As expected, McLaren started the year with a strong showing. They put in an impressive performance in the first qualifying session of the season, but tomorrow's race will likely be a completely different affair.
After the first few flying laps of Q1, we saw names constantly changing at the top, until Lando Norris, George Russell, and Max Verstappen stagnated there. There were no surprises, and in the end, the first leg of qualifying concluded in that order. However, Liam Lawson was unlucky, as he was forced to bow out as the first to exit in his first qualifying with Red Bull. The same was true for the two Haas drivers, Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Nico Hülkenberg, although fellow rookie Gabriel Bortoleto and Jack Doohan managed to complete a lap that qualified them for Q2.
In Q2, we could already see a clear McLaren superiority, with Oscar Piastri and Norris leading the field. Behind them, Verstappen and Russell remained close, followed by the two Scuderia Ferrari cars. At the end of the stage, the order was Norris, Piastri, and Verstappen, while the two Williams cars and Yuki Tsunoda advanced without problems. Those eliminated included the two Aston Martins, Isaac Hadjar, Bortoletto, and Doohan.
In Q3, the early runs didn't go well for McLaren, as both cars had their first laps cancelled. The fastest first runs showed Verstappen, Russell, and Leclerc in the order. However, the picture was deceptive, as McLaren still had great pace and didn't have to wait long to show it. In the final runs, Lando Norris, who unleashed infernal speed, managed to take pole position from a tight situation, ahead of Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen, while Yuki Tsunoda and Alexander Albon also overtook the two Scuderia Ferrari cars. Brutal.
Photo: Reutres / XPB Images
