Fight for the starting places: Piatri on Pole – Lewandowski support helps Verstappen

Even with trimmed wings, McLaren drives away from the competition and Oscar Piatri again in their own league. The 24-year-old World Cup leader shone on his last attempt in qualifying at the Grand Prix of Spain with a rapid round. Piatri beat his British teammate Lando Norris for more than two tenths of a second this year.

Only then did Max Verstappen join, who had a highly celebrity and Formula 1 enthusiastic thumb in the Red Bull Box in football star Robert Lewandowski from FC Barcelona. He hoped that Verstappen will win the race, said the Polish attacker at the broadcaster Sky.

“It will be hard, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t try,” emphasized Verstappen with a view to the Grand Prix of Spain this Sunday (3 p.m./Sky and RTL).

McLaren not slowed down by reinforcement

In any case, it could not be seen or felt that the cars in Papaya orange are now slower due to the tightened front wing rules and tests. The two McLaren pilots divided the first places from the three free training sessions to qualifications – with advantage for Piatri.

“The car was mega,” he praised after the co-excretion on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya: “The round was not perfect, but I’m glad I got it together.”

Others found Piatris final attempt. “I think that was one of the moments you remember to have experienced one of the best shootouts for a pole position,” enthused ex-formula 1 pilot David Coulthard. And also Norris, still overjoyed on Saturday last week about its own poles in Monaco, respected: “Oscar drove a lot.” On the other hand, he made a few small mistakes.

So there is a lot to be said for the next McLaren racing victory this year. Piatri won four times, Norris twice. Verstappen also comes to two victories. Before it started in qualification, the Dutchman chatted with Lewandowski with a cooling vest. In 2023 Verstappen had won the pole for the only time in Catalonia, but he has won the race four times. 2016 and in the past three years.

There was a McLaren victory in Barcelona 20 years ago: in 2005 Kimi won Raikkonen. In 2025 Piatri and Norris are the big favorites. Even this does not change the tightened rules to the flexible front wings. Some of the pursuers thought McLaren considered the pioneer in this regard. Now wings can bend even less under load.

However, it becomes exciting how the right to rule in the race will have an impact. The tire wear could increase due to the larger air resistance. Especially at high summer temperatures around 30 degrees, which are also expected during the race this Sunday.

Hülkenberg sees an early end

It was striking in qualifying at least that in the first section the 20 drivers were all within one second. As 16, it was enough for the only German pilot, Nico Hülkenberg in the clean, not to move into the next ko round.

The favorites survived the middle section without any problems, now it matters. In the meantime, dark clouds had been raised, but it stayed dry and Piatri presented. Norris countered: 17 thousandths of a second faster. Terrifying, however, for Verstappen: He had a gap of just over half a second on the first attempt, Fernando Alonso also drove faster: the 43 -year -old Spaniard was spontaneously celebrated by the fans during his qualification in his home race.

When it came down to it, Verstappen improved, but above all Piatri showed his qualities in the fast McLaren. Before the race, Piatri leads to Monaco winner Norris with a three-point lead. Verstappen is third, the defending champion has 25 points behind less than the winner of the Spain qualification.