Overview

• George Russell secured pole with a 1:29.158 track record, confirming Mercedes’ late-season pace.
• Max Verstappen qualified second after an error on his final attempt left him short of pole.
• Oscar Piastri took third ahead of teammate Lando Norris, with rookie Kimi Antonelli fourth for Mercedes.
• Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth and Charles Leclerc seventh as Ferrari underperformed at a circuit they expected to suit.
• Leclerc told Sky the car was very difficult to drive and said he didn’t know what else to say, after a Q3 team-radio outburst about the weekend.