rival Lando Norris had been expected to fight for pole but the McLaren men were left to settle for second and third respectively.

Leclerc saw off Piastri by just 0.026 seconds with Norris only 0.015 sec behind the Australian. George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes.

McLaren had dominated all weekend at the Hungaroring with Norris fastest in both sessions on Friday, and Piastri - who leads his teammate by 16 points in the world championship - quickest in the concluding running prior to qualifying.

But Leclerc pulled a mighty lap out of the bag to secure both his and Ferrari's first pole of the season.