In a surprising twist, Kimi Antonelli qualified second, just two tenths behind Norris. Oscar Piastri followed closely in third place, while Charles Leclerc secured fourth after leading practice sessions. Max Verstappen and George Russell rounded out the top six, with Lewis Hamilton finishing seventh despite showing faster times earlier in the day.

Key qualifying positions:

• Lando Norris: 1st (1:27.869)
• Kimi Antonelli: 2nd (0.222 seconds behind)
• Oscar Piastri: 3rd (0.239 seconds behind)
• Charles Leclerc: 4th (0.370 seconds behind)
• Max Verstappen: 5th (0.592 seconds behind)
• George Russell: 6th (0.624 seconds behind)
• Lewis Hamilton: 7th (0.749 seconds behind)

Norris expressed his satisfaction with the performance, stating, “I feel very good. I’m very happy for the team.” He acknowledged that a lot of work had gone into bringing these upgrades to fruition. George Russell also commented on McLaren’s progress, noting how impressive their jump has been this season.

This qualifying session featured a total of 22 cars, with six eliminated in both SQ1 and SQ2 rounds. Notably, Lance Stroll did not set a time due to an early spin, while Fernando Alonso struggled with car issues that hampered his performance.

The contrasting upgrade strategies between teams have become evident; McLaren introduced substantial improvements while Mercedes opted for fewer upgrades compared to their competitors like Ferrari and Red Bull.

As teams prepare for the race, observers are keenly watching how these developments will impact overall performance throughout the rest of the season.

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