Norris Snatches Spanish Grand Prix Pole from Verstappen in Thrilling Formula 1 Qualifying Session
As the Formula 1 calendar moves to the Spanish Grand Prix, Lando Norris pulled off a stunning late effort to snatch pole position from championship leader Max Verstappen, securing his second Formula 1 pole with a mere 0.02s margin. This thrilling qualifying session sets the stage for an electrifying race on Sunday.
Verstappen seemed destined for his eighth pole of 2024 after setting a blistering 1m11.673s on his first tour, which was subsequently improved to 1m11.403s on his final effort, courtesy of a tow from teammate Sergio Perez. However, Norris delivered a near-perfect lap to eclipse Verstappen’s mark and claim the top spot.
“It was pretty much a perfect lap. It was so close, still, but I’m super happy. One of my best pole positions, not that I’ve had many! But it was just about getting a perfect lap, and that’s what we did,” an elated Norris exclaimed.
The McLaren driver attributed his success to the team’s consistent performance over the past two months, since the Miami Grand Prix. “We’ve been quick the last two months… We’ve probably missed out on pole just by not having the perfect lap, but we did it today.”
Norris is now focused on converting his pole into a win, acknowledging the stiff competition he’ll face from Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
“[Winning] is our target, but it’s going to be tough against Max, against Lewis. But we’re here to win now.”
The Mercedes duo of Hamilton and George Russell secured the second row, with Hamilton edging out his teammate by a slender 0.002s margin. The two Ferraris, piloted by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, will start from fifth and sixth, respectively.
Pierre Gasly’s Alpine clocked an impressive seventh-fastest time, while Perez’s eighth-place finish will be demoted to 11th due to a grid penalty incurred in Montreal. Esteban Ocon and Oscar Piastri rounded out the top 10.
Fernando Alonso faces a tough task in his home race, starting from 11th, after failing to breach the Q3 barrier. Valtteri Bottas, meanwhile, will begin from 12th, preceded by Nico Hulkenberg, Lance Stroll, and Zhou Guanyu.
In Q1, Kevin Magnussen was pushed into the drop zone by Haas teammate Hulkenberg, who improved late on to secure a spot in Q2. Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo, despite sporting new upgrades on their RBs, were eliminated in Q1, falling short of Hamilton’s benchmark by less than a second.
Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant will occupy the back row of the grid for Williams, with Albon initially running off-peak before slipping back down the order.
As the Formula 1 standings take shape, this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix promises to be an enthralling contest, with Norris, Verstappen, and Hamilton locked in a fierce battle for victory.
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