Q1 – Early Drama and Major Eliminations

Q1 at the Spanish Grand Prix saw several surprises as Yuki Tsunoda struggled and exited in P20, while Carlos Sainz and Williams also faced difficulties at the home race. Haas drivers Oliver Bearman and Nico Hülkenberg narrowly missed advancing, with Alpine’s Colapinto suffering a car failure that could lead to grid penalties. The session featured intense pit lane traffic and close battles, with Antonelli, Bortoleto, and Hadjar fighting for progression. Verstappen showed strong pace, briefly splitting the McLarens, but Oscar Piastri ultimately set a commanding pace, putting pressure on his rivals. Track temperatures reached 47°C, increasing tire wear concerns and forcing drivers to manage track limits carefully.

Q2 – Tight battle

Liam Lawson lost time in the final sector and dropped out, leaving only Oliver Bearman on track. Running on used tyres, Bearman stayed 15th, with Haas unable to capitalize due to no fresh rubber. Lance Stroll was also eliminated after a poor flying lap on fresh softs, finishing 12th. Andrea Kimi Antonelli improved to 8th, while Pierre Gasly was 9th, Alexander Albon 11th, Gabriel Bortoleto 12th, and Isack Hadjar impressively reached 6th. With just minutes remaining, the fight for Q3 spots was tight, with Bortoleto half a tenth off the top 10. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris led by three tenths, followed by midfield contenders Alonso, Gasly, and Hadjar. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton moved up to 4th and 5th, while Bortoleto, Lawson, Albon, Stroll, and Bearman faced elimination. Norris set a 1:12.056, but Piastri responded with personal best sectors to take the top spot by 0.058 seconds. Max Verstappen posted a 1:12.358 but was beaten by Norris’s later lap. Most drivers ran on fresh C3 tyres, except Albon, Bearman, and Stroll. Early laps showed a mix of strategies, with Albon setting a 1:13.113 as a target.

Q3 – After 27 years, it’s a 1-2 McLaren in Barcelona

Oscar Piastri secured pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix after a stellar qualifying session, confirming his strong pace all weekend. The McLaren driver set a 1.11.836s lap in Q3, going purple in all three sectors and edging out teammate Lando Norris by over two tenths. Norris had briefly held provisional pole with a 1.11.755s but made a mistake in the final attempt. Max Verstappen and George Russell recorded identical lap times, with Verstappen classified third and Russell fourth. Lewis Hamilton impressed with fifth place, just ahead of Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Charles Leclerc qualified seventh after limited running, followed by Pierre Gasly, Isack Hadjar, and Fernando Alonso, who set an early lap before waving to fans. Track temperatures dropped from 48°C to 42°C during Q3, impacting grip and lap times. Piastri secured his fourth pole position, looking composed and ready to control the race from the front.

Qualifying top 10

1) Piastri

2) Norris

3) Verstappen

4) Russell

5) Hamilton

6) Antonelli

7) Leclerc

8) Gasly

9) Hadjar

10) Alonso