Lando Norris mocks Verstappen and brings McLaren back to pole position in the Spanish GP! Ferrari in the third row

With a masterpiece on the last lap, Lando Norrisputs himself and McLaren back in pole position in the Spanish GP, almost three years after the last time. A twist that enlivens the very tight qualifying on the Barcelona circuit, which until a moment before they had seen as the master Max Verstappenwhich remains mocked for just 20 thousandths and for the third consecutive event we see the first place on the starting grid slip away after having grabbed it in the first eight rounds of the World Championship. It is the second career pole position for the 24-year-old Briton, a thousand days after the first time, in 2021 in Russia. That came almost by chance, but this time it is yet another icing on the cake for a team that is increasingly prepared to return to the top.

Ferrari was forced to start late once again, from the third row. Although the gap is clear compared to pole – a generous three tenths – it is a matter of a few thousandths that separates the two drivers of the Maranello team from a decidedly better result. For three hundredths in the case of Leclerc (fifth on the grid in Montmelo) and three and a half hundredths in the case of Sainz (the host is sixth) the second row is won by the two Mercedes, yet another step towards rebirth after a very complicated start to season. Hamilton narrowly beats teammate Russell.

Alpine surprises by securing Q3 with both drivers and monopolizing the fourth row, the other McLaren of Piastri makes a mistake, while the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez is never in the battle for pole and has to serve the penalty of the previous one Grand Prix, relegating to the second half of the grid. He thus gains a position Fernando Alonso despite being eliminated in Q2 in front of your audience.

*relegated 3 positions on the starting grid, a sanction received following the previous Canadian GP

Q1: Hamilton ok, Alonso risks, Racing Bulls out – Just one attempt is enough for the Ferraris, as well as Verstappen and Norris, to be safe. Leclerc is the fastest of all (with a track record already broken) until less than a minute from the end, when Hamilton finds the flash to get out of the swampy area of ​​the standings and take the lead. Alonso saves himself only at the last attempt after virtually ending up among the excluded, Hulkenberg eliminates teammate Magnussen, the Racing Bulls of Tsunoda and Ricciardo remain surprisingly out, as well as the Williams who will close the grid barring last-minute changes .

Q2: Verstappen responds, thrill for Leclerc – Sainz is the first to go below the 1:12 barrier, but Norris precedes him immediately after by two thousandths. All before Max Verstappen arrives to shave two tenths off both of them. Leclerc makes a slight mistake which leaves him three tenths behind, but the hesitant mechanics don’t send him back on track to preserve a set of new soft tyres. A huge thrill in the red garage, but which culminates with a sigh of relief when Perez and the Alpines remain behind the Monegasque on the last lap, unlike the Mercedes who jump to second and provisional third. Alonso is excluded by 19 thousandths, behind him Bottas, Hulkenberg, Stroll and Zhou.

Q3: Norris’ masterpiece, Ferrari overtaken twice by Mercedes – Verstappen did a first lap at Q2 levels, but it was enough to make the difference in the first half of Q3. All the others are at least a tenth behind, but starting with Norris, the battle is very close. Unlike Piastri who ends up in the gravel after his previous attempt was cancelled, everyone improves on the last shot. The first are the Ferraris who are closing in on Verstappen, with Leclerc this time faster than Sainz, only to be narrowly overtaken by Hamilton and Russell. Verstappen’s time seems unbeatable, but with a miraculous second and third sector Norris snatches pole position from him by two hundredths. Joy explodes in the McLaren team, which returns to lead the race grid after three seasons.

Lando NORRIS (McLaren, pole position) – The last lap was an absolute masterpiece until passing under the checkered flag in Q3, when Verstappen already seemed certain of pole position due to his very clear advantage over his other rivals.

Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes, 3rd on the starting grid) – The answer to those who have “accused” him since the beginning of the season of already thinking about 2025 while wearing the red tracksuit. In qualifying he leaves behind his teammate and the two cars of the future team he will join. Note of merit also for the W15, growing and capable of challenging for the podium also in the Spanish GP.

ALPINE (Gasly 7th and Ocon 9th, then 8th on the starting grid) – The absolute surprise of qualifying, capable of reaching Q3 together with the other top teams. And even do better than a fifth row which, once it entered the top-10, seemed predicted.

FERRARI (Leclerc 5th and Sainz 6th) – A result perhaps a lie compared to what was shown on the track, but the historian on the Barcelona circuit tells us that with this position on the grid the Prancing Horse is already out of contention for victory. Not the best in the event in which the Maranello team brings the second important package of developments ahead of schedule. Leclerc, who seemed to have found the right feeling again in the morning’s free practice and had gotten away with a reprimand for the episode of the contact with Norris, made a few too many mistakes on the flying lap. Too bad for Sainz, who seemed very fast on his home track. You will have to fight “only” for the podium.

RACING BULLS (Tsunoda 17th and Ricciardo 18th) – Another manufacturer that had brought important updates but remains significantly downgraded by the qualifying result. Both drivers were surprisingly left out of Q1.