McLaren’s Lando Norris will start Monday’s Spanish Grand Prix from pole after pipping Max Verstappen on his final lap in this morning’s qualifying session.
Norris’s 1:11.383, coming at the chequered flag, was just 0.02 seconds faster than Verstappen’s earlier lap to earn his second career pole position.
“It was pretty much a perfect lap. You know when you are on a good lap and you are getting excited,” Norris said following qualifying.
“But the whole thing went perfectly in the end. Close still, but super happy. I would say my best pole position. I have not had many, but of the ones, I have had my best.
“It has been close all weekend, but really, it was about a perfect lap, and that is what I did today. It is not just this weekend- we have been fast the last two months, and since Miami, we have been strong.
“We have missed out on pole by just not doing a perfect lap and today was a perfect lap. Max and Red Bull seemed a little bit stronger all weekend, but we made some little changes for the final run. I had some areas to improve, and we did that.
“I know it is going to be tough against Max, against Lewis, and everyone behind. We are here to win, so that is my plan.”
Norris’s pole position came just hours after an electrical fire forced the evacuation of McLaren’s team hub. As a precaution, one team member was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation but was released prior to the end of qualifying.
Mercedes triumphed in a tight battle with Ferrari to lockout the second row, just over three-tenths behind the front row, with Lewis Hamilton pipping George Russell by 0.002 seconds for third.
Charles Leclerc, 0.028s behind Russell, got the better of Carlos Sainz by just 0.005s to see grid positions three through six separated by 0.035s.
In a dramatic change of form, both Alpine drivers qualified for Q3, with Pierre Gasly set to start the race from seventh alongside teammate Esteban Ocon.
Sergio Perez qualified eighth fastest, but is relegated to 11th once his three-place grid penalty for driving his car in an unsafe condition after crashing in the Canadian Grand Prix is served.
Oscar Piastri failed to set a lap in Q3, remaining in the garage for the first runs before running wide and through the gravel at Turn 13 on his first and final flyer, seeing him abort his lap. He is promoted to ninth on Perez’s relegation.
Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin was also promoted into the top ten despite being eliminated in Q2 when he fell just 0.019 seconds short of Ocon’s time to progress.
Valtteri Bottas, Nico Hulkenberg, Lance Stroll, and Zhou Guanyu were also eliminated in Q2, leaving both drivers of five teams to make up the top ten.
Kevin Magnussen was 0.056 seconds short of progressing to Q2 in the opening session and lines up 16th, ahead of the RB duo of Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo, who lock out the ninth row.
Williams makes up the rear of the grid, with Alex Albon out-qualifying teammate Logan Sargeant.
The Spanish Grand Prix begins at 1.00 am on Monday (NZST) and will be shown live on Sky Sport.
Provisional Spanish Grand Prix Starting Grid
| 1st | Norris |
| 2nd | Verstappen |
| 3rd | Hamilton |
| 4th | Russell |
| 5th | Leclerc |
| 6th | Sainz |
| 7th | Gasly |
| 8th | Ocon |
| 9th | Piastri |
| 10th | Alonso |
| 11th | Perez |
| 12th | Bottas |
| 13th | Hulkenberg |
| 14th | Stroll |
| 15th | Zhou |
| 16th | Magnussen |
| 17th | Tsunoda |
| 18th | Ricciardo |
| 19th | Albon |
| 20th | Sargeant |
Header Image: McLaren
