Oscar Piastri managed to beat Lando Norris in F1 pole in Spanish GP, as Max Verstappen was third despite identical time to George Russell.
Q1:
It was a slow start to first part in F1 Spanish GP qualifying at Barcelona with only handful hitting the track early on. But once things got going, majority of the field ventured out together. There was problem for Alpine’s Franco Colapinto on his final attempt in the pitlane.
He managed to venture out but had to stop at the side. It was McLaren’s Oscar Piastri on top with a 1m12.551s lap ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris in the Top 3. The whole field was covered by 0.834s in the end from Piastri until Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda.
The Japanese driver was the big drop in 20th after his 1m13.385s lap. Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg was first to be knocked out in 16th after a 1m13.190s lap from Haas’ Esteban Ocon (1m13.201s), Williams’ Carlos Sainz (1m13.203s) and Colapinto (1m13.334s) in a closely matched field.
Q2:
The second part in F1 Monaco GP qualifying saw Piastri maintain his top spot with a 1m11.998s lap but Norris was close behind, only 0.058s behind. Verstappen rounded the Top 3 as they along with Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton did not venture out the second time.
His teammate Charles Leclerc did but he didn’t push. Williams’ Alexander Albon was the one to loose out in 11th by just 0.030s margin with a 1m12.641s lap. Replays showed the Thai being slightly impeded by Haas’ Oliver Bearman at Turn 3, which did enrage the Williams driver.
However, there was no impeding noted by the FIA stewards. Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto (1m12.756s) was 12th from Visa Cash App RB’s Liam Lawson (1m12.763s), Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll (1m13.058s) and Bearman (1m13.315s).
Q3:
It started to get slightly dark in third part of F1 Spanish GP but there was no rain in the air. It was McLaren 1-2 after the first run where Norris (1m11.819s) pipped Piastri (1m11.836s) by 0.017s margin. An unhappy Russell was third from Leclerc and Verstappen in the Top 5.
Both Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Visa Cash App RB’s Isack Hadjar ran just the one time, with the Spaniard doing it out of sequence to slot in fifth after a 1m12.284s lap. Interestingly, Leclerc decided against a second run in a surprise move from the Italian outfit.
The second run saw Piastri push enough to dethrone his teammate Norris and secure F1 pole in Spanish GP after his 1m11.546s lap against the Brit’s 1m11.755s. Verstappen was third after his 1m11.848s lap which was identical to Russell, who was fourth due to setting it after the Dutchman.
Hamilton (1m12.045s) improved to fifth from Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli (1m12.111s), as Leclerc (1m12.131s) dropped to seventh after electing not to run. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly (1m12.199s) pipped others to eighth from Hadjar (1m12.252s) and Alonso in the Top 10.
UPDATE: Colapinto was cleared by the FIA stewards for exiting the pitlane with a technical problem. The team tried to solve it but couldn’t and the Argentine parked the car at the side of the pit exit, but didn’t break any regulation.
Here: https://x.com/fiadocsbot/status/1928832331109769552
The FIA looked at Stroll’s case after missing the weighing scales after he was knocked out in Q2. It was notified to the stewards that he had an urgent medical condition which is why he went to the garage instead of parking at the weighing scale.
The stewards delayed the hearing knowing the medical condition, but since it worsened, he missed that as well. They went on with the hearing without Stroll, who wrote a letter which was submitted along with the medical reports of his injury.
It was confirmed that Stroll would miss Spanish GP. The FIA stewards acknowledged his medical condition and let him off with a warning, but urged the team to inform them at the earliest unlike what they did. Here: https://x.com/fia/status/1929120151586152643
Here’s news on Lance Stroll missing
