Oscar Piastri stuns championship rivals to snatch pole position for Spanish Grand Prix

Oscar Piastri got one back over his McLaren teammate Lando Norris with a stunning performance in qualifying at the high-speed Catalunya circuit in Barcelona.

Australia’s Oscar Piastri turned the tables on his main Formula One world championship rival Lando Norris to snatch pole position for Sunday night’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Just six days after Norris won the Monaco Grand Prix to close the gap to Piastri in the drivers’ standings, the Aussie got one back over his McLaren teammate with a stunning performance in qualifying at the high-speed Catalunya circuit in Barcelona.

Needing to produce something special to overtake Norris for the prime spot at the front of the grid, Piastri saved his best for last by absolutely nailing his final flying lap to stop the clock at 1:11.546.

Norris qualified second so will start alongside his teammate but was 0.209 behind Piastri, marking the biggest gap between the first and second qualifiers all season.

“It’s been a good weekend so far. It didn’t start off in the best way, we were struggling a little bit, but I think last night we found some pace,” Piastri said.

“The car’s been mega, and I feel like I’ve been able to put in some good laps as well.

“It’s going to be an interesting one and I’m pretty glad that I’m starting from pole. It’s obviously a long run to turn one, so I’ve got to make sure we try and get a good start.”

Oscar Piastri claimed pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes driver George Russell both set the exact same times to secure their places on the second row, with Verstappen to start third because he recorded his time just moments before Russell.

Chasing his fifth win of the 2025 season after taking the chequered flag in China, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Miami, Piastri’s pole was his fourth in nine rounds, with 15 more to come after Spain.

The only Australian F1 driver who claimed more poles in a single year was Mark Webber in 2010 but Piastri should shatter the record by the end of the season.

Now Piastri’s manager, Webber went on to win the Spanish Grand Prix in 2010 from pole and Piastri is hoping to emulate his countryman.

“Crossing the line first, that’s the key,” Piastri said. “Trying to get a good start and keep the lead is a good idea, probably.

“But there’s going to be some strategy involved. The long runs (in practice) were pretty painful for everyone so it’s going to be a different race to a lot of the races we’ve had this year.”

Oscar Piastri has captured four pole positions in his career, all in 2025

In his three previous starts from pole this year, Piastri has converted two into race victories, in China and Bahrain. But at the other in Imola, he was passed by Verstappen at the first corner then dropped back to third after McLaren misjudged his pit stop.

The odds are still in Piastri’s favour in Barcelona as all but three of the last 34 winners of the Spanish Grand Prix have started from the front row but the circuit is also known for being especially hard on tyres so strategy will play a bigger role than Monaco, which invariably becomes a procession because overtaking is virtually impossible on the narrow streets.

“Hopefully, a bit different to last weekend. I think it will be an interesting race still,” Piastri said.

“It’s not as simple as take the lead at the start and cruise from there. It’s going to be a challenge to manage the tyres, timing your stops right. There’s going to be a lot going on.”

Oscar Piastri currently leads the world championship standings

While Piastri’s lead over Norris in the drivers’ championship has been reduced to just three points, with Verstappen a further 22 behind in third, the 24-year-old Melburnian has impressed everyone with his coolness under pressure, finishing on the podium in each of this last seven races.

He rarely shows much emotion regardless of whether he wins or loses, and was typically nonchalant about taking pole, though he jokingly objected to a Brazilian journalist’s description of him as ‘Ice Boy’.

“I’m not sure I want to go under the name Ice Boy!” Piastri replied.

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s incredibly satisfying, but I think I’m just not a particularly emotional person. That’s just how I am, really.

“There are still moments that I am emotional, but I also know that … It’s a nice thing to have, starting on pole, but it’s not the end of the weekend. The points are (decided by the race).”

McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri

Norris coasted to victory in Monte Carlo with the benefit of starting from pole and looked on track to top the timesheets again after he set the fastest time with his first flying lap in Q3.

Although he went fractionally quicker on his final run, the Englishman made a couple of tiny errors which ruined his chances of matching Piastri’s blistering best lap.

“The speed was easily there. Sometimes you just don’t put the laps in,” Norris said.

“I was a little bit behind at the start of qualifying and I caught up nicely.

“I know where I lost that time on the final lap. It was just trying a little bit too much and just not being quite tidy enough – especially around a lap like Barcelona.

“One little oversteer in turn one, turn two, you kind of already know it’s going to be a tricky rest of the lap. So, it’s still good. I still feel fine. I’m happy with second, especially in Barcelona. It’s not the end of the world. So, a positive weekend.”

Max Verstappen did not have the pace to challenge Oscar Piastri for pole at the Spanish Grand Prix

Verstappen, who has won the last three Spanish Grands Prix, said he could not have qualified any higher than third but is hopeful of challenging the McLarens during the race.

“We made some final changes to the car but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to really challenge for pole but it’s okay,” Verstappen said.

“I’ll try my best, but they will be tough to beat. We’ll see what we can do.

“I think it’s time to shine in turn one, yeah? Make it three-wide for the pictures. Why not?

“I don’t know. Honestly, I think looking at pace, it will be tough. Like Oscar said, it’s not all about the start and turn one. You need to be good on tyres. It’s a long race. A lot can happen. So, I’ll just try to maximise what I got.”

Originally published as Oscar Piastri stuns championship rivals to snatch pole position for Spanish Grand Prix