McLaren Leads Qualifying At Hungaroring As Verstappen Struggles

Budapest, Hungary – Round 14 of the 2025 Formula One season saw McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris dominate the qualifying session at the Hungaroring. With the first round of qualifying starting amid warm weather conditions, Piastri set a stunning pace, clocking a fastest lap of 1:15.554.

Despite struggling early in the session, Piastri’s time ultimately secured his position at the front, while Norris followed closely behind with a time of 1:15.927. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari finished third with a lap time of 1:16.216, showing promise but unable to match the McLaren speed.

Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda, both from Red Bull Racing, faced challenges throughout the qualifying session. Verstappen finished a disappointing 12th, languishing 1.246 seconds behind the lead, after expressing frustration with his car’s setup and balance over team radio. Tsunoda fared slightly better in 17th place, indicating ongoing issues for the Red Bull team.

“You try to fix the rear and then it ploughs into understeer,” Verstappen communicated to his team, outlining the difficulties he experienced with his car’s handling. His teammate, Tsunoda, faced his own challenges, with limited performance in the session.

Aston Martin showed strong form with Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso finishing a solid fourth and fifth, respectively. However, Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes managed to secure sixth on the grid. George Russell, his teammate, ended up seventh, showcasing Mercedes’ competitive strength despite overall fluctuations in their season.

After battling through the earlier rounds, teams will regroup ahead of the race on Sunday. McLaren looks poised for a strong showing, aiming to extend their championship lead as the summer break approaches.