Overview
- Lando Norris set a 1:09.243 to top sprint qualifying, edging Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli by 0.097s, with Oscar Piastri third; George Russell was fourth, Fernando Alonso fifth, and Max Verstappen sixth.
- McLaren signaled strong form by going one-two in the event’s only practice session, with Norris ahead of Piastri, as Yuki Tsunoda returned after repairs following an early crash.
- Verstappen, 36 points off Norris in the standings, reported his Red Bull was "completely broken" and "undriveable" during qualifying, citing balance and ride issues.
- Lewis Hamilton qualified 11th after Charles Leclerc’s SQ2 spin prompted double-waved yellows and faces a stewards’ investigation for a potential yellow-flag infringement.
- Saturday’s ~100km sprint pays 8–1 points to the top eight and does not set Sunday’s grid, with forecasts pointing to rain and strong winds for the sprint.