Lewis Hamilton described his performance as 'useless' after being knocked out in Q2 at the Hungarian Grand Prix, while his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc claimed the team's first pole of the season. The seven-time champion, who holds a record nine poles and eight wins at the Hungaroring, failed to advance to Q3 and will start 12th.
Hamilton's frustration was evident as he questioned his own ability. 'I'm useless, absolutely useless,' he said. 'It's not their problem, the other car is on pole. They probably need to change driver.' This marks the fourth time this season he has missed Q3, compounding a difficult campaign since joining Ferrari from Mercedes.
Leclerc, meanwhile, secured his 27th career pole in a tight session, beating McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris by just two-hundredths of a second. The top four cars were separated by four-hundredths. Leclerc admitted surprise, saying, 'Today is a day where I don't understand anything any more about the sport. Qualifying felt horrible.'
Ferrari's recent upgrade to the rear suspension, aimed at improving slow-corner performance, has brought them closer to the dominant McLarens. However, Leclerc's pole came amid changing conditions, with rain and shifting wind in Q3. George Russell qualified fourth for Mercedes, while Max Verstappen was eighth for Red Bull.
