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yesterday

Piastri Secures Pole as McLaren Lock Out Front Row in Barcelona

McLaren’s qualifying sweep leaves competitors pivoting to tyre strategy ahead of Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix

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Formula One F1 - Spanish Grand Prix - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain - May 31, 2025 McLaren's Oscar Piastri during practice REUTERS/Bruna Casas
Formula One F1 - Spanish Grand Prix - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain - May 31, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen during qualifying REUTERS/Bruna Casas

Overview

  • Oscar Piastri set a 1:11.546 lap to claim pole position, edging teammate Lando Norris by 0.209 seconds.
  • McLaren achieved its first front-row lockout at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya since 1998 with Piastri and Norris.
  • Max Verstappen and George Russell will start third and fourth after matching times in Q3, Verstappen’s earlier finish giving him priority.
  • Lewis Hamilton overcame a floor issue to qualify fifth for Ferrari and out-paced Charles Leclerc, who deliberately saved tyres with a single Q3 run.
  • A new FIA clampdown on front-wing flexing failed to dent McLaren’s pace, shifting the focus to high tyre degradation and pit-stop tactics for Sunday’s 66-lap race.