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North Wales Chronicle
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- North Wales Chronicle
Lando Norris admits mistakes cost him pole for Spanish Grand Prix
McLaren were in a class of one in qualifying for the ninth round of a campaign which looks increasingly set to come down to a battle between team-mates Norris and Piastri for the biggest prize in motor racing. Norris ended a poor run over one lap to take pole in Monaco a week ago before going on to claim his second win of the campaign and reducing Piastri's championship lead to just three points. POLE POSITION IN BARCELONA! 🏁 Oscar's secures his fourth Pole position of the season 👏 #McLaren | #M7AReborn | #SpanishGP 🇪🇸 — McLaren (@McLarenF1) May 31, 2025 But Norris has never won consecutive races in Formula One, and his hopes of building on his Monte Carlo triumph were dealt a setback in Barcelona with Piastri taking an emphatic pole. Piastri's advantage of 0.209 seconds is the biggest of the season so far. Norris held a slender advantage of 0.017 sec after the first runs in Q3 and although he improved with his final attempt, Norris conceded his lap was scrappy, and it was Piastri in the other papaya car who soared to the top of the order. 'Oscar drove very well but the pace was easily there today,' said Norris. 'Sometimes you don't put the lap in. I know where I lost that time. I made a mistake at Turn 1 and on the exit of Turn 4. 'I was trying a little bit too much and I wasn't tidy enough. Just one too many mistakes. I am still fine and happy with second. It is not the end of the world.' Of course, Norris is right and he could yet land a win here on Sunday which would move him back to the summit of the title standings. However, it is Piastri, who is proving the more consistent performer this season, with four victories to Norris' two, and it is he who will hold the aces on the long run down to the first corner. Quickest in both the second and third practice sessions prior to qualifying, the Australian said: 'I always felt confident pole was on the cards so I am glad we pulled it off.' 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 Max Verstappen and George Russell both 0.302 sec slower than Piastri. Chequered flag on our Saturday on track 🇪🇸 — Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) May 31, 2025 Red Bull's Verstappen and Mercedes' Russell posted identical times but it is the former who will start one place better off in third by virtue of setting his lap first. Lewis Hamilton called his car 'undriveable' in practice on Friday. But he finished fifth here and out-qualified Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc for the first time since the second round in China – albeit half-a-second off Piastri's pace. Leclerc had to settle for seventh with Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli splitting the Ferrari pair. Hamilton later took aim at the new front-wing technical directive. '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.'
Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
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. 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. 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'. Lando Norris will start on the front row of the grid (Bradley Collyer/PA) 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. 'I am very happy,' said Piastri. 'It didn't start off in the best way. I was struggling but I found pace and the car has been mega. 'I improved quite a lot in Turn 1 on my second lap and it all came together. It wasn't the perfect lap. It is going to be an interesting one tomorrow and I am pretty glad I am starting from pole.' Norris said: 'Oscar drove very well. The pace was there but I made a few mistakes.' Hamilton called his car 'undriveable' in practice on Friday, but he will take comfort from out-qualifying Leclerc for the first time since the second round in China, albeit half-a-second back from Piastri. Home favourite Carlos Sainz qualified a disappointing 18th while Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda will prop up the grid after he clocked the slowest time with just eight tenths separating first to last in Q1. British rookie Ollie Bearman progressed to Q2, and will line up from 15th, two places clear of Esteban Ocon in the other Haas.
Rhyl Journal
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- Rhyl Journal
Lando Norris admits mistakes cost him pole for Spanish Grand Prix
McLaren were in a class of one in qualifying for the ninth round of a campaign which looks increasingly set to come down to a battle between team-mates Norris and Piastri for the biggest prize in motor racing. Norris ended a poor run over one lap to take pole in Monaco a week ago before going on to claim his second win of the campaign and reducing Piastri's championship lead to just three points. POLE POSITION IN BARCELONA! 🏁 Oscar's secures his fourth Pole position of the season 👏 #McLaren | #M7AReborn | #SpanishGP 🇪🇸 — McLaren (@McLarenF1) May 31, 2025 But Norris has never won consecutive races in Formula One, and his hopes of building on his Monte Carlo triumph were dealt a setback in Barcelona with Piastri taking an emphatic pole. Piastri's advantage of 0.209 seconds is the biggest of the season so far. Norris held a slender advantage of 0.017 sec after the first runs in Q3 and although he improved with his final attempt, Norris conceded his lap was scrappy, and it was Piastri in the other papaya car who soared to the top of the order. 'Oscar drove very well but the pace was easily there today,' said Norris. 'Sometimes you don't put the lap in. I know where I lost that time. I made a mistake at Turn 1 and on the exit of Turn 4. 'I was trying a little bit too much and I wasn't tidy enough. Just one too many mistakes. I am still fine and happy with second. It is not the end of the world.' Of course, Norris is right and he could yet land a win here on Sunday which would move him back to the summit of the title standings. However, it is Piastri, who is proving the more consistent performer this season, with four victories to Norris' two, and it is he who will hold the aces on the long run down to the first corner. Quickest in both the second and third practice sessions prior to qualifying, the Australian said: 'I always felt confident pole was on the cards so I am glad we pulled it off.' 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 Max Verstappen and George Russell both 0.302 sec slower than Piastri. Chequered flag on our Saturday on track 🇪🇸 — Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) May 31, 2025 Red Bull's Verstappen and Mercedes' Russell posted identical times but it is the former who will start one place better off in third by virtue of setting his lap first. Lewis Hamilton called his car 'undriveable' in practice on Friday. But he finished fifth here and out-qualified Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc for the first time since the second round in China – albeit half-a-second off Piastri's pace. Leclerc had to settle for seventh with Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli splitting the Ferrari pair. Hamilton later took aim at the new front-wing technical directive. '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.'
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
F1 leader Piastri claims pole position for Spanish GP
Australia's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri has grabbed pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of McLaren teammate Lando Norris. Piastri leads Norris by three points in the standings after eight of 24 races. Defending champion Max Verstappen will start Sunday's race from third in his Red Bull. He is 25 points off Piastri's lead. It was the Australian's fourth pole of the season. Red Bull's Verstappen was 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. Ferrari's 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. He ended the first runs 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. "I am very happy," said Piastri. "It didn't start off in the best way. I was struggling but I found pace and the car has been mega. "I improved quite a lot in Turn 1 on my second lap and it all came together. It wasn't the perfect lap. It is going to be an interesting one tomorrow and I am pretty glad I am starting from pole." Norris said: "Oscar drove very well. The pace was there but I made a few mistakes." Hamilton called his car "undriveable" in practice on Friday, but he will take comfort from out-qualifying Leclerc for the first time since the second round in China, albeit half-a-second back from Piastri. Home favourite Carlos Sainz qualified a disappointing 18th while Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda will prop up the grid after he clocked the slowest time with just eight tenths separating first to last in Q1. British rookie Ollie Bearman progressed to Q2, and will line up from 15th, two places clear of Esteban Ocon in the other Haas. Australia's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri has grabbed pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of McLaren teammate Lando Norris. Piastri leads Norris by three points in the standings after eight of 24 races. Defending champion Max Verstappen will start Sunday's race from third in his Red Bull. He is 25 points off Piastri's lead. It was the Australian's fourth pole of the season. Red Bull's Verstappen was 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. Ferrari's 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. He ended the first runs 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. "I am very happy," said Piastri. "It didn't start off in the best way. I was struggling but I found pace and the car has been mega. "I improved quite a lot in Turn 1 on my second lap and it all came together. It wasn't the perfect lap. It is going to be an interesting one tomorrow and I am pretty glad I am starting from pole." Norris said: "Oscar drove very well. The pace was there but I made a few mistakes." Hamilton called his car "undriveable" in practice on Friday, but he will take comfort from out-qualifying Leclerc for the first time since the second round in China, albeit half-a-second back from Piastri. Home favourite Carlos Sainz qualified a disappointing 18th while Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda will prop up the grid after he clocked the slowest time with just eight tenths separating first to last in Q1. British rookie Ollie Bearman progressed to Q2, and will line up from 15th, two places clear of Esteban Ocon in the other Haas. Australia's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri has grabbed pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of McLaren teammate Lando Norris. Piastri leads Norris by three points in the standings after eight of 24 races. Defending champion Max Verstappen will start Sunday's race from third in his Red Bull. He is 25 points off Piastri's lead. It was the Australian's fourth pole of the season. Red Bull's Verstappen was 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. Ferrari's 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. He ended the first runs 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. "I am very happy," said Piastri. "It didn't start off in the best way. I was struggling but I found pace and the car has been mega. "I improved quite a lot in Turn 1 on my second lap and it all came together. It wasn't the perfect lap. It is going to be an interesting one tomorrow and I am pretty glad I am starting from pole." Norris said: "Oscar drove very well. The pace was there but I made a few mistakes." Hamilton called his car "undriveable" in practice on Friday, but he will take comfort from out-qualifying Leclerc for the first time since the second round in China, albeit half-a-second back from Piastri. Home favourite Carlos Sainz qualified a disappointing 18th while Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda will prop up the grid after he clocked the slowest time with just eight tenths separating first to last in Q1. British rookie Ollie Bearman progressed to Q2, and will line up from 15th, two places clear of Esteban Ocon in the other Haas. Australia's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri has grabbed pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of McLaren teammate Lando Norris. Piastri leads Norris by three points in the standings after eight of 24 races. Defending champion Max Verstappen will start Sunday's race from third in his Red Bull. He is 25 points off Piastri's lead. It was the Australian's fourth pole of the season. Red Bull's Verstappen was 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. Ferrari's 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. He ended the first runs 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. "I am very happy," said Piastri. "It didn't start off in the best way. I was struggling but I found pace and the car has been mega. "I improved quite a lot in Turn 1 on my second lap and it all came together. It wasn't the perfect lap. It is going to be an interesting one tomorrow and I am pretty glad I am starting from pole." Norris said: "Oscar drove very well. The pace was there but I made a few mistakes." Hamilton called his car "undriveable" in practice on Friday, but he will take comfort from out-qualifying Leclerc for the first time since the second round in China, albeit half-a-second back from Piastri. Home favourite Carlos Sainz qualified a disappointing 18th while Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda will prop up the grid after he clocked the slowest time with just eight tenths separating first to last in Q1. British rookie Ollie Bearman progressed to Q2, and will line up from 15th, two places clear of Esteban Ocon in the other Haas.
South Wales Argus
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- South Wales Argus
Lando Norris admits mistakes cost him pole for Spanish Grand Prix
McLaren were in a class of one in qualifying for the ninth round of a campaign which looks increasingly set to come down to a battle between team-mates Norris and Piastri for the biggest prize in motor racing. Norris ended a poor run over one lap to take pole in Monaco a week ago before going on to claim his second win of the campaign and reducing Piastri's championship lead to just three points. But Norris has never won consecutive races in Formula One, and his hopes of building on his Monte Carlo triumph were dealt a setback in Barcelona with Piastri taking an emphatic pole. Piastri's advantage of 0.209 seconds is the biggest of the season so far. Norris held a slender advantage of 0.017 sec after the first runs in Q3 and although he improved with his final attempt, Norris conceded his lap was scrappy, and it was Piastri in the other papaya car who soared to the top of the order. 'Oscar drove very well but the pace was easily there today,' said Norris. 'Sometimes you don't put the lap in. I know where I lost that time. I made a mistake at Turn 1 and on the exit of Turn 4. 'I was trying a little bit too much and I wasn't tidy enough. Just one too many mistakes. I am still fine and happy with second. It is not the end of the world.' Of course, Norris is right and he could yet land a win here on Sunday which would move him back to the summit of the title standings. Lando Norris will start on the front row of the grid (Bradley Collyer/PA) However, it is Piastri, who is proving the more consistent performer this season, with four victories to Norris' two, and it is he who will hold the aces on the long run down to the first corner. Quickest in both the second and third practice sessions prior to qualifying, the Australian said: 'I always felt confident pole was on the cards so I am glad we pulled it off.' 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 Max Verstappen and George Russell both 0.302 sec slower than Piastri. Chequered flag on our Saturday on track 🇪🇸 — Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) May 31, 2025 Red Bull's Verstappen and Mercedes' Russell posted identical times but it is the former who will start one place better off in third by virtue of setting his lap first. Lewis Hamilton called his car 'undriveable' in practice on Friday. But he finished fifth here and out-qualified Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc for the first time since the second round in China – albeit half-a-second off Piastri's pace. Leclerc had to settle for seventh with Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli splitting the Ferrari pair. Hamilton later took aim at the new front-wing technical directive. '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.'
