SEE SUMMARY
The British driver Lando Norris achieved pole position for the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix in Montmeló, with a brilliant performance at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. In a classification marked by the demanding circuit due to the cold asphalt and the soft red tires, Norris stood out by obtaining the best time, followed by Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. Carlos Sainz finished in sixth position. Fernando Alonso will start tenth due to a penalty.
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The British pilot Lando Norris (McLaren) got this Saturday in Montmeló pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix Formula 1, tenth round of the World Championship.
At the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with no rain forecast despite seeing cloudy skies, the temperature dropped somewhat compared to what was expected by the majority of teams in the paddock. And without the expected sun and with the colder asphalt, the demand increased for single-seatersall wearing the set of red soft tires.
In Q1, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) led for a while with 1:12.257 as the best record, 0.049 faster than the Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull). Sainz, in fourth place and then fifth, passed that first screening well. Alonso suffered more, as he made two good last sectors in a lap that earned him ninth place and access to Q2.
Along the way, the Danish Kevin Magnussen (Haas) and the Japanese Yuki Tsunoda remained along with the Australian Daniel Ricciardo (both from Visa Cash App RB), as well as the Thai Alexander Albon together with the American Logan Sargeant (both from Williams).
In the first stages of Q2, the Australian Oscar Piastri (McLaren), the team themselves Sainz and Norris and, of course, Verstappen, moved forward in the lead during consecutive laps. ‘Mad Max”s best time, at 1:11.653, was a challenge for his rivals, especially the British Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).
In fact, the seven-time world champion was in dangerous places until almost the end of Q2; but he pushed hard enough to finish in second place, 0.139 behind the solid Dutch leader.
That place had been for the French Esteban Ocon (Alpine), whose good performance screened the Finnish Valtteri Bottas (Kick Sauber), the German Nico Hülkenberg (Haas), the Canadian Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) and the Chinese Guanyu Zhou (Kick Sauber ), all of them out of Q3.
Looking ahead to that third and final qualifying round, Verstappen rolled his first lap in 1:11.673 and made the battle more expensive after doing the second in 1:11.403.
But then Lando Norris emerged to secure the final pole in 1:11.383, just ahead of the Dutchman and Hamilton who was third at 0.318; Sainz, at 0.353, finished sixth. For his part and due to the sanction of the Mexican Pérez, Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) will start tenth from the Sunday grid.
