Norris stuns Verstappen in nail-biting Spanish GP qualifying

Lando Norris denied Max Verstappen pole position for the 2024 F1 Spanish Grand Prix, in a nail-biting Q3 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. 

Verstappen had looked set for pole after finding three tenths on his final lap in Q3; however, Norris shocked Red Bull seconds later after setting a sensational 1:11.383. 

Norris' time which clinched him his second-career F1 pole, was narrowly quicker than Verstappen but a remarkable three tenths of a second faster than Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in third and fourth.

Just two thousandths of a second split the Mercedes duo, whilst Charles Leclerc completed the top five. Carlos Sainz was slightly slower than his Ferrari team-mate and had to settle for sixth. 

The surprise package in qualifying was Alpine, as Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon both made it to Q3 and claimed seventh and ninth, respectively. 

Ocon will be promoted a place as Sergio Perez qualified eighth, but has a three-place grid penalty. Oscar Piastri completed the top 10.

Norris Q3 brilliance

After the first runs in Q3, Verstappen was the fastest driver on a 1:11.673, just over one-tenth of a second faster than Norris, Hamilton and Russell. 

Perez was only ninth after his first lap in the final part of qualifying, although completed the lap on a used set of soft tyres. 

There was considerable change as the session reached its close, as the circuit reached its peak. With fresh soft tyres fitted, Piastri pushed too hard on his only lap in Q3 and found the gravel.

Elsewhere, Sainz and Leclerc both improved but failed to beat Verstappen, who found almost three tenths of a second. 

However, Norris stunned the Dutchman to eclipse his time by just 0.020s. 

Q2 disappointment for Alonso

In Q2, Hamilton and Fernando Alonso were the two big names at risk ahead of the final push laps. Hamilton's opening lap on used tyres was only enough for P13, a place behind Alonso.

However, on new soft tyres, Hamilton found significant time and ended Q2 as the second fastest driver. The same could not be said for Alonso, as the home hero was knocked out in 11th.

Alonso's team-mate also failed to make the cut for Q3, and will provisionally start in 14th. Both Stake F1 drivers were also knocked out. 

Valtteri Bottas was 12th quickest, whereas Zhou Guanyu was slowest in the second part of qualifying, leaving him down in 15th. Nico Hulkenberg was the fifth driver eliminated, in P13.

Verstappen was the pacesetter in Q2, ahead of a Mercedes two-three. 

RB misery in Q1

Both RBs being eliminated in Q1 was the biggest shock of the opening part of qualifying, with Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo only managing 17th and 18th, respectively,

Despite introducing a significant upgrades package, the Faenza-based team has struggled throughout the weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, causing qualifying misery.

Logan Sargeant was the slowest driver and has to visit the stewards', due to having impeded Stroll on his opening hot lap. This put Stroll at risk of elimination in Q1, however, the Aston Martin driver improved on his final lap to make Q2. 

Williams are another outfit off the pace in Spain, as Alex Albon could only salvage 19th. The Thai-British driver was P12 after his final hot lap but quickly toppled down the order.

Kevin Magnussen was the fifth driver eliminated in the first section of Q1, and provisionally starts 16th.

Hamilton topped the first part of qualifying, courtesy of setting a 1:12.143.