F1 Spanish GP LIVE: Updates and race start time after Piastri wins McLaren battle for pole

Independent

2 days ago

F1 is in Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix and Oscar Piastri enjoyed a very successful Saturday as he beat teammate Lando Norris to seal pole in a McLaren front-row lockout.
The Catalunya track is not long for F1, with the Spanish GP relocating to Madrid next year, though Barcelona is expected to finish its current contract with a final race in 2026.
Piastri may not want it to wave goodbye to the track as he secured the biggest pole margin of the campaign, grabbing top spot for the fourth time as he outpaced Norris by 0.209s.
There was a humdinger of a battle for third as Max Verstappen, who finished fourth in Monaco last weekend and won last year's race in Spain, and George Russell of Mercedes finished on the same time but the Red Bull reigning champion was given the nod as he finished his lap first. Lewis Hamilton is eyeing further improvement, particularly in light of a new FIA clampdown on flexi-wings this weekend, and drove his Ferrari into a creditable fifth spot.
Pinned
Oscar Piastri beats McLaren team-mate Lando Norris to Spanish Grand Prix pole
Oscar Piastri delivered a hammer blow to Lando Norris's bid to win back-to-back races by seeing off his title rival to take a commanding pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix.
Piastri holds a three-point championship lead over Norris, and the Australian delivered in qualifying to beat the British driver by an impressive 0.209 seconds at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya – the biggest pole margin of the season so far.
World champion Max Verstappen took third place for Red Bull, one spot clear of Mercedes' George Russell. Verstappen and Russell set identical times with the former taking the higher grid slot after setting his time first.
Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth with Kimi Antonelli sixth for Mercedes and Charles Leclerc, who completed just one quick lap in Q3, seventh.
Oscar Piastri beats McLaren team-mate Lando Norris to Spanish Grand Prix pole
Piastri holds a three-point lead over Norris in the drivers' championship
Luke Baker31 May 2025 17:14
What Lance Stroll's withdrawal means for the Spanish Grand Prix grid
Under the rules, Lance Stroll cannot be replaced, leaving a 19-driver grid for Sunday's race. His withdrawal means those who qualified 15th to 20th will all move up one spot.
Those affected are Ollie Bearman (Haas), Nico Hulkenberg (Kick Sauber), Esteban Ocon (Haas), Carlos Sainz (Williams), Franco Colapinto (Alpine) and Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull).
Oscar Piastri will start from pole position in Spain after he edged out McLaren team-mate Lando Norris.
Harry Latham-Coyle1 June 2025 10:20
Lance Stroll pulls out of Spanish Grand Prix with wrist injury
Aston Martin 's Lance Stroll has withdrawn from Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix through injury.
Stroll qualified 14th at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya but his team said the decision not to contest the ninth round of the campaign related to a broken wrist he sustained in a cycling accident ahead of the 2023 season.
A statement from the British team said: "Over the course of the past six weeks Lance has been experiencing pain in his hand and wrist, which his medical consultant believes is in relation to the procedure he underwent in 2023.
"As a result his medical team have confirmed that he will not race tomorrow and he will undergo a procedure to rectify these issues before focusing on his recovery."
Lance Stroll pulls out of Spanish Grand Prix with wrist injury
Stroll qualified 14th in his Aston Martin but won't compete in Sunday's race
Harry Latham-Coyle1 June 2025 10:02
Spanish GP qualifying a contrast of emotions
Ups and down for the drivers in qualifying on Saturday
Luke Baker1 June 2025 09:15
Oscar Piastri says relationship with Lando Norris unaffected by title battle
Oscar Piastri has claimed his relationship with Lando Norris will not spiral out of control as the McLaren drivers duel to become champion of the world.
Following his much-needed victory last time out in Monaco, Norris heads into Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix just three points adrift of his Australian team-mate.
McLaren have taken six victories from the eight rounds so far, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen – the only driver outside of the British team to win this season – claiming this week that he no longer feels he is in the title fight.
Oscar Piastri says relationship with Lando Norris unaffected by title battle
The McLaren pair have won six of this season's eight races between them.
Luke Baker1 June 2025 08:25
Carlos Sainz opens up on Red Bull F1 rejection after Ferrari axe
Carlos Sainz has opened up on Red Bull rejecting the chance to sign him last year after he was axed by Ferrari in favour of Lewis Hamilton.
Spanish driver Sainz moved to Williams ahead of the 2025 season, having lost his F1 seat at Ferrari after four years, with Hamilton making the £50m-a-year move from Mercedes.
Sainz opted for James Vowles' team over the likes of Alpine and Sauber, with other options at Mercedes and Red Bull failing to materialise.
Now, the 30-year-old has admitted that Christian Horner did not take up the opportunity to sign him last year, with Sergio Perez eventually dropped in favour of Liam Lawson. Yuki Tsunoda replaced Lawson after two races of the new season.
Carlos Sainz opens up on Red Bull F1 rejection after Ferrari axe
The Spanish driver was a contender to become Max Verstappen's teammate but instead moved to Williams
Luke Baker1 June 2025 07:30
Alpine boss Flavio Briatore 'should not be back in F1', says Johnny Herbert
Johnny Herbert believes Flavio Briatore should 'not be back in F1' after the Italian maverick returned to the paddock with Alpine as de facto team principal.
Briatore, 75, will enact all the duties of former team principal Oliver Oakes after the Briton's resignation three weeks ago, due to personal reasons.
While Briatore's official title will remain 'executive adviser', he is effectively back as team boss 17 years after the 2008 Crashgate scandal, when he was initially given a lifetime ban from the sport for his role as Renault team principal in Nelson Piquet Jnr's deliberate crash in Singapore.
Alpine boss Flavio Briatore 'should not be back in F1', says Johnny Herbert
Briatore is de facto team principal at Alpine, 17 years on from his role in F1's infamous 'Crashgate' scandal
Luke Baker1 June 2025 06:45
Lewis Hamilton slams flexi-wing changes
Lewis Hamilton took aim at the new front-wing technical directive that has come into force this weekend but doesn't appear to have changed things too much...
'It has not made a difference,' he said.
'What a waste of money. The wings still bend and everyone has had to spend more money. It doesn't make sense. I would have given that money to charity.'
Luke Baker1 June 2025 05:45
F1 constructor standings ahead of Spanish GP
1. McLaren - 317 points
2. Mercedes - 147 points
3. Red Bull - 143 points
4. Ferrari - 142 points
5. Williams - 54 points
6. Haas - 26 points
7. Racing Bulls - 22 points
8. Aston Martin - 14 points
9. Alpine - 7 points
10. Sauber - 6 points
Luke Baker1 June 2025 03:45
F1 driver standing ahead of Spanish GP
1. Oscar Piastri – 161 points
2. Lando Norris – 158 points
3. Max Verstappen – 136 points
4. George Russell – 99 points
5. Charles Leclerc – 79 points
6. Lewis Hamilton – 63 points
7. Kimi Antonelli – 48 points
8. Alex Albon – 42 points
9. Esteban Ocon – 20 points
10. Isack Hadjar – 15 points
11. Lance Stroll – 14 points
12. Carlos Sainz – 13 points
13. Yuki Tsunoda – 10 points
14. Liam Lawson – 8 points
15. Pierre Gasly – 7 points
16. Nico Hulkenberg - 6 points
17. Ollie Bearman – 6 points
18. Fernando Alonso – 0 points
19. Jack Doohan – 0 points
20. Gabriel Bortoleto – 0 points
Luke Baker1 June 2025 02:45