Overview

• Oscar Piastri set a 1:11.546 lap to claim pole, beating teammate Lando Norris by two-tenths for a McLaren one-two
• Stricter front-wing rigidity tests and new aerodynamic rules failed to slow McLaren, as its cars topped every practice session and qualifying
• Red Bull’s Barcelona upgrades delivered little qualifying gain, with Max Verstappen starting third after battling Soft-tyre grip issues in the first sector
• Lance Stroll withdrew due to hand and wrist pain, leaving Aston Martin with Fernando Alonso as its sole starter and shrinking the grid to 19 cars
• George Russell starts fourth and expressed frustration that Mercedes did not use Kimi Antonelli’s wind draft in Q3 to boost his lap time