Lando Norris has claimed the first-ever Formula 1 pole position at Madrid’s new Madring after edging Kimi Antonelli by just 0.011 seconds in qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.
The McLaren driver produced a 1:31.824 on his final Q3 run to take the top spot, denying Antonelli after the Mercedes driver had briefly moved to provisional pole.
Antonelli finished second, while Max Verstappen secured third for Red Bull, 0.140 seconds behind Norris. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc completed the top five for Ferrari.
Norris delivers when it matters
Antonelli looked strong throughout qualifying and set the initial Q3 benchmark with a 1:32.140. Hamilton then went faster with a 1:32.079 before Antonelli returned to the top on the final runs.
Norris had the final answer.
The McLaren driver put together a 1:31.824 to beat Antonelli by just 11 thousandths of a second and secure pole for the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring.
Verstappen also challenged for the front row after setting the fastest time through the middle sector on his final attempt, but he could not match Norris and Antonelli in the final sector. He will start third, ahead of Hamilton and Leclerc.
Norris leads the first Madring grid
Norris will therefore start from the best possible position for the first Formula 1 race at the new Madrid circuit.
Antonelli joins him on the front row, with Verstappen and Hamilton making up the second row.
George Russell qualified sixth, followed by Oscar Piastri, Liam Lawson, Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad, who completed the top 10.
For Norris, the significance is simple: the first pole in Madring’s Formula 1 history belongs to him.
And the margin could hardly have been closer.