Following a strong start to the weekend, McLaren surprised with a strong and consistent pace throughout the sessions on Friday and early in FP3. However, George Russell seemed to have regained some pace, having performed impressively around Barcelona’s track.
In the end, George Russell secured the pole position ahead of Hamilton and Antonelli.
Cruising Through Q1
Charles Leclerc sets the first representative time. However, Russell responded with the fastest lap of the session so far. At the same time, Lewis Hamilton set a new fastest lap and took provisional P1.
The McLaren drivers were the last to set their first representative times. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris went P5 and P6, putting themselves in a safe position. As several drivers start their attempts, a momentary yellow flag is shown as Lance Stroll goes through the gravel, aborting their laps.
In a last-minute attempt, Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto improved. Carlos Sainz and Oliver Bearman also got through, as their teammates, Alexander Albon and Esteban Ocon, didn’t.
Eliminated after Q1: Ocon, Albon, Sergio Pérez, ahead of Valtteri Bottas, Stroll, and Fernando Alonso.
Heating Up Q2
Max Verstappen set the first representative time of Q2 with a 1:15.484. However, Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli were setting their first times of Q2. Leclerc beat Verstappen’s time, but the Monegasque got pushed down to P2 after Russell went fastest overall.
McLaren opted to go out first on used tyres, deciding to gamble their Q2 laps on their second fast lap. On his second attempt, Piastri secured P6 and Norris P4. Meanwhile, Sainz struggled to improve. Nico Hülkengberg pushed Arvid Lindbald to P11 and secured the last spot.
Eliminated after Q2: Lindblad, Gabriel Bortoleto, Colapinto, Gasly, Bearman, and Sainz.
Red-flagged Q3
The remaining 10 drivers went out, and Verstappen, once again, set the first timed lap of the session. Piastri followed closely and went fastest. However, the session was red-flagged as Leclerc went into the barriers. That affected Norris, who couldn’t cross the line before the session was stopped.
When the session restarted, Russell set a new fastest time and retook provisional pole. Only Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, and Hamilton went out and set another time; the rest waited for the last three minutes.
In their last attempt, Russell improved his own timed lap as Antonelli secured P3. Lewis Hamilton split the Mercedes and secured P2. Norris improved to third, as Verstappen and Hadjar split the McLaren teammates, with Piastri in P7.