McLaren's racer Oscar Piastri claims pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix event
Barcelona, Spain - McLaren's Oscar Piastri clinched an impressive pole position for the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix, with teammate Lando Norris following close behind in a dominant showing for the Woking-based outfit.
"Really pleased with today's performance," Piastri stated. "We weren't in the best form at the beginning, but last night, we found some speed, and the car performed incredibly well today."
Piastri, a 24-year-old Australian, has maintained a narrow lead in the drivers' standings, amassing 161 points. Despite his strong position, he finds himself only three points ahead of Norris, a 25-year-old British driver, before the Spanish race. Red Bull's Max Verstappen occupies third place with 136 points.
"Oscar drove very solidly today. The speed is definitely there, and he just made a couple of small errors," Norris praised his fellow McLaren driver. "This has been a fantastic result for the team. A nice one-two, and we're looking forward to an intriguing start tomorrow. However, there are several fast drivers behind us, so we won't underestimate them."
Verstappen qualified third, sharing the same time as Mercedes' George Russell. Russell, a four-time world champion and reigning titleholder, started ahead of Verstappen since he finished his lap earlier. The 27-year-old Dutch racer admitted that he was "struggling a bit" in Barcelona, stating the McLarens were performing better overall.
"We executed well today. Finishing third is where we expected to be," Verstappen commented. "At this track, it's all about milking the maximum out of the car, and I'll try my best tomorrow, but they will be challenging to beat."
Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion and Ferrari driver, placed fifth during qualifying, followed by Kimi Antonelli—who joined Mercedes after replacing Hamilton—in sixth position. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Alpine's Pierre Gasly, Racing Bull's Isack Hadjar, and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso rounded out the top 10.
Outside of the track, team principal Christian Horner denied speculation about a potential move to Ferrari, stating his full commitment to Red Bull. Rumors suggested that Ferrari had contacted Horner as a potential replacement for Fred Vasseur.
"Of course, it's always flattering to be associated with other teams, but my commitment is 100% with Red Bull – it always has been and certainly will be for the long term," said Horner. "There is always speculation – team changes – but the team is well aware of the situation."
References:[1] https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/2025-spanish-grand-prix-qualifying-result/13606050/[2] https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/59317274
"Oscar Piastri's impressive pole position and Lando Norris' strong qualifying performance showcase McLaren's dominance in the racing community, setting the stage for a riveting sports event at the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix."
"With Fernando Alonso, a racing icon, just outside the top 10, the competition on the Spanish race track promises to be intense and exciting, igniting the passion of sports fans worldwide."
