We saw a really exciting and thrilling qualifying session, which also included a surprise: Carlos Sainz will start from pole position tomorrow!
After the first few fast laps in Q1, Max Verstappen took the lead, while the drivers behind him frequently changed positions. Pierre Gasly, Nico Hülkenberg, and later Verstappen spun there as Lando Norris took over the lead. Norris ultimately won the first session ahead of Carlos Sainz and Verstappen, while, surprisingly, Oscar Piastri, Sergio Perez, Franco Collapinto, Esteban Ocon, and Guanyu Zhou were among those eliminated.
Q2 also revolved around the Norris and Verstappen duo, while the Mercedes also closed the gap. However, Scuderia Ferrari seemed visibly struggling at this point. However, the Reds improved significantly on their second attempts, allowing Sainz to close the gap to Norris and Verstappen, who won Q2. Many weren't so lucky, as those who started their second fast laps late were unable to complete the race due to an accident and a red flag. This section saw the retirements of the two Aston Martins, the two VISA Racing Bulls, and Valtteri Bottas.
After the first attempts in Q3, we surprisingly saw Sainz, Leclerc, and Russell at the top, while Norris and Verstappen only finished fifth and tenth. Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, was highly motivated and found no opponent that evening. The Spaniard secured pole position ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, giving himself a serious chance of saying goodbye to the Italian team with a win.
