Ahead of today’s qualifying session, the air temperature is 34 degrees C, while the track temperature is 53 degrees.
Starting from pole, Norris won the sprint earlier, with Piastri second and Leclerc third.
Clearly, McLaren has rediscovered its mojo, while Ferrari and Red Bull have improved, but not as much as they thought. Another poor start, down to the car not the driver, according to Toto Wolff, wrecked Antonelli’s chances, while a 5s penalty for track violations was the icing on his cake for the youngster.
Neither Hulkenberg not Lindblad made it to the start, with Audi’s misery compounded when Bortoleto was disqualified after it was found that his engine intake air pressure exceeded the maximum permitted limit.
Few would bet against Norris claiming pole again this afternoon, or even his teammate, but in all honesty all eyes are actually on tomorrow, the FIA having declared a Race Hazard due to the anticipated storm.
The pitlane opens and Bottas leads the way, followed by Perez, Bearman, Lindblad and Stroll. Hulkenberg is among the early risers, his crew having done a great job over the break. While everyone else is on softs, the German is on used mediums.
Bottas posts a 32.698, but Bearman, quickest in the final two sectors, responds with a 30.203.
A 29.099 puts Verstappen top, as Leclerc edges out Hadjar with a 29.436. Hamilton goes third with a 29.510 but is demoted when Norris goes second with a 29.183.
Lindblad goes eighth and Hulkenberg ninth.
Piastri an only manage sixth, 0.941s off the pace, while Antonelli goes second with a 29.158.
Russell goes eighth, 0.977s off the pace.
Sainz has a major lock-up in Turn 1, as his teammate exceeds the track limits in Turn 11.
Lawson goes sixth with a 29.909, unlike most, the RB driver is on fresh rubber.
Also on fresh rubber, Bearman goes fourth with a 29.340 as Alonso goes sixteenth.
Now on softs, Hulkenberg improves to seventh with a 29.645.
Colapinto goes ninth and Gasly thirteenth.
“We do need this, I’m sure it’s obvious to you,” says Russell.
Bortoleto is heading out, his crew clearly having found a solution to the issue that got him disqualified earlier.
Antonelli goes quickest in S1, while Piastri is struggling. The McLaren driver remains eleventh, as Antonelli goes top with a 28.653.
Russell improves to seventh, but remains 0.8s off his teammate’s pace.
A number of cars build up behind a very slow Bortoleto on the back straight.
Gasly goes eleventh, Hadjar fourth and Colapinto ninth.
Albon goes eleventh, Leclerc second and Sainz ninth.
Lindblad goes seventeenth and Ocon fourteenth while Piastri remains sixteenth.
“My brakes are on fire,” warns Bortoleto, as he is told not to use them. The Brazilian subsequently pulls off to the side of the track.
Antonelli is quickest, ahead of Leclerc, Verstappen, Norris, Hadjar, Bearman, Hamilton, Russell, Sainz and Colapinto.
We lose Lindblad, Alonso, Stroll, Bottas, Perez and Bortoleto.
While Bortoleto’s car is recovered the start of Q2 is delayed for a few minutes.
Green light, and Hadjar leads the way, followed by his teammate, Hulkenberg, Sainz, Albon and Leclerc.
Hadjar posts a benchmark 28.941, while Verstappen, who was impeded in the final sector, crosses the line at 28.931.
Hulkenberg goes third, ahead of Albon and Sainz, as Leclerc goes top only to be demoted by his Ferrari teammate (28.477).
Norris runs wide in Turn 5, losing precious time, As Colapinto goes fifth and Gasly sixth.
Piastri goes third with a 28.902, but Antonelli responds with a 28.352.
Russell goes third, 0.125s off his teammate’s pace, indeed on the same time as Hamilton.
His lap time deleted, Norris has yet to post a time. The Briton heads out again, enjoying a totally free track.
The 2025 world champion goes ninth with a 29.040… on fresh rubber. With 4:30 remaining, will he try another run, another set of tyres?
“Why do I have no deployment out of Turn 16,” he asks. He is told that the problem is the wind.
The final assault gets underway.
Antonelli goes quickest in S1, as Russell is quickest in S2.
Antonelli improves to 28.289 as Russell goes third with a 28.477.
Colapinto goes eighth and Gasly tenth, while a 28.116 puts Verstappen top.
Leclerc goes third and Hulkenberg eleventh while Hamilton remains fifth.
Norris improves to seventh and Bearman thirteenth, as Gasly makes the cut by the skin of his teeth.
Leclerc asks his team to check his car for damage after running over the kerb in Turn 8, while Albon sighs: “What a joke!”
Quickest is Verstappen, ahead of Antonelli, Leclerc, Piastri, Hamilton, Russell, Norris, Hadjar, Colapinto and Gasly.
Five teams have both drivers through to the final phase.
Piastri is first out, followed by Norris, Hadjar, Verstappen and Leclerc.
Piastri crosses the line at 28.687, but Norris responds with a 28.183.
Verstappen goes top with a 28.181, only for Leclerc to respond with a 28.143.
Hamilton goes fourth with a28.376 but is demoted when Antonelli goes top with a 27.798. Russell goes fifth, 0.399s off the pace.
Colapinto goes eighth, ahead of Hadjar and Gasly.
Russell gets the final assault underway, the Briton followed by his teammate, Piastri, Norris and Leclerc. Last out is Verstappen.
A PB in S1 for Russell, while his teammate has a poor sector.
Russell remains fifth, while Piastri remains seventh and Norris fourth.
Leclerc also fails to improve as Verstappen goes quickest in S2, finally crossing the line at 27.964 to go second, 0.166s down on Antonelli.
The Dutchman was the only driver to actually improve his time in that last run.
So, Antonelli will start from pole, ahead of Verstappen, Leclerc, Norris, Russell, Hamilton, Piastri, Colapinto, Hadjar and Gasly.
Hulkenberg will start eleventh, ahead of Lawson, Bearman, Sainz, Ocon, Albon, Lindblad, Alonso, Stroll, Bottas, Perez, Bortoleto.
So, quite a turnaround from previous sessions, especially for McLaren, with Zak Brown refusing to blame the wind.
“It was on the limit,” says Leclerc, “but we were not fast enough.
“We brought a significant package that helped a bit,” he adds, “but we need to improve.
“P3 is a good starting position so I am looking forward to tomorrow. It looks wet. I think it will be a wet race.”
“For me it has been two things,” adds Verstappen. “For sure the car has not been great in the last races and I didn’t feel comfortable with the layout of the car.
“The upgrades have made me feel comfortable, so I can push more and the upgrades are working. To be on the front row is way better than I expected heading into this weekend.
“Let’s see what the weather does, but I am very happy with where we are, it is light at the end of the tunnel.”
“It’s been an amazing day, to be on pole again,” says pole-man Antonelli. “It was a difficult start of the day with the Sprint, where it didn’t go our way.
“I’m happy with the quali, a little bit overexcited on the last lap in Q3, but the first lap was good.
“I was very stressed to be fair, I was waiting for everyone to finish their laps but it was good enough so I’m happy with that.
“It would be nice to not lose any positions tomorrow,” he says of the start.