Oscar Piastri beats Lando Norris to pole for Spanish Grand Prix

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2 days ago

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.
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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.
McLaren have won six of the eight rounds so far, and their rivals might have hoped that a clampdown on flexible front wings - which some believe has contributed to the British team's rise - would slow them down. However, the rule tweak has done little to influence McLaren's speed, with Piastri and Norris embroiled in a tense battle for pole.
Norris secured top spot in Monaco a week ago before going on to claim his first win since March's season-opening round in Melbourne.
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He ended the first runs here in Q3 holding a slender 0.017 sec margin over his team-mate. Norris enjoyed a tow off Piastri's McLaren with the Australian calling his team-mate's antics 'cheeky'.
The McLaren duo returned for a final shot at pole and although Norris improved on his first lap, it was Piastri who lit up the timesheets by taking his fourth pole of the season by two tenths.
PA
04:32 PM BST
Front-row lockout for McLaren
04:26 PM BST
Your starting grid for tomorrow
04:25 PM BST
Piastri celebrates taking pole
04:24 PM BST
Nico Rosberg on Sky Sports
'Oscar's [Piastri] lap was beautiful, perfect. Under the highest pressure he always delivers the maximum of his potential.
'Lando's [Norris] lap from Turn 1 onwards, he overdid it. He went wide, went off line, got extra snaps and that resulted in two snaps down.
'Pole position was in the head today. Unfortunately, we see over and over from Lando, when the pressure is highest, we see these little mistakes creeping in.'
04:17 PM BST
Your top three for tomorrow
Oscar Piastri is on pole with Lando Norris second and Max Verstappen third - Juan Medina/Reuters
04:14 PM BST
The thoughts of Max Verstappen, who will start from third
04:11 PM BST
Quotes from Lando Norris, who starts second tomorrow
04:09 PM BST
The thoughts of our polesitter Oscar Piastri
04:07 PM BST
Top ten
Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Lando Norris (McLaren)
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
George Russell (Mercedes)
Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
Isack Hadjar (RB)
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
04:01 PM BST
Piastri on pole for Spanish Grand Prix
Norris is purple in the first sector but so is Piastri, who is ever so slightly faster in sector one. Norris has not had the best of middle sectors. Did he push too hard? Norris comes across the line and improves but will that be enough?
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Piastri has gone purple, purple, purple and goes two tenths faster than Norris. Can anyone deny McLaren a one-two? No they cannot.
Verstappen is third, with Russell in fourth on the same time but as Verstappen completed his lap first he gets third.
The McLarens were favourite for pole and they both delivered great laps to lock out the front row.
03:59 PM BST
Here we go
Norris is the lead McLaren driver on these final runs, with Piastri not far behind him. Verstappen will be one of the last men across the line.
Here we go...
03:57 PM BST
Big cheers
The only one of the two home favourites to have made Q3, Alonso, sets his one and only time in this session and is fifth, but he will likely drop. He was happy with that as he went over team radio.
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Meanwhile, as most of the grid head back out, Leclerc, who is fourth, is out of his car and that looks like he is done.
03:56 PM BST
Top five after first runs
Norris 1:11.819
Piastri +0.017
Russell +0.256
Leclerc +0.312
Verstappen +0.502
We have just heard Piastri describe Norris getting a tiny tow as 'cheeky' over the team radio.
03:54 PM BST
Norris quickest on first runs
Piastri sets a time of a 1:11.836. Norris gets a bit of a tow from his teammate as he started his lap. Russell goes second and Verstappen can only manage third. What about Norris? He goes purple in the first sector and is just 0.001 faster than Piastri through two sectors. Norris does go faster than Piastri by 0.017. Nip and tuck between the McLarens, who are a few tenths clear of the rest.
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Leclerc is the last of the frontrunners to set a time and goes fourth, bumping Verstappen down to fifth.
03:51 PM BST
First runs
The McLarens, Verstappen, Russell and Hamilton have two or more new soft tyres. Leclerc and Antonelli have just one new set. Piastri will be the first of the big hitters to set a lap in Q3.
03:48 PM BST
Time for Q3
The final part of qualifying is upon us and the battle for pole is very close. A look at the RB pit wall sees the weather radar screens but any rain that may be coming will not affect this session.
Who is going to take pole? A McLaren or can someone cause a shock?
03:42 PM BST
Five out in Q2
11. Alex Albon
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12. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
13. Liam Lawson (RB)
14. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
15. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
03:41 PM BST
Albon out
Albon gets himself out of the bottom five now but will that be enough. Bortoleto cannot knock him out. Can Hadjar make it out of the bottom five? Yes he can as he puts himself into sixth place. What about his RB teammate Lawson? Only good enough for 13th. Bearman is also out and will start 15th.
03:39 PM BST
Antonelli on the cusp
Antonelli's first sector is not great and his middle sector is ok at best. He moves up one place to eighth but is still at risk. Stroll cannot get out of the bottom five.
Can Kimi Antonelli reach Q3? - Joan Monfort/AP
03:38 PM BST
Final runs in Q2
How many of the lead runners will feel the need to go out there? Probably not the top five. Gasly in eighth is the highest runner to go out. Will Alonso fill the need to go for another run? Yes he does. Leclerc in sixth is also heading out. Despite offering to give his teammate Antonelli a tow, Russell is still in his garage.
03:35 PM BST
Bottom five with five minutes left
11. Bortoleto
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12. Lawson
13. Albon
14. Stroll
15. Bearman
Over team radio, Russell has told his team there are dark clouds in the distance near turn 13. Russell also tells his team he is happy to give Antonelli, who is ninth, a tow if needed.
03:33 PM BST
Piastri fastest
The Australian comes across the line and is into the 1:11's as he goes quickest. Russell is fourth, with the Ferrari duo of Hamilton and Leclerc in fifth and sixth respectively.
Oscar Piastri leads the drivers championship -03:31 PM BST
Big hitters set times
Verstappen is the first of the big hitters to set a flying lap in Q2. His first lap in this session is a 1:12.358. Norris is next up. He goes purple in the first sector before going purple again in the middle sector. He ends up three tenths ahead of Verstappen.
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Piastri, Leclerc, Russell and Hamilton still to set a lap.
03:25 PM BST
Q2
The green light is on and we are ready for action in the second part of qualifying. Albon and Alonso out straight away.
Alonso goes around once and then comes straight back into the pits.
03:24 PM BST
Nico Rosberg on Sky Sports
'[Max] Verstappen is on the fight for a top two position, while [Yuki] Tsunoda is dead last with the Red Bull car.
'Can you believe it? Who can explain that to me? No one can deal with this second Red Bull car.'
03:22 PM BST
Five out in Q1
16. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
17. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
18. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
19. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
20. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
03:19 PM BST
Sainz and Tsunoda dumped out
Not the qualifying session the Spaniard wanted at his home track. It is also a disastrous session for the Red Bull of Tsunoda, who is plum last. The Japanese driver replaced Liam Lawson at Red Bull after just two races but you feel the pressure is increasing on him, especially after a dreadful session like that.
03:18 PM BST
Colapinto out
Sainz goes 13th but there are still plenty of drivers left who could push him down. Colapinto has stopped at the pit exit and will go out anyway as he is in the bottom five. Hamilton has done a better lap and will be safe.
03:17 PM BST
Final runs incoming
Verstappen and Russell are the only two to have remained in the garage but Piastri has now returned to the pits.
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Antonelli has gone fifth fastest. One man at risk is Hamilton; he will need a good final lap. The likes of Tsunoda and Sainz in big trouble.
03:15 PM BST
Problem in the pit lane
There is a long queue in the pits and now we know why as Colapinto, at the front, reports over his team radio that he has an issue. A yellow flag is waved in the pits allowing those behind to go past him.
03:13 PM BST
Top five
Piastri 1:12.551
Verstappen +0.247
Norris +0.248
Russell +0.255
Leclerc +0.463
Piastri and Norris are both coming back out on a used set of softs.
03:12 PM BST
Bottom five with five minutes left
16. Hulkenberg
17. Ocon
18. Sainz
19. Tsunoda
20. Bortoleto
Not the start to this session that one of the home favourites Sainz would have wanted. Also a pretty woeful first effort from Tsunoda in the second Red Bull.
03:11 PM BST
Verstappen into second
Hamilton can only go P8 whilst his teammate Leclerc is fourth. Verstappen then comes across the line and slots in between the McLarens.
03:09 PM BST
Piastri quickest
Norris goes purple, purple in the first two sectors to go top of the timesheets. Russell comes across the line and is just 0.007 off Norris' time.
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Piastri was quickest in the middle sector and goes nearly two and a half tenths faster than his teammate Norris.
Verstappen, Leclerc and Hamilton yet to set a time.
03:07 PM BST
Trundling around
With a desire to keep the tyres as cool as possible with the hot air and track temperatures, the drivers are going very slowly on their out laps.
03:05 PM BST
Stroll quickest
Just the five times set so far but it is the Aston Martin of Stroll who is fastest, just ahead of the Williams of Albon. It is very quiet out on the track but that is about to change as the drivers are starting to head out. It is as if most of teams were watching each other and waiting for the first to move, other than the first five out.
03:02 PM BST
Quiet
Only five cars out on track currently; Stroll, Colapinto, Ocon, Bearman and Albon.
03:00 PM BST
Go, go, go!
The green light is showing at the end of the pit lane and qualifying is officially under way. Who will take pole? Can anyone stop the McLarens?
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It is not particularly busy at the end of the pit lane as the green light shows as teams are being patient, feeling they do not need to rush out.
02:55 PM BST
Five-minute klaxon
Not long to go until qualifying gets going. Ferrari have confirmed that they have not had to change Lewis Hamilton's gearbox. Meanwhile in the Red Bull garage Max Verstappen is catching a word with Barcelona and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski.
Lewandowski meets Verstappen -02:51 PM BST
Hamilton rubbishes claims of rift with Ferrari race engineer
Lewis Hamilton has described speculation that he has a problem with Riccardo Adami, his new race engineer at Ferrari, as 'bull----', describing their relationship as 'great'.
Hamilton, 40, has had a number of spiky radio exchanges with the Italian, 11 years older than him at 51, during their short time working together.
But speaking ahead of this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, the seven-time world champion dismissed speculation that their relationship was a problem, describing Adami as 'a great guy' and 'amazing to work with'.
'We are both in it together,' Hamilton said. 'We both want to win a world championship together and we are both working towards lifting the team up. So it [the speculation] is all just noise and we are not paying attention to it. It doesn't make a difference to the job we are trying to do.'
02:50 PM BST
Christian Horner speaking to Sky Sports
'Based on what we saw in FP3, McLaren have quite an advantage. It could be a battle for the second row.
'But as the rest of the season has told us, you never really know. But it looks pretty ominous.'
02:48 PM BST
'You drive like an Englishman!' – my chastening day on the Ferrari test track
A morning spent grappling with the 3.0L V6 Italian stallion has nevertheless been a hoot. It is a privilege to have super-smooth Zani sat alongside me to pass on his nuggets of experience from years racing in the GT3 European Championships.
The car itself, in glistening red of course, is an absolute beauty but any vain hope that I might look the part at are dashed immediately as I bang my helmet on the door while awkwardly attempting to stoop into the tightly-fitting driver's cockpit. Zani looks at me and shoots a wry smile as I attempt to work out where the gear stick is. There isn't one. He gets the water sprinklers out for half an hour so we can try out some drifting. I fare better at that, largely drawing on my uncle Blake's lessons in handbrake turns in empty carparks in the 1990s.
02:46 PM BST
Bernie Collins on Sky Sports
'McLaren looked stronger than ever in that FP3 session. The proof will be in the pudding now in qualifying, but they do look strong.
'McLaren maybe got a bit of a head start, we knew this rule was coming in, they ran the wing earlier in the year as well, so they are ready for it.'
02:42 PM BST
Sky Sports' Nico Rosberg on Lewis Hamilton
'It has been a difficult start so far, a continuation of the form he had last year which was the first time in his career he had a dip in form for the whole season.
'George Russell beat him last year and [Charles] Leclerc has taken over from Russell, always a bit ahead of Lewis, who has not found his way yet. There is something missing. He is not connecting with the car yet and still a bit on the back foot but the car is a handful.
'Lewis' strengths in this stage of his career is his race pace, which we saw in Imola when he started 12th and finished fourth with blistering pace. It was amazing to watch.
'But, he is 40 and at some point, it is all about the speed of processing in our brains, the reaction time in qualifying, because we are in the ragged age. At some point you will get ever so slightly slower and it will happen to Lewis sooner rather than later.'
Lewis Hamilton had some gear shift issues in third practice but that seems to have been fixed -02:35 PM BST
Results so far this season
Australia: 1. Lando Norris 2. Max Verstappen 3. George Russell
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China: 1. Oscar Piastri 2. Lando Norris 3. George Russell
Japan: 1. Max Verstappen 2. Lando Norris 3. Oscar Piastri
Bahrain: 1. Oscar Piastri 2. George Russell 3. Lando Norris
Saudi Arabia: 1. Oscar Piastri 2. Max Verstappen 3. Charles Leclerc
Miami: 1. Oscar Piastri 2. Lando Norris 3. George Russell
Imola: 1. Max Verstappen 2. Lando Norris 3. Oscar Piastri
Monaco: 1. Lando Norris 2. Charles Leclerc 3. Oscar Piastri
02:30 PM BST
Last five Spanish GP polesitters
2024 – Lando Norris (McLaren)
2023 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2022 – Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
2021 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2020 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
02:24 PM BST
Investigation
Sky Sports are reporting that two Ferrari front wings have made their way to the stewards. We will have more on that when we get it. Here is Sky Sports' Bernie Collins on Lewis Hamilton's issues in third practice earlier:
02:20 PM BST
Nico Rosberg on Sky Sports
02:16 PM BST
Results from FP3
Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 1:12.387
Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.526
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.743
George Russell (Mercedes) +0.752
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.988
Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) +0.995
Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +1.018
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +1.027
Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +1.140
Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +1.250
Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) +1.335
Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) +1.346
Carlos Sainz (Williams) +1.371
Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) +1.505
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +1.517
Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1.567
Franco Colapinto (Alpine) +1.698
Esteban Ocon (Haas) +1.751
Alex Albon (Williams) +1.902
Oliver Bearman (Haas) +2.073
02:11 PM BST
Constructors' standings
McLaren- 319 points
Mercedes- 147 points
Red Bull- 143 points
Ferrari- 142 points
Williams- 54 points
02:05 PM BST
Top five in the drivers' standings
Oscar Piastri (McLaren)- 161 points
Lando Norris (McLaren)- 158 points
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)- 136 points
George Russell (Mercedes)- 99 points
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)- 79 points
02:01 PM BST
Battle for pole in Barcelona
We are in Catalunya for round nine of the 2025 F1 World Championship as Barcelona hosts the Spanish Grand Prix for the final time before it switches to Madrid in 2026. The first race here in Barcelona was back in 1991 but today looks set to be the final qualifying in Catalunya. Today it is time for qualifying, which is very important around this circuit with the polesitter taking the victory around 70% of the time.
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The season has been dominated by McLaren so far, top of the constructors standings on 319 points, more than double the number of points as second-placed Mercedes who have 147 points, and McLaren's dominance has continued this weekend thus far. Lando Norris topped the timesheets in first practice before his teammate Oscar Piastri, who leads the drivers championship on 161 points, was fastest in second and third practice. Piastri's set a time of a 1:12.387 in third practice, more than half a second clear of Norris, who did complain in third practice about porpoising, an issue we have not heard much about for a couple of years. The Ferrari of Charles Leclerc was third fastest, more than seven tenths down on Piastri. George Russell was fourth with Max Verstappen in fifth.
Can Lando Norris back up his pole last week in Monaco with another pole today? -Just three points separate Piastri and Norris in the drivers' standings, with Verstappen a further 22 points back from Norris, who closed the gap on his McLaren teammate by winning in Monaco last time out, his first win since the opening race in Australia. Norris has two wins to his name this seaosn whilst Piastri has won four times and Verstappen won the other two races.
There were concerns at the end of third practice earlier down at Ferrari as Lewis Hamilton, who was ninth quickest in the session, had issues with his gear shift, a day after he claimed his Ferrari was 'undriveable'. This has been a happy hunting ground for Hamilton, with six wins around this circuit, the joint-most alongside Michael Schumacher. For the home favourites, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was eighth whilst Carlos Sainz in the Williams was 13th. There were reliability problems for the other Williams of Alex Albon, who finished 19th in final practice having spent the second half of the session in his garage.
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The McLarens are favourites for pole this afternoon but Verstappen cannot be counted out having won four times around this circuit, including the last three in succession and his maiden victory in F1 in 2016. Who will take pole in Catalunya? Qualifying gets under way at 3pm BST.
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