News Summary
- Lando Norris starts the Spanish GP from pole after beating Andrea Kimi Antonelli by only 0.011s in qualifying.
- Max Verstappen lines up third alongside Lewis Hamilton, with Charles Leclerc fifth and George Russell sixth.
- Ollie Bearman and Lance Stroll failed to set qualifying times, while Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso face difficult home races from the back of the grid.
Lando Norris will lead Formula 1’s first-ever starting grid at Madring after beating Andrea Kimi Antonelli by just 0.011s to pole position for the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix.
The McLaren driver produced a 1:31.824 on his decisive Q3 run to deny the Mercedes championship leader, who had been the benchmark for much of the Madrid weekend. Norris therefore becomes the first F1 pole-sitter at the new circuit in the Spanish capital.
It was a dramatic turnaround for Norris after a difficult Friday. A gearbox problem restricted him to only two laps and no time in FP2, costing McLaren valuable running on a completely new circuit.
Norris’ response came when it mattered most. After securing pole, he celebrated over the radio: “Oh, that might be my best one!” before adding: “Oh… That made me happy.”
Antonelli will nevertheless have an immediate opportunity to attack Norris when the lights go out. Only 200 metres separate pole position from the braking point for Turn 1 at Madring, while overtaking is expected to be difficult around the 5.414-km circuit.
Behind the front row, Max Verstappen starts third for Red Bull after qualifying 0.140s behind Norris. Lewis Hamilton puts Ferrari fourth, just 0.049s behind Verstappen, while Charles Leclerc starts fifth alongside George Russell on row three.
Oscar Piastri occupies seventh in the second McLaren, with Liam Lawson eighth for Red Bull. Franco Colapinto produced one of the stronger qualifying performances of the midfield to put Alpine ninth, while Arvid Lindblad completed the top ten for Racing Bulls despite his heavy FP2 accident on Friday.
Audi narrowly missed Q3 with both cars. Nico Hülkenberg starts 11th and Gabriel Bortoleto 12th, followed by Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda.
Further back, the Spanish drivers endured a difficult home qualifying session. Carlos Sainz starts 17th for Williams, while Fernando Alonso is 18th for Aston Martin. Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas fill the next two positions for Cadillac.
The final two places belong to Ollie Bearman and Lance Stroll, neither of whom set a qualifying time. Bearman’s absence was already guaranteed before the session after Haas confirmed it could not repair his car in time following his heavy FP3 crash. Formula 1’s official report confirmed Bearman’s accident caused one of two red flags in final practice, the other coming after Hamilton crashed his Ferrari.
The front of the grid therefore sets up a significant battle for Sunday’s race. Antonelli arrives as the championship leader after his victory at Monza, while Norris has now put himself in the strongest possible position to interrupt Mercedes’ recent momentum.
F1 2026: Spanish GP starting grid
| Pos. | Driver | Team/Engine | Qualifying time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L. NORRIS | McLaren Mercedes | 1:31.824 | — |
| 2 | A. K. ANTONELLI | Mercedes | 1:31.835 | +0.011s |
| 3 | M. VERSTAPPEN | Red Bull Ford | 1:31.964 | +0.140s |
| 4 | L. HAMILTON | Ferrari | 1:32.013 | +0.189s |
| 5 | C. LECLERC | Ferrari | 1:32.019 | +0.195s |
| 6 | G. RUSSELL | Mercedes | 1:32.149 | +0.325s |
| 7 | O. PIASTRI | McLaren Mercedes | 1:32.294 | +0.470s |
| 8 | L. LAWSON | Red Bull Ford | 1:32.316 | +0.492s |
| 9 | F. COLAPINTO | Alpine Mercedes | 1:32.903 | +1.079s |
| 10 | A. LINDBLAD | Racing Bulls Ford | 1:33.041 | +1.217s |
| 11 | N. HÜLKENBERG | Audi | 1:33.223 | +1.399s |
| 12 | G. BORTOLETO | Audi | 1:33.388 | +1.564s |
| 13 | E. OCON | Haas Ferrari | 1:33.667 | +1.843s |
| 14 | P. GASLY | Alpine Mercedes | 1:33.753 | +1.929s |
| 15 | Y. TSUNODA | Racing Bulls Ford | 1:34.084 | +2.260s |
| 16 | A. ALBON | Williams Mercedes | 1:35.532 | +3.708s |
| 17 | C. SAINZ | Williams Mercedes | 1:35.312 | +3.488s |
| 18 | F. ALONSO | Aston Martin Honda | 1:35.388 | +3.564s |
| 19 | S. PÉREZ | Cadillac Ferrari | 1:35.913 | +4.089s |
| 20 | V. BOTTAS | Cadillac Ferrari | 1:38.011 | +6.187s |
| 21 | O. BEARMAN | Haas Ferrari | No time | — |
| 22 | L. STROLL | Aston Martin Honda | No time | — |
Grid shown according to the qualifying order supplied, before any subsequent penalties, parc fermé changes or pit-lane starts.
FAQ
Who starts on pole for the 2026 Spanish GP in Madrid?
Lando Norris starts from pole after setting a 1:31.824 at Madring. He beat Andrea Kimi Antonelli by only 0.011s.
What is the front row for the Spanish GP?
Norris and Antonelli share the front row. Max Verstappen starts third, with Lewis Hamilton alongside him in fourth.
When does the 2026 Spanish GP start?
The inaugural F1 race at Madring starts at 15:00 local time in Madrid on Sunday, September 13.
Tags: Spanish GP, Lando Norris, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, F1
