Lando Norris shocks himself by pipping Kimi Antonelli to F1 Spanish GP pole

Lando Norris took the first pole position at Formula One’s newest circuit, the Madring, for the Spanish Grand Prix. The McLaren driver saw off a spirited assault by Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, who was second, with a superb and somewhat unexpected lap at a circuit that has proved challenging to master and punishing on the slightest of errors.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was in third. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in fourth and fifth for Ferrari and George Russell sixth for Mercedes.

On an unforgiving track, McLaren had not appeared to have the car where they wanted right until the final lap of the final session when Norris put it on top for the first time, one-hundredth of a second clear of Antonelli. “I’m shocked and a bit surprised,” he said.

McLaren have now denied Mercedes the top spot three times this season, with Norris taking pole and wins in Hungary and Zandvoort. It is Norris’s second pole at the Spanish GP, having taken the top spot for the race in Barcelona in 2024, but it is a race he has yet to win. It is the 19th pole of his career.

The Mercedes duo of Antonelli and Russell went out first on the opening hot runs in Q3, but going into the final session Verstappen looked to be in good form, having been quickest in Q2. Antonelli opened strongly in the opening two sectors with a 1min 32.140sec lap. The Ferraris were quick in his wake and Hamilton was immense to grab the top spot with a 1:32.079. Verstappen followed, but could not nail the final sector and Hamilton remained on top.

The final runs with the track offering the most grip kept all in the balance. Mercedes were out first again, followed by Ferrari, with Verstappen once more at the back. Antonelli had the edge in the first sector and then once more quicker in the final sector, he had it nailed, a full two-tenths up. Hamilton was not improving, but with his best lap of the weekend Norris had all but come from nowhere with an immense lap, including a slight kiss on the barrier at the final corner, to claim pole in 1:31.824.

After his outstanding victory from 19th on the grid at the last round in Monza, Antonelli leads Russell by 66 points in the championship, with Hamilton 76 points back in third place.

It was a suitable tense, dramatic show for the first race here, which proceeded without incident despite there being some major crashes. The 3.365-mile circuit had been designed to be fast and a spectacle, but it is a challenging and, as some have intimated, dangerous test. Quite how unforgiving was once more demonstrated in final practice when the session was red-flagged after Hamilton went into the wall. He hit the barriers nose first at the final corner, a sharp 90-degree right-hander. He was unhurt and able to restart his car and made an effort to return to the pits before pulling over on the side of the track.

After a long stoppage for repairs with the session restarted, Britain’s Oliver Bearman also took a massive hit having spun and slewed side-on into the concrete barriers at turn 10, wiping out the left side of his car. He was unhurt, but the damage was so bad his Haas team were unable to rebuild the car in time for qualifying.

The pole may prove vital for Norris. The Madring is described as a street circuit, but it is made up of public roads and purpose-built track. It does, however, conform to street circuit norms of being narrow and unforgiving with walls looming over most of the lap.

Its layout produces high-speeds, but there have been real concerns from drivers that overtaking will be extremely difficult, especially with braking zones angled into corners, which make passing tricky. Leading cars will simply take to the middle of the track ensuring a move is unfeasible, making a procession on Sunday a real risk and track position vital. Leclerc said after practice he felt overtaking was “extremely difficult or impossible”.

Strategy will probably play a crucial part, as will calls made under yellow and red flags, with the latter almost certain to play a part given the likelihood of stoppages to deal with the results of any driver errors or mechanical failures. It will also be informed by a high-grip, but also high-degradation, surface, which will improve as it rubbers-in more. Multiple pit stops will play their part too.