Lando Norris puts McLaren on pole position for Spanish Grand Prix

BARCELONA – McLaren’s Lando Norris said that he produced a “perfect” late lap in qualifying to deprive Red Bull’s Max Verstappen of pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix on June 23.

Three-time world champion Verstappen had secured provisional pole on June 22 with a lap that looked hard to beat but Norris seized the top slot with his final effort, edging ahead by just 0.020sec.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was third fastest and teammate George Russell fourth.

The Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz filled the third row. 

“It was pretty much a perfect lap. You know when you are on a good lap and you are getting excited... the whole thing went perfectly in the end. Super happy,” said Norris, who has one race win this season in Miami.

“I would say my best pole position. I have not had many but of the ones I have had (it’s) my best.

“It has been close all weekend but really it was about a perfect lap and that is what I did today. We have missed out on pole by just not doing a perfect lap and today was a perfect lap.”

On his chances for the race, he added: “I know it is going to be tough against Max, against Lewis, and everyone behind. But we are here to win so that is my plan.” 

McLaren had a difficult start to the day, as an employee was taken to hospital after a fire forced the team to evacuate their paddock headquarters before final practice and qualifying.

The Circuit de Catalunya emergency services and local fire brigade were on the scene within minutes of the alarm and the fire in the hospitality hub was quickly extinguished.

“One McLaren team member has been taken to hospital as a precaution, and all McLaren personnel and guests are accounted for,” McLaren said, thanking rival teams for their offers of assistance.

Verstappen, meanwhile, was not too disappointed despite missing out on pole by such a narrow margin.

“I think in qualifying it was all coming together a bit nicer. I was quite happy in qualifying. I got a nice tow from Checo (teammate Sergio Perez) in Q3 but unfortunately it was not enough,” he said.

“That’s how it goes sometimes but overall we can still be happy with that performance and it’s all to play for tomorrow.”

Ahead of the race, the Dutchman – who has six wins in nine races – leads the drivers’ standings on 194 points, Leclerc is second on 138 while Norris is third on 131.

Hamilton was just glad that he has a chance to challenge his fellow Briton Norris and Verstappen.

“I am really happy. I am super grateful to be in the top three,” he said.

“It has been quite a difficult year, there has been hard work from everyone back in the factory, and we are starting to see those incremental steps.

“I didn’t expect to be in for pole but every now and then we looked to be close. So to be there I am just grateful.”

Behind the top six, Pierre Gasly of Alpine qualified seventh, Perez was eighth, Gasly’s teammate Esteban Ocon ninth and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri rounded out the top 10. But with Perez’s three-grid penalty, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso takes his place in the top 10.

In the 24-race season, this is the first of a triple-header with Austria and Silverstone coming up over the next two weekends.

Verstappen won his maiden Grand Prix in Barcelona in 2016 and is on a hat-trick after wins in 2022 and 2023, but first he must get past the super-pumped Norris. REUTERS, AFP