Key facts
- George Russell secured pole position for the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
- Lewis Hamilton qualified second, and Kimi Antonelli will start third.
- Mercedes drivers have secured all seven pole positions this season.
- Charles Leclerc will start 10th after crashing during qualifying.
- Fernando Alonso will start last in what is expected to be his final Barcelona race.
George Russell of Mercedes secured pole position for the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix on Saturday, with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton qualifying second. Formula 1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli will start third, marking the first time this season he has not been on the front row. Antonelli, a 19-year-old Italian, leads the standings with 156 points after a five-race winning streak. Hamilton is second with 90 points, and Russell is third with 88.
Russell's pole, his 10th career pole and first in his 100th Grand Prix weekend for Mercedes, continues the team's dominance in qualifying this season, having taken all seven poles. Defending champion Lando Norris will start fourth, alongside Antonelli. The Red Bull pair Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar will start fifth and sixth, respectively, with Norris' McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in eighth.
Charles Leclerc will start 10th after crashing and causing a red flag during qualifying. Fernando Alonso will start last in what he indicated would likely be his final race in Barcelona. Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas did not advance from the first qualifying session.
The race, formerly the Spanish Grand Prix, will now be known as the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix and will alternate with the Belgian Grand Prix on the calendar. The Spanish Grand Prix title will transfer to a new race in Madrid starting in September.