F3 | Qualifying | Hungarian GP | Câmara pips Boya to claim pole position; Tsolov and Tramnitz fall behind - Motorsport

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The 2025 F3 Championship returned to the Hungaroring for the penultimate round of the season at the Hungarian GP, with the title battle reaching a critical stage. Trident’s Rafael Câmara led the standings heading into Qualifying, with a chance to wrap up the championship early if results fell in his favour. With just two rounds left and 13 drivers still mathematically in contention, every grid slot became crucial around a circuit notorious for tight margins and minimal overtaking.

Qualifying unfolded under clear skies—welcome relief after several rain-affected rounds—yet the usual Hungaroring challenges remained: dusty tarmac, narrow corners, high tyre degradation, and strict track limits. What followed was a tightly contested session, with multiple lead changes, deleted lap times, and fine margins across the grid.

Practice recap: Red flag halts late improvements

Earlier on Friday at the 2025 Hungarian GP, drivers used the 40-minute F3 Practice session to reacquaint themselves with the technical layout of the Hungaroring. Rafael Câmara ended fastest with a 1:33.830, ahead of Brad Benavides and Roman Bilinski. The session was interrupted late when Nikola Tsolov came to a stop at Turn 12 with gearbox issues, triggering a red flag that prevented final improvements.

Track limits proved problematic from the start, with several lap times deleted throughout. Tim Tramnitz lost his best effort and faced investigation for a practice start infringement. Many drivers completed limited high-speed runs due to traffic and the session-ending red flag.

Exploratory runs and early incidents

Qualifying began with a flurry of activity as most teams sent their cars out immediately. Hitech TGR’s Gerrard Xie and Nikita Johnson led the way, while Trident and Campos Racing delayed their runs, opting for a cleaner track later in the session.

Drama struck early when Race Control noted DAMS Lucas Oil’s Matías Zagazeta for an unsafe release in the pit lane. The Peruvian almost collided with AIX Racing’s James Hedley after hesitating on throttle.

Brando Badoer set the first time of note with a 2:18.790. Ugo Ugochukwu quickly lowered the benchmark to a 1:33.436. Traffic and tyre preparation meant several early laps hovered in the two-minute range before push laps began in earnest.

Rafael Câmara looked strong in Sector 1, but ran wide at Turn 4, resulting in a track limits violation and deletion of his time. The Brazilian reported understeer over Trident radio and returned to the pits to regroup. His teammate, Noah Strømsted, avoided issues and posted a 1:33.354 to lead the early classification. Laurens Van Hoepen followed closely on a 1:33.409.

Campos Racing runs out of sync

Campos Racing timed their first outing to perfection, taking to the track while most of the field pitted. Mari Boya delivered a clinical lap to go fastest with a 1:33.013. Teammates Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak and Nikola Tsolov slotted into P2 and P4, respectively, with laps of 1:33.351 and 1:33.386. Campos soon returned to the pit lane, with Tsolov undergoing a front wing change while others prepared for a second run.

Title contenders struggle

With 15 minutes left in the F3 Qualifying session of the 2025 Hungarian GP, Trident returned to the circuit. Strømsted failed to improve in Sector 1 and posted a time just shy of Boya. Badoer moved ahead with a 1:32.847, with MP Motorsport’s Noel León jumping to second with a 1:32.891.

Câmara’s next attempt was hampered by traffic once more, leaving him unable to challenge for the top spot. It was his teammate Charlie Wurz who surprised the field, clocking a 1:32.737 to go fastest despite being out of the title fight.

Ugochukwu delivered a strong lap immediately after, missing pole by only 0.001 seconds with a 1:32.738. MP Motorsport’s Alessandro Giusti followed with a 1:32.815, just ahead of Van Amersfoort Racing’s Théophile Naël on 1:32.826.

Campos rejoins, Tsolov struggles

Campos Racing re-emerged with under 10 minutes to go. Boya again impressed, setting the best first sector and improving to a 1:32.653—reclaiming provisional pole. Inthraphuvasak improved to P8 with a 1:32.894, but it was a dismal showing for Tsolov. The Bulgarian driver struggled for grip and rhythm, finishing his lap in P15 with a 1:33.037.

The result damaged Tsolov’s championship hopes, while Câmara stood to benefit, especially with Tim Tramnitz languishing outside the top ten. The Trident driver’s campaign for the crown remained firmly in his control.

Final moments: Câmara delivers under pressure

In the final five minutes, traffic became an overwhelming factor. Câmara was forced into the pit lane, returning to the circuit for a final effort just as the rest of the field prepared for their last laps.

Gerrard Xie shot up to second with a 1:32.663. Tuukka Taponen then went marginally quicker, posting a 1:32.652 to take provisional pole by 0.001 seconds over Boya.

Tramnitz attempted a final push but failed to improve, while those who had pitted earlier returned to the circuit for one last flyer. In a crucial lap under pressure, Câmara found clean air and improved in all three sectors. He crossed the line with a 1:32.510, taking pole position with less than a tenth to spare over Boya.

Boya, still on a push lap, went fastest in Sector 1 but fell short overall with a 1:32.518—just 0.008 seconds behind. Taponen’s 1:32.652 stood for P3, completing a front-running trio separated by just 0.142 seconds.